ICAR Emeritus Scientist
₹50,000/month + ₹2 lakh/year research grant · retired agricultural scientists India
A scheme by ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) for outstanding retired agricultural scientists to continue nationally important research or teaching for up to 3 years after superannuation. Selected scientists receive a monthly honorarium of ₹50,000 on top of their pension, plus research grants and a dedicated research fellow. Applications are invited twice a year (June and December) — apply through your prospective host institution to ICAR's Deputy Director General (Education).
About This Scheme
A scheme by ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) for outstanding retired agricultural scientists to continue nationally important research or teaching for up to 3 years after superannuation. Selected scientists receive a monthly honorarium of ₹50,000 on top of their pension, plus research grants and a dedicated research fellow. Applications are invited twice a year (June and December) — apply through your prospective host institution to ICAR's Deputy Director General (Education).
Full official description
The ICAR Emeritus Scientist Scheme is a structural method of tapping the Brain and skill bank of the outstanding superannuated professionals of NARS by allowing them to complete the work in hand for its fruitful conclusion, utilize their talent in teaching specialized courses and use their experience in addressing nationally important policy issues. Retired scientists may often be in a position to work and teach in economically and ecologically underprivileged regions. Hence their expertise should also be mobilized for launching a movement in science for remedying regional imbalances in agricultural development. The Emeritus Scientist scheme aims at:
- To Utilise the services of outstanding superannuated scientists from NARS by allowing them to complete the nationally important research already underway and also for initiating a new programme in nationally important priority areas.
- To Use the talent of outstanding retired teachers in teaching specialized courses and developing instructional material, especially multimedia for use in national agricultural education programmes including distance education. The benefit of the scheme shall be open only to the scientists of repute of the level of Principal Scientist/Professor and above from the National Agriculture Research System that includes State Agricultural Universities, Deemed Universities, Central Agricultural Universities, Central Universities having agriculture facilities, Centre and State funded institutions/organizations engaged in Agricultural Research, Education, Human Resource Development and Extension. The benefit of the scheme will be available only to complete the work in hand for its fruitful conclusion and it will not be extended for starting altogether a new project. The project proposal shall be of national importance and it is to be given only when other equally competent regular scientists are not available in the institute to carry out the proposed work in the field of agriculture, veterinary science & animal husbandry, fisheries, home science, dairy technology and allied sciences.
Benefits
- Monthly honorarium of ₹50,000 (in addition to pension)
- Annual contingency grant of up to ₹2,00,000 for lab materials, books, stationery, and domestic travel
- Funding for one Junior or Senior Research Fellow (JRF/SRF) for the full project duration
- Office space, laboratory, and library access at the host institution
- 1 month of paid leave per completed year; up to 3 months unpaid leave on medical grounds
- Residential accommodation at the host institute on priority basis
💡 Why Startups Should Care
If you're a retiring agricultural scientist with unfinished, high-impact research, this scheme lets you complete that work with continued funding — potentially the foundation for an agritech spinoff or consultancy.
Who Can Apply (Eligibility)
- Must be a retired (or retiring within 12 months) scientist at the level of Principal Scientist/Professor or above from NARS (State Agricultural Universities, Central Agriculture Universities, ICAR Institutes, etc.)
- Minimum 5 years of teaching or research experience and a strong publication record
- Maximum age at time of application: 65 years; preference given to those who retired within the past year
- Maximum working age under the scheme: 70 years or 3 years from retirement, whichever comes first
- Research project must be of national importance and a continuation of prior work — new projects are not eligible
How to Apply
- Prepare 15 copies of your application in the prescribed proforma if retiring within the next 12 months.
- Submit to the Deputy Director General of the relevant ICAR division.
- Include details of your ongoing research and its expected outcomes.
- On selection, receive the honorarium and contingent grant.
- Continue your research work under Emeritus Scientist status.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum age to apply for Emeritus Scientist ?
Maximum age will be : 65
What will be the maximum age to work as Emeritus Scientist ?
Maximum age will be : 70
What is the official website ?
What wil be the required documents ?
The eligible scientist/ faculty who is to retire in the next 12 month time, may send 15 copies of the application in the prescribed Proforma to the Deputy Director General (Education), ICAR.
The application should be submitted through the executive authority where the Emeritus Scientist Proposes to carry out the research, teaching, human resource development and extension duly recommended with justification.
Ready to apply?
Visit the official government portal to apply for this scheme.
Apply on myScheme.gov.inDocuments Required
- Application in prescribed proforma (15 copies)
- Details of ongoing research and expected outcomes