National Fellowship for OBC Students (NF-OBC)

What is the National Fellowship for OBC Students?

National Fellowship for OBC Students (NF-OBC) is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment that funds research scholars from the Other Backward Classes doing an M.Phil or PhD at Indian universities and research institutions. The scheme is implemented by the National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation (NBCFDC).

According to NBCFDC, the scheme provides 1,000 fellowships a year. Of these, 750 slots are for subjects covered by the UGC National Eligibility Test JRF and 250 slots for the joint UGC-CSIR NET JRF in science streams. Five per cent of the slots are reserved for OBC candidates with disabilities.

The fellowship rates follow the revised central research fellowship structure that took effect on 1 January 2023: Rs 37,000 a month as Junior Research Fellow for the first two years, rising to Rs 42,000 a month as Senior Research Fellow for the remaining tenure. House rent allowance and a contingency grant for books, field work and thesis costs are paid in addition, at the rates notified by the government.

Main features

• Fellowship tenure of a maximum of five years — two as JRF, three as SRF.
• Awarded to candidates who have already qualified UGC-NET JRF or CSIR-UGC NET JRF; there is no separate selection examination.
• Awards are made first-come, first-served among eligible candidates within the annual slots.
• Reader or escort assistance is available for eligible scholars with disabilities.

Who is eligible for the National Fellowship for OBC Students?

You can apply if:

• You belong to the Other Backward Classes and hold a valid non-creamy layer certificate in the central government format.
• You have qualified for JRF in the UGC-NET or the joint CSIR-UGC NET.
• You are registered for a regular, full-time M.Phil or PhD at a recognised university, college or research institution in India.
• Your research subject matches the subject in which you qualified NET.

You cannot apply if:

• Your family falls in the OBC creamy layer. A creamy layer candidate is not eligible, and the non-creamy layer certificate is checked against the income and status criteria notified by the Government of India, currently a gross annual family income ceiling of Rs 8 lakh together with the service and landholding conditions.
• You qualified NET for Assistant Professor only and not for JRF.
• You are enrolled in a part-time, distance or evening M.Phil or PhD programme.
• You are already drawing another central or state fellowship or stipend for the same research. Double funding is not permitted.
• You are studying abroad. NF-OBC funds research within India only; overseas study by OBC students is supported instead through the Dr. Ambedkar interest subsidy on education loans.
• You have exhausted five years of fellowship tenure.

What documents are required for NF-OBC?

How to apply for the National Fellowship for OBC Students

1. Qualify for JRF in the UGC-NET or the joint CSIR-UGC NET in your subject.
2. Obtain a current OBC non-creamy layer certificate in the central government format from your state's competent authority.
3. Get registered for a full-time M.Phil or PhD at a recognised university, college or research institution in India, and collect proof of registration.
4. Go to nbcfdc.gov.in, open the NF-OBC section and follow the link to the fellowship portal.
5. Register on the portal, complete the online application and upload the NET result card, caste certificate, registration proof, marksheets, Aadhaar and bank details.
6. Submit the application and print the acknowledgement. Apply as soon as the NET result is out, because slots are filled first-come, first-served.
7. Get the application endorsed by your university or institution, which confirms your registration and forwards the joining report.
8. Track the award letter on the portal, and once it is issued, ensure your institution submits the required annual progress reports so the fellowship continues and the JRF to SRF upgrade is processed on time.

Payment, upgrade and continuation

The fellowship starts from the date the scholar joins the research programme after the award letter. After two years as a Junior Research Fellow, the scholar is assessed by the institution for upgrade to Senior Research Fellow, which raises the monthly amount from Rs 37,000 to Rs 42,000. The combined JRF and SRF tenure cannot exceed five years.

House rent allowance is payable where the institution does not provide hostel accommodation, at the rate applicable to the city under central government norms. The contingency grant is meant for books, essential equipment, field work and thesis preparation and is claimed through the institution.

Delays in NF-OBC disbursal have been a recurring complaint from scholars. Because payments flow through the institution's records to NBCFDC, an unresolved progress report or a mismatch in bank details at the institution's end is the usual cause, and it is worth confirming both with the research section of your university before escalating.

Where to get help

• NBCFDC NF-OBC helpline: 011-45854421
• Email: nf-obc@nbcfdc.gov.in
• Scheme page: socialjustice.gov.in/schemes/7

There is no application fee for NF-OBC and no agent can obtain a fellowship slot. All communication is through the NBCFDC portal and your own university.