Central Government PRL Junior Research Fellowship: ₹37,000 a Month

11 November 2026, 10:03 AM • Harish Sharma • Category: All India Schemes

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News: Central Government PRL Junior Research Fellowship: ₹37,000 a Month
Date: 11 November 2026, 10:03 AM
Author: Harish Sharma
Category: All India Schemes
Source: See the official portal for details — the link is inside the story.

If you want to do a PhD in physics and space research, the PRL Junior Research Fellowship is for you. It is a scheme of the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad, run under the Department of Space. PRL was founded by Dr. Vikram Sarabhai and is India’s leading space research institute. A selected student gets ₹37,000 a month as JRF and later ₹42,000 a month as SRF. The fellowship is for a total of 5 years. Research here covers astrophysics, quantum science, climate, planetary science and space missions.

How much money is given

The PRL-JRF pays as follows.

JRF: ₹37,000 a month — for the first 2 years.
SRF: ₹42,000 a month — for the remaining 3 years, after a review.
HRA — a housing allowance is also given as per rules.
ATAL Fellowship: ₹40,000 a month — for years 3 to 5, for exceptionally meritorious students.
Total duration: 5 years — 2 years as JRF and 3 years as SRF.
Research areas — astrophysics, quantum physics, climate science, planetary science and space science.

These amounts follow the revised DST rates in force from 1 January 2023. The fellowship is paid directly through PRL.

Who can apply

This fellowship is for students of physics and related subjects.

The applicant must be an Indian citizen.
A first-class Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Physics, Chemistry or Earth Sciences with at least 60% marks is required.
The applicant must have qualified CSIR-UGC NET (JRF), GATE (2024 or later) or JEST (2025-26).
Age not more than 28 years as on 1 July 2026. Reserved categories get relaxation as per rules.
The applicant must join a full-time PhD at a recognised institute in India.

How to apply

Applications are made online on the prl.res.in portal. For the 2026 cycle, applications opened on 2 April 2026 and closed on 30 April 2026. Interviews were held from 8 to 11 June 2026. So the 2026 cycle is now closed. The next cycle usually opens every year in April, so keep checking the PRL website for the next notice. PRL also advertises separate JRF positions for its projects, with different dates. Never pay anyone for applying.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: How much money is given under PRL-JRF? A: ₹37,000 a month as JRF and ₹42,000 a month as SRF, plus HRA; meritorious students get ₹40,000 a month under the ATAL Fellowship. Q2: Which exam do I need to qualify? A: CSIR-UGC NET (JRF), GATE (2024 or later) or JEST (2025-26) — any one of these. Q3: What is the age limit? A: Up to 28 years as on 1 July 2026; relaxation for reserved categories as per rules. Q4: When did the 2026 applications close? A: The 2026 cycle closed on 30 April 2026; the next cycle usually opens in April.