Max Planck Germany-India Fellowships for Scientists

June 13, 2008

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DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (India)
& MAX PLANCK SOCIETY (Germany)

Pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in Oct 2004, the
Department of Science & Technology (Govt. of India) and Max Planck Society
(Germany) invites applications/ proposals for –
(i) Max Planck Partner Groups at Indian Partner Institutions (IPI)
(ii) Max-Planck India Fellowships

A.
Max Planck Partner Groups at Indian Partner Institutions
ELIGIBILITY-
1. The programme for Max Planck Partner Groups is open to all Max Planck Institutes
(MPI) and all research institutions in India. Candidates for the Head of a Partner Group
can apply directly to DST and/or Directors of MPI can nominate candidates to MPG.
2. The criteria to qualify for the position of Head of Partner Group are as follows: Max
Planck Partner Groups can be established at an IPI when a young scientist (Post-doc,
max 38 years) of proven excellence – after a minimum stay of 12 months at a MPI -
returns to a high-performance and appropriately equipped laboratory at an IPI and
continues to work on a topic that also enjoys priority at the previous host institute (i.e.
MPI). Partner Groups therefore enable both the MPI and the Head of the Partner Group
based at an IPI to continue a sustained scientific interaction.
3. The following documents must be submitted: Detailed letter of reference (laudation) from
the Director of MPI where the candidate has spent minimum 12 month; list of
publications; curriculum vitae; three independent reviews, at least one of which will come
from outside Germany and India; a project description which will also specifically
elaborate on the intended bilateral cooperation; letter of intent by the Director of the IPI
at which the Partner Group will be based declaring that IPI agrees to hosting a Partner
Group; two separate macro-budgets for DST and MPG budgets.
FUNDING
1. MPG will allocate up to 20,000 EURO p.a. for up to 5 years for Partner Groups
established at IPI. Funding provided by MPG will be allocated through the MPI towards
the IPI according to standard MPG rules for Partner Groups. Funding provided by MPG
towards the Max Planck Partner Group will be governed by a bilateral standardized
agreement between MPI and IPI. MPI will only take responsibility for the funding
provided by MPG. DST will provide funding for matching the activities through Director
IPI as per project approval according to standard DST rules and under a separate
agreement.
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2. Financial accounts for the funding provided by MPG will be reported on an annual basis
by the Head of the Partner Group through the IPI to MPI and copy sent to DST.
Financial accounts for the funding provided by DST will be reported on an annual basis
by the Head of the Partner Group through the IPI to DST and copy sent to MPI.
3. The Head of the Partner Group shall, as far as possible, ensure that the funds received
from MPG and DST will be utilized for the purpose of creating MPI like facilities at their
respective institutes.
4. The Budget of a Partner Group should not be used towards salary increments of
scientists in a regular position.
5. The portion of the budget of the Partner Group allocated towards mobility shall, as a
rule, not exceed 25% p.a. Exceeding this limit requires prior approval by
- MPI for the budget provided through MPG
- DST authorities for the budget provided through DST.
6. Generally mobility expenses (travel, accommodation, per diem) for senior scientists
from Germany (MPI) should not be covered from the budget of the Partner Group.
Rather, mobility expenses (within the limits as per no. 5 above), shall be directed at
junior scientists from Germany to India and scientists from India to Germany.
7. The Partner Group must operate economically. It is therefore to be ensured that
international air travel between Germany and India is undertaken by lowest economy
class and that expenses on local stay for Indian scientists going to Germany and for
German scientists visiting the Partner Group in India will be covered in an appropriate
and reasonable range.
8. The format for submitting applications for IPI is at Annexure-I
B.

Max Planck Visiting Fellowships for Indian Scientists

1. Candidates for Max Planck Visiting Fellowships for Indian Scientists will be officially
designated by MPG and DST. To this extent the Fellowship Holder will receive one
official letter/document of nomination each from DST and MPG. Each of these
letters/documents of nomination will make reference to the programme of cooperation,
the MoU and MPG/DST respectively.
2. The programme “Max Planck Visiting Fellowships for Indian Scientists” will be open to
all Max Planck Institutes (MPI) and all research institutions in India. Candidates for
Fellowship can apply directly to DST, and/or Directors of MPI nominate candidates to
MPG.
3. The criteria to qualify for a Max Planck Visiting Fellowship are as follows: Max Planck
Visiting Fellowships are awarded to scientifically outstanding, promising and talented
young Indian scientists not older than 35 years. Candidates must hold a doctors
degree and have a proven research record and profile. For the candidate to have
previously visited at an MPI is an asset, not a pre-requisite.
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4. The following documents must be submitted: Detailed letter of reference (laudation) on
the candidate by the Director of MPI; curriculum vitae; list of publications; project
description; an outline by the candidate on the intended cooperation with the MPI and
a statement by the candidate that he/she is willing to spend minimum 1 month p.a. at
the MPI; letter of intent from the Director IPI to which the candidate is affiliated.
5. Fellowship Holders will receive from MPG/MPI a sum of 3,000 EURO p.a. for up to
four years. Fellowship Holders have the right to visit at a MPI for up to two months a
year. A minimum one month’s visit per year is obligatory. Travel expenses for this
purpose are covered from the fellowship. Aside from these requirements, the
Fellowship Holder is free to decide on the use of funds within the given framework and
for all purposes in connection with the ongoing cooperation with the MPI (e.g.
participation in international workshops, financing travel of co-workers to the MPI etc.).
DST will match funding by providing one return economy-excursion air fare ticket p.a.
to the candidate for a round trip to Germany and in any other way it sees fit.
6. Funding provided by MPG will be allocated through the host MPI according to
standard MPG rules and under the provision that they are to be used exclusively
according to the terms a set forth. Only the Fellowship Holder himself/herself will have
access to the funds through the MPI. MPI will only take responsibility for the funding
provided by MPG. Funding provided by DST will be allocated according to standard
DST rules. Expenditures by the Fellowship Holder will be duly reported to MPI and
DST.
7. Candidates for MPG Visiting Fellowship must be affiliated to an Indian research
institution. In case the fellowship holder moves out of India during the 4-year granting
period, MPG support can be continued and will be decided on a case by case basis.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE FOR MAX PLANCK PARTNER GROUPS AND MAX
PLANCK VISITING FELLOWSHIPS TO INDIAN SCIENTISTS
Applications are to be submitted in parallel to DST and MPG. One original set and four
copies by the candidate for the Head of a Partner Group to DST and one set by the Director
of the MPI nominating a candidate to MPG.
The last date for submission of applications for is 30th ugust 2008. The applicants
are required to send Five (one original and Four copies) hard copies of the complete
application to:
Mr. R K Sharma, Scientist-C, International Division, Department of Science and
Technology, Technology Bhavan, New Mehrauli Road, New Delhi-110 016. (Email:
sharma_rk@nic.in) and; one set of application to:
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Mr. Felix Kahle, Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Referat für Internationale Beziehungen, Division
of International Relations, Hofgartenstr. 8, D-80539 München, Germany (email-
kahle@gv.mpg.de )
Note: Incomplete applications shall be summarily rejected. Please ensure to send only fully
completed applications containing all documents and information asked for. Supplementary
information/ documents shall not be considered in any case.