Long Term Fellowship under the Human Resource Development Programme for Health Research

What is the Long Term Fellowship under the HRD Programme for Health Research?

The Long Term Fellowship under the Human Resource Development (HRD) Programme for Health Research is an international training fellowship for Indian biomedical scientists. It is run by the Department of Health Research (DHR) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) administering the applications. According to the DHR-ICMR call for applications, the fellowship's purpose is to create a pool of talented health research personnel by giving them advanced training and exposure to the latest knowledge through interaction with international scientists in emerging areas of clinical medicine and health sciences.

The Long Term Fellowship sits within DHR's broader HRD scheme for health research, which also includes a Short Term Fellowship for shorter overseas visits and other capacity-building support. The distinguishing feature of the long term version is the longer overseas placement: six to twelve months: at a reputed foreign laboratory or institution, so the fellow can complete a substantial piece of training or collaborative work.

This is a training and placement fellowship, not a personal welfare benefit or a general student scholarship. The support is tied to a specific overseas host and training plan.

How long is the fellowship and what does it cover?

According to the DHR-ICMR call, the Long Term Fellowship supports overseas training of six to twelve months. The financial support — living/maintenance allowance in the host country, international travel and a contingency component; is fixed in each year's call for applications, and is meant to cover the cost of the training placement abroad rather than to provide a cash benefit at home. Because these amounts and the exact duration bands are revised from cycle to cycle, an applicant should rely on the current call published by ICMR for the precise figures.

Who is eligible for the Long Term Fellowship for Health Research?

You can apply if:

• You are an Indian citizen.
• You are a working biomedical or health scientist / faculty holding a regular position in a recognised Indian medical, research or academic institution.
• You are below the age limit specified in the call (generally under 45 years as on the last date of application).
• You have a confirmed acceptance or invitation from a suitable overseas host institution or supervisor.
• Your Indian institution endorses and sponsors your application.

You cannot apply if:

• You are not an Indian citizen, or you exceed the age limit set in the call.
• You do not have an overseas host acceptance, which is central to the fellowship.
• You are a general student looking for a degree scholarship. This is a training fellowship for scientists already in the health research system, not a student stipend.
• You cannot obtain your employer's no-objection and endorsement.

Because the exact qualification, experience and age conditions are set fresh in each annual call, confirm them against the current DHR-ICMR advertisement before applying.

What documents are required?

How to apply for the Long Term Fellowship

1. Watch for the annual call for Short Term and Long Term Fellowships abroad on icmr.gov.in and dhr.gov.in; applications are accepted only while the call is open.
2. Secure an acceptance letter from a suitable overseas host institution or supervisor in your area of health research.
3. Complete the prescribed application online, attaching your qualifications, research record and the host acceptance.
4. Obtain your institution's endorsement and no-objection certificate, since you must return to your Indian position after the fellowship.
5. Submit the application before the deadline through the DHR-ICMR portal for evaluation and selection.

Where to get help

The programme is run by the Department of Health Research under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, with ICMR handling applications. Details, the current call and the prescribed formats are published on dhr.gov.in and icmr.gov.in. As the exact financial support, duration bands and eligibility conditions are set in each annual call, always confirm them from the current official advertisement rather than from earlier cycles.