DBT Junior Research Fellowship (DBT-JRF) Programme

The DBT Junior Research Fellowship (DBT-JRF) pays a monthly stipend for PhD research in biotechnology and life sciences. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), under the Ministry of Science and Technology, runs it. The Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB) in Faridabad conducts the selection test, the Biotechnology Eligibility Test (BET).

The latest round, BET 2026, closed for applications on 9 April 2026. The official sources I could read give no date for the next round. The general guidelines say the programme is usually advertised once a year, tentatively in January.

What you get

The JRF stipend is Rs. 37,000 a month for two years from joining or activation. After a review, the fellow moves to SRF at Rs. 42,000 a month for the remaining three years. A contingency grant of Rs. 30,000 a year is paid on a pro-rata basis. HRA is added where applicable.

The total fellowship cannot run beyond five years from activation. The guidelines say the fellowship is exempt from income tax under section 10(16) of the Income Tax Act. Fellows who live in an institute hostel do not get HRA.

Category II is different. Those placed in Category II do not get the DBT-JRF stipend. They can be appointed to a DBT-sponsored project at a fellowship equal to NET or GATE, after an institutional selection.

Who can apply

• Citizenship: You must be a bonafide Indian citizen living in India.
• Degree, 4-year UG: A 4-year or 8-semester degree in biotechnology, life sciences or a closely allied subject, with at least 75% marks. The notice also allows a 5% relaxation under NEP 2020.
• Degree, B.Tech or B.E: 60% marks for General, EWS and OBC, and 55% for SC, ST and differently abled candidates.
• Master’s degree: An M.Sc, M.Tech, M.VSc, M.Pharm or integrated M.Sc, M.Tech or MBBS in biotechnology or an allied life science, with 60% (General, EWS, OBC) or 55% (SC, ST, differently abled).
• Age: Up to 28 years on the last date of application for General and EWS. The limit is 33 years for SC, ST, differently abled and women, and 31 years for OBC non-creamy layer candidates.
• Category: Government reservation norms apply when candidates are shortlisted.
• Family income: The official sources set no family income limit.
• Who cannot get an award letter: Candidates found ineligible, those with incorrect documents, and those whose documents do not reach DBT within one year of the result.

The notice does not say whether final-year students can apply. Check the notification before you apply.

How to apply

1. Go to the NTA portal for the Biotechnology Eligibility Test, exams.nta.nic.in/gat-bet. The notice uses this portal for the information bulletin, fee payment and document upload.
2. Fill in the online application. For BET 2026, the form was open from 19 March 2026 to 9 April 2026.
3. Pay the non-refundable fee. It is Rs. 1,300 for General, OBC and EWS candidates, and Rs. 650 for SC, ST and PWD candidates. For BET 2026, fee payment closed at 11.50 PM on 9 April 2026.
4. Choose four exam cities. The NTA tries to allot one of them, but it may allot another city for administrative reasons.
5. Sit the computer-based test. BET 2026 was held on 17 May 2026, from 3.00 PM to 6.00 PM. No TA or DA is paid for travel to the exam.
6. If you are shortlisted, send your documents within one year of the result. Only shortlisted candidates have their documents checked.
7. After the award letter, join a PhD programme at a recognised university or institute and activate the fellowship. Category I candidates must enrol within two years of the award letter.

Documents you need

• BET hall ticket
• Proof of date of birth: Class X certificate, PAN card or Aadhaar card
• Mark sheet of the qualifying examination
• Certificate of the qualifying examination, or a provisional degree
• SC, ST or PH candidates: proof of category, preferably in English
• OBC candidates: latest non-creamy layer certificate, preferably in English
• At activation: data sheet, undertaking and NEFT or RTGS mandate form

The guidelines ask for self-attested copies to be sent to the DBT-JRF Management Cell, and name BCIL in New Delhi as the address. BCIL’s own page says RCB Faridabad now manages the programme, so confirm the address before you post anything. Queries go to jrf.dbt@gov.in. The OBC certificate format in the guidelines is marked for 2016-17, so check for a current version.

How students are selected

Selection is on merit in the BET, a computer-based test. The top 275 candidates form Category I, and the next 100 form Category II. The test is in English only. Section A has 50 compulsory questions. Section B has 150 questions, and candidates attempt 50. Each question carries 3 marks, and each wrong answer loses 1 mark. The notice links a syllabus document for the test.

Renewal

After two years as JRF, a three-member committee reviews your progress for upgrade to SRF. The committee includes your guide, the head of department and an external expert not below associate professor rank. If the committee does not recommend upgrade, you stay a JRF for another year, and you are reviewed again at the end of year 3.

Each year, you send a progress report of up to 5 pages within one month after the financial year ends. The fellowship ends at your PhD viva, on resignation, or on DBT termination, whichever comes first. Non-compliance with the progress report rule can lead to termination.

Important dates

The official notice I read does not give the result date or a date for the next round. Check the notice and the DBT-JRF guidelines page for updates.