Post Doctoral Fellowship Programme

The Post Doctoral Fellowship (PDF) Programme at B.S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science and Technology (BSAU), Chennai, is a research-focused fellowship designed for individuals who have recently completed their doctoral studies and wish to advance their expertise in STEM-related fields. The fellowship is offered for a duration of one year (extendable), with fellows receiving a consolidated monthly stipend of Rs. 30,000. The programme is offered in full-time, on-campus mode at the Vandalur, Chennai campus. It is popular among early-career researchers seeking to deepen their interdisciplinary research skills, publish in high-impact journals, and build academic credentials under the mentorship of experienced faculty.

As of March 2026, the most recent call for Post Doctoral Fellowship was issued for the January 2025 batch. Applications for the 2026 cycle are expected to be invited tentatively around January 2026, based on the previous year's pattern. Interested candidates are advised to monitor the official website (crescent.education) and submit applications by email to research@crescent.education and dy.dean.academicresearch@crescent.education as per the announced schedule.

Key Points

• The fellowship is purely a temporary position and is not a regular employment or degree programme.
• Only one Post Doctoral Fellowship position is allocated per department, making it highly selective.
• Interdisciplinary research proposals are actively encouraged.
• Fellows must identify a suitable Mentor from the faculty before applying; the mentor must be a Professor/Associate Professor/Assistant Professor with a minimum of 5 years post-Ph.D. experience, at least 3 Ph.D. scholars guided, and a minimum of 10 SCI/SCI-E journal publications.
• Applications from candidates who applied in earlier advertisement cycles must be submitted afresh; previous applications are not carried forward.
• The fellowship is open to candidates across all STEM-related departments at BSAU.

BSAU PDF Fees

The Post Doctoral Fellowship at BSAU is a stipend-based research position, not a fee-paying academic programme. Fellows receive a monthly stipend of Rs. 30,000 (consolidated) and are not required to pay tuition fees. There are no application fees or admission fees mentioned for the fellowship. The only financial component is the stipend provided to the fellow during the tenure.

Fee Components

• The fellowship stipend of Rs. 30,000 per month is paid to the fellow by the institute; fellows do not pay any fees.
• Hostel accommodation availability for post-doctoral fellows is not explicitly mentioned; candidates are advised to contact the institute directly.
• The fellowship is for one year and is extendable subject to performance and departmental approval.

BSAU PDF Admission 2026

The Post Doctoral Fellowship at BSAU is offered through a direct application process based on the candidate's research profile and proposed research plan. The selection is carried out by a Department/School level selection committee, with final approval from the Competent Authority. The most recent call was for January 2025; the 2026 cycle is expected to follow a similar timeline.

Important Dates

No national-level entrance exam is required for this fellowship. Admission is based on research profile, publications, and interview/selection by the departmental committee.

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Applicants must have completed their Ph.D. (viva-voce examination must be completed; candidates awaiting viva-voce are not eligible).
• Applicants must have a minimum of 3 research publications in refereed indexed journals.
• Applicants must identify a suitable Mentor from BSAU faculty before applying.

Admission Process:

• Download the application form from the official website: crescent.education/post-doctoral-fellowship/
• Fill in the application form with all required details including proposed research plan and identified mentor.
• Submit the filled application along with supporting documents (Ph.D. certificate, publications list, research proposal, etc.) by email to research@crescent.education and dy.dean.academicresearch@crescent.education.
• Applications with insufficient information or missing documents will not be considered.
• Department/School level selection committee scrutinizes applications based on research profile and proposed research.
• Final selection is based on committee recommendations and approval of the Competent Authority.
• Selected candidates receive an offer letter with fellowship commencement details.

BSAU PDF Scholarships 2026

The Post Doctoral Fellowship itself is the primary financial support mechanism at BSAU for post-doctoral researchers. The institute provides a consolidated monthly stipend to selected fellows, making the programme self-sustaining for researchers without additional scholarship requirements. Candidates may also explore external funding options from national agencies.

Scholarship Details

• The BSAU stipend is the only institute-funded fellowship; all other options listed are external national fellowships.
• External fellowships (SERB N-PDF, DST-INSPIRE, CSIR RA) require separate applications to the respective funding agencies.
• Candidates are encouraged to apply for external fellowships and seek hosting at BSAU departments.

BSAU PDF FAQs

Ques. Is the Post Doctoral Fellowship at BSAU a degree programme or a job?

Ans. The Post Doctoral Fellowship at BSAU is neither a degree programme nor a permanent job. It is a temporary research position for a period of one year (extendable), designed to provide advanced research experience to recent Ph.D. holders. Fellows receive a monthly stipend of Rs. 30,000 but are not considered regular employees of the institute.

Ques. Can I apply for the PDF at BSAU if my Ph.D. viva-voce is pending?

Ans. No. Candidates who have not yet completed their viva-voce examination are strictly not eligible to apply. You must have fully completed your Ph.D., including the viva-voce, before submitting an application for the Post Doctoral Fellowship.

Ques. Do I need to find a mentor before applying, or will BSAU assign one?

Ans. You are required to identify a suitable Mentor from BSAU faculty on your own before applying. The mentor must be a Professor, Associate Professor, or Assistant Professor with at least 5 years of post-Ph.D. experience, a minimum of 3 Ph.D. scholars guided, and at least 10 SCI/SCI-E journal publications. BSAU does not assign mentors automatically.

Ques. How many PDF positions are available at BSAU, and how competitive is the selection?

Ans. Only one Post Doctoral Fellowship position is allocated per department at BSAU. This makes the selection highly competitive. The selection is based on the applicant's research profile, proposed research plan, and the recommendations of the Department/School level selection committee, followed by approval from the Competent Authority.

Ques. Can I reapply if I had applied in a previous advertisement cycle?

Ans. Yes, but you must apply afresh. Applications submitted in earlier advertisement cycles are not carried forward or considered. Each new call for PDF requires a fresh application with updated documents and research proposal.

Ques. Is the fellowship stipend of Rs. 30,000 per month sufficient to cover living expenses in Chennai?

Ans. Rs. 30,000 per month is the consolidated stipend provided by BSAU. While this covers basic living expenses in Chennai, it may be modest given the city's cost of living. Candidates are encouraged to simultaneously explore external fellowships such as SERB N-PDF (Rs. 55,000/month) or CSIR Research Associateship (Rs. 47,000-54,000/month) for better financial support. Hostel availability for PDF fellows should be confirmed directly with the institute.