Biotechnology Career Advancement And Re-orientation (BioCARe) Programme For Women Scientists

What is the BioCARe programme?

The Biotechnology Career Advancement and Re-orientation (BioCARe) Programme is a scheme of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. Launched in 2011, BioCARe is designed to bring more women scientists into independent research in biotechnology and allied fields by giving research funding to those who have never before held an extramural grant.

BioCARe targets a specific gap. Many trained women scientists in India step away from research during career breaks, or remain in temporary and unpaid positions, and never get their first independent grant. According to the DBT BioCARe portal, the programme is meant to re-orient and advance the careers of such women by funding a full research project with a fellowship, a research grant and mentorship, so that a career is not stalled by systemic or social barriers.

The programme is administered with support from the Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), which hosts the dedicated BioCARe page, and applications are processed through the DBT fellowship system.

Who is eligible for the BioCARe programme?

A woman scientist can apply if:

• She is an Indian woman national residing in India.
• She holds a Ph.D/MD in life sciences, agriculture or a related area, or an M.Tech in relevant engineering, technology or medicine with adequate research experience.
• She is within the programme's upper age limit as notified in the current call.
• This would be her first sanctioned extramural research funding; she is typically unemployed, on a career break, or in a temporary position.

A candidate cannot apply and is generally not eligible if:

• She is a man; BioCARe is exclusively for women scientists.
• She already holds an extramural research grant or an ongoing independent research funding.
• She does not have an eligible host institute willing to host the project.
• She does not meet the qualification or nationality conditions.

Note that the upper age limit and the precise fellowship structure have been revised across BioCARe calls over the years. Applicants should confirm the exact age ceiling and amounts in the current call for proposals before applying, rather than relying on figures from an earlier round.

What documents are required?

How to apply for BioCARe

1. Watch the DBT BioCARe page (rcb.res.in/DBTBioCARe) and DBT announcements for the current call for proposals and its deadline.
2. Identify and secure an eligible host institute willing to host your research project, and prepare a detailed research proposal in an eligible biotechnology domain.
3. Register and complete the application on the DBT fellowship portal linked from the BioCARe page, filling in your qualifications, host-institute details and project plan.
4. Upload the required documents — degree certificates, nationality and age proof, host-institute consent and the research proposal, and submit before the deadline.
5. Your application is then screened and evaluated by expert committees; shortlisted candidates may be called to present their proposals before a final selection is made.

How much benefit does BioCARe provide?

According to the DBT BioCARe portal, a selected fellow receives a consolidated monthly fellowship of Rs 1,00,000, a house rent allowance where the host institute does not provide accommodation, and a research/contingency grant of up to about Rs 10 lakh per year for consumables, equipment, travel and project manpower, plus institutional overheads. The project term is about five years, extendable on a fresh appraisal.

Help and where to check

BioCARe does not publish a toll-free helpline. Queries should be directed through the DBT BioCARe programme cell and the contact points listed on rcb.res.in/DBTBioCARe and the DBT website, and applicants should always verify the current call's eligibility and financial terms before applying.