Scholarship
Back-to-Lab Research Fellowship Programme(BTLRFP)
Overview
About BTLRFP
The Back-to-Lab Research Fellowship Programme is a state scheme run by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE), the autonomous body under the Science and Technology Department of the Government of Kerala. It is administered by the council's Women Scientists Division.
The programme addresses a narrow but real gap. Women who finish their doctoral training sometimes step away from active research afterward, commonly for maternity or family reasons, and find the way back hard. Rather than starting them over, the fellowship funds a return to the lab.
The benefit is a cash fellowship: a monthly research stipend paid over the tenure of the award, together with a contingency grant toward research costs. It is a post-doctoral scheme, open to unemployed women who are permanent residents of Kerala, who hold a completed Ph.D. in a science or engineering subject, and who have had a career break of at least a year.
Sources: KSCSTE – Back-to-Lab Fellowship (official) · KSCSTE – Research Fellowships (official) · myScheme – Back-to-Lab Research Fellowship Programme
Who runs it
Provider
Kerala State Council For Science, Technology And Environment
State / UT Government
Science and Technology Department · Kerala State Council For Science, Technology And Environment
At a glance
Key details
| Level | State |
| Scheme type | — |
| Category | Education & Learning, Women and Child |
| Beneficiaries | Individual |
| Benefit type | Cash |
| Application mode | Offline |
Calendar
Important dates
Across all open application cycles.
| Cycle | Stage | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Current | Applications open | 2010-01-01 |
Who can apply
Eligibility criteria
| Only women candidates are eligible to apply. | |
| Applicant should be of Kerala origin and unemployed. | |
| Applicant should have qualified post-graduation with a minimum of 60% marks. | |
| Applicant should have a valid Ph.D registration in an institution of academic/ research excellence in Kerala including R&D institutions, University Departments, Govt. Aided colleges, in any of the streams; Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture or Medicine (STEAM). | |
| Applicant should have completed Ph.D coursework. | |
| Only those research scholars who are under (undergone) a career break spanning a minimum period of 6 months during the course of their Ph.D. programme due to maternity or other valid reasons are eligible to apply. | |
| Applicant should not have completed 4 years as on the date of Ph.D registration. | |
| Applicant should not be receiving any fellowship or grant from any other source for the Ph.D. programme. |
What you get
Award & benefits
- Monthly Research Fellowship of ₹22,000/- + 10 % HRA in the first two years and ₹25,000/- + 10 % HRA per month in the third year, along with an annual contingent grant of ₹20,000/-.
- Duration of the Fellowship is 3 years or till the date of submission of Ph.D Thesis, whichever is earlier.
What to prepare
Documents required
Step by step
How to apply
- 1Apply offline
See the official links below for the application portal.
Questions
BTLRFP – FAQ
Disclaimer
Scheme details are compiled from myScheme, the Government of India’s official scheme-discovery platform, and are reproduced without alteration. Amounts, deadlines and eligibility change between cycles — always confirm on the official links above before applying. Expertie does not process applications or charge fees.