India Africa Fellowship

Details

Detailed

India offers 75 fellowships (50 for M.Sc. and 25 for Ph.D.) every year in Agriculture and allied sciences for four years. These fellowships are available to African nationals for study at identified Indian agricultural universities from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Agricultural Universities (AUs) system.

The system comprises 53 State Agricultural Universities, five research institutes including four of the ICAR with deemed to be university status, one Central Agricultural University, and four Central Universities with Agricultural Faculty. Many of them are internationally recognized for their contribution to research and human resource development. The AUs are spread over the entire length and breadth of the country and cater to Human Resource Development for different agro-climatic regions. All Indian AUs have excellent laboratories and other infrastructural facilities including instructional farms, good libraries, computer centers, boy’s and girl’s hostels, and sports and recreational facilities. To provide better amenities to the international trainees, well-furnished international students hostels are available on various campuses.

Host Universities

The list of host universities (State Agricultural Universities, ICAR-Deemed Universities, and Central Agricultural Universities) is available on the ICAR website (https://www.icar.org.in/) or can be extracted by using Agricultural Education Portal (Https://education.icar.gov.in). The details on admission viz. schedule, eligibility criterion of candidates and availability of discipline could be surface from the website of the respective university.

Benefits

Fellowship Amount

• A fellowship will be awarded for two years @ INR 12,000 per month for the master’s program and for three years @ INR 15,000 per month for the doctoral program out of the India-Africa Fund of the Govt. of India (MEA/DARE).
• All expenditures towards tuition fees, hostel fees, mess, medical, contingency and travel within the country, etc. during the course will be borne by the student utilizing the fellowship amount.
• For joining the program, the cost of issuing an air ticket/travel and visa will be borne by the MEA through the Indian Mission in the respective African country.
• Annual charges of bench fee (US$ 4000 per candidate per year) payable to the Indian AU will be covered under the India-Africa Fund.

Eligibility

To enrol under India Africa Fellowship Scheme under IAFS III,

• All candidates must have good knowledge of English.
• Master’s Programme

1. For admission in the M.Sc. programme in Agriculture and allied fields, the candidate must have a four year Bachelor’s degree in the respective/related subject.at Bachelor’s degree level
2. For admission to M.V.Sc. the programme, the candidate must have passed B.Sc. & AH. with an internship before the date of registration in the University.
3. OGPA of 6.00/10 or equivalent OGPA/equivalent percentage of marks for general category candidates and 5.50/10 or equivalent OGPA/equivalent percentage of marks for SC/ST/PH category candidates at Bachelor’s degree level.

• Doctoral Programme

1. Master’s degree in respective/related subject.
2. GPA of 6.5/10 or equivalent OGPA/equivalent percentage of marks for general category candidates and 6.00/10 or equivalent 0GPA/equivalent percentage of marks for SC/ST/PH category candidates at Master’s degree level.

Application Process

Online

Selection and Admission Procedure

The African nationals will be admitted to Indian AUs on the recommendations of the Government of India following their nomination by the African Union Commission. Information about the universities, their programs, courses, and admission requirements are available on the websites of the respective agricultural universities. The African candidates desiring admission to Indian agricultural universities will apply to their government for sponsorship. All applications will then be sent to the African Union Commission which in turn will forward them ta the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Govt. of India. MEA will send them to the Director, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Govt. of India, Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi. DARE will forward them to the ICAR for consideration of eligibility and recommendation for admission to an Indian AU. The final selection will be communicated by the university along with the recommendation letter of ICAR/DARE.

Documents Required

The fellows who are awarded fellowship should bring with them all documents relating to their qualifications in original for verification by the respective College/University at the time of admission.

Many Indian universities require that these original documents be deposited with them which will be returned to the candidate before departure after completion of the course.