Photo: Rhoda Baer, National Cancer Institute (Public domain)
When a family’s only girl child wants to do a PhD, the Savitribai Jyotirao Phule Fellowship for Single Girl Child (SJSGC) is a big support. It is a scheme of the University Grants Commission (UGC), named after Savitribai Phule, India’s first woman teacher. A selected scholar gets ₹37,000 a month as JRF and later ₹42,000 a month as SRF. The fellowship is for a maximum of 5 years. Its biggest feature is that NET or GATE is not required for this fellowship. The scheme promotes higher education for girls and honours the legacy of a pioneer of women’s education in India.
How much money is given
The SJSGC fellowship pays as follows.
- JRF: ₹37,000 a month — for the first 2 years.
- SRF: ₹42,000 a month — for the remaining tenure.
- Contingency (humanities and social sciences): ₹10,000 a year for the first 2 years, ₹20,500 a year after that.
- Contingency (science, engineering and technology): ₹12,000 a year for the first 2 years, ₹25,000 a year after that.
- Escort and reader assistance: up to ₹3,000 a month — for Divyang scholars.
- Duration: up to 5 years.
These are the revised rates from 1 January 2023 — the older guidelines mentioned ₹31,000 and ₹35,000, but the new rates now apply. The rates are revised from time to time by the UGC.
Who can apply
This fellowship is for a family’s only girl child.
- The applicant must be the only girl child of the family — no brother or sister. Twin or fraternal daughters are eligible.
- Enrolled in a regular full-time PhD, in any discipline.
- Age not more than 40 years — 45 years for SC, ST, OBC and PwD scholars.
- The institution must be under UGC Section 2(f) or 3 and NAAC-accredited, or an INI, or a government-funded degree-awarding institution.
- NET or GATE is not required for this fellowship.
How to apply
Applications are made online on the frg.ugc.ac.in portal. First check the new notice on the portal, then fill the application and upload the single girl child certificate, proof of admission to the PhD and academic certificates. Please note — no fresh notification has been issued since the 2022 cycle. The scheme is active for existing beneficiaries and the next call is awaited. Do check the portal for a new notice before applying. Never pay anyone for applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How much money is given under the SJSGC fellowship? A: ₹37,000 a month as JRF and ₹42,000 a month as SRF, plus contingency. Q2: For how many years is the fellowship given? A: For up to 5 years. Q3: Who can apply? A: The only girl child of a family, doing a regular full-time PhD; age up to 40 years (45 years for reserved categories). Q4: Is NET or GATE required? A: No, NET or GATE is not required for this fellowship.
Useful links
- UGC fellowship portal: https://frg.ugc.ac.in/
- UGC official website: https://www.ugc.gov.in/
- SJSGC on MyScheme: https://www.myscheme.gov.in/schemes/sjpfsgc
- Also see the WISE Post-Doctoral Fellowship: https://www.viksitharyana.com/english/central-government-wise-post-doctoral-fellowship-haryana/
- Next Action: see all 726 Central Government schemes — https://www.viksitharyana.com/english/kendra-sarkar-ki-yojnayen-2/
