SERB – POWER (Promoting Opportunities For Women in Exploratory Research) program is formulated to mitigate gender disparity in science and engineering research funding in various S&T programs in Indian academic institutions and R&D Laboratories. SERB – POWER is specially designed to provide structured effort toward enhanced diversity in research to ensure equal access and weighted opportunities for Indian women scientists engaged in research and development activities.
OBJECTIVES
This scheme aims to encourage emerging and eminent women researchers for individual-centric and competitive mode of research funding to undertake R&D activities in frontier areas of science and engineering. POWER Grants will empower women researchers by funding them under following two categories:
Level I: The scale of funding upto 60 Lakhs for three years.
Level II: The scale of funding upto 30 Lakhs for three years.
MECHANISMS OF IDENTIFICATION
The SERB-Core Research Grant(CRG) Platform will be used to identify and support women scientists under the POWER Research Grant component. Accordingly proposals will be received through two streams:
Stream 1: Direct Applications for POWER Grant(Online).
Stream 2: Applications sourced from CRG Scheme(All PACs).
Women Researchers who have applied in the current cycle but not secured funding under CRG will be considered in Stream 2 at an appropriate level (Level I & II). Women scientists who have applied in CRG Scheme need not re-apply in any of the above streams.
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants [Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-Principal Investigator(s)(Co-PI(s))] should be Indian citizens.
The Applicant(s) must hold a regular academic/research position in a recognized academic institution or national laboratory or in any other recognized R&D institution in India .
Applicants from IITs, IISERs, IISc, NITs, Central Universities, and National Labs of Central Government Institutions will be considered under Level I category, whereas applicants from State Universities/Colleges and Private Academic Institutions should apply under Level II category.
POWER Grant will be regulated through terms of reference confirming to SERB-CRG guidelines.
The selection will be based on the recommendations of Program Advisory Committee (PAC) constituted by the Board. If required, the applicants may be called for discussion/presentation.
SERB POWER grant will be regulated through terms of reference conforming to SERB CRG guidelines except sharing of 50 % non- recurring cost by National Laboratories and Research Institutions.
Woman scientists cannot hold POWER Fellowship and POWER Grant at the same time.
Faculties recruited through UGC-Faculty Recharge Program are eligible to apply. INSPIRE Faculty, Ramanujan and Ramalingaswamy Fellows are also eligible to apply provided they have at least three and half years of tenure remaining at the time of submission of application.
Investigators who will be superannuating during the duration of the project or already superannuated are also eligible to apply. In such cases, a Woman Faculty/Scientist from the host institute who has at least 5 years of service remaining should be associated as a Co-PI. The host institution should allow the investigator to continue after superannuation and provide required support towards implementation of the project.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
Women Scientists cannot hold POWER Fellowship and POWER Grant at the same time.
For queries & more:
Email: serb-power@serb.gov.in
Call closing date: 30th September 2022, 5:00 PM IST.
Deadline for submission of concept note/expression of interest to R&D Department –September 20, 2022, EoD. The project proposal in prescribed format or the concept note as the case may be, should be sent to Dean R&D (dean.research@ddn.upes.ac.in), with CC to Associate Dean (R&D) (smtauseef@ddn.upes.ac.in) well in time.