RAJIV
GANDHI CENTRE FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY
Thycaud
P.O., Thiruvananthapuram – 695014, Kerala, India
Tel: 0471
2529512, 2529400 Fax: 0471 2348096, 2346333
website : www.rgcb.res.in
RGCB -
Ph.D. Program 2014
Why a Ph.D.
from RGCB?
RGCB
prepares individuals who have a deep and genuine interest in discovery science
to shape the translation of biotechnology through academic research towards
applications for a knowledge economy, business development and science of
tomorrow. RGCB in 2014 will work out of three campuses, the present one
focusing on discovery science, a second one for innovation and the third - a
biotech park in Kochi focusing on translation and partnership with industry.
This is the only institute of its kind in the country. Previous RGCB PhD's have
all done impressive work and received excellent placements (details can be
viewed here).Guided by an expert faculty, a rigorous
fundamental science course work and a host of innovative academic programs, the
RGCB PhD program is made even richer by its place in Thiruvananthapuram,
capital of "Gods own country". Applications are invited twice a year
and advertised in selected national newspapers and on the RGCB website.
Vacancies that are available in different laboratories and interdisciplinary
programs will be put up on the website.
Admission Procedure for 2014
Minimum Eligibility for applicants
Post
graduate degree in Life Sciences, Biotechnology, Agriculture Sciences, Medical
Sciences, Veterinary Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Chemical Sciences
General
category applicants must have First Class or above in all examinations from
12th grade plus a valid Research Fellowship from UGC/CSIR/ICMR/DBT/DST-INSPIRE
and should be less than 28 years of age as on 01 January 2014. SC/ST candidates
with a valid fellowship need to have only 50% marks, will be eligible for age
relaxation as per rules, and are exempt from processing fees.
Candidates
with other fellowships are advised to contact the Dean to confirm eligibility.
Candidates
awaiting final exam results can also apply. However only those candidates with
a valid pass certificate will be allowed to appear for the selection interview.
Candidates
without valid fellowships need not apply.
Application
format
Completed applications along with
the required fees may be submitted to the Director, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for
Biotechnology, Thycaud PO, Thiruvananthapuram 695014, Kerala, India on or
before December 6, 2013.
Names of candidates called for the
selection interview will be displayed on the RGCB website on December 9, 2013
and will also be notified by email the same day.
Short listing will be done after
interview and final selection of candidates after Faculty Interaction, to be
held from January 6 to 10, 2014.
The PhD program will begin on
January 20, 2014.
PhD Student Selection: January 2014
Guidelines for Candidates
Total
number of PhD student vacancies does not in anyway imply that all will be
filled.
Short-listing
as a potential PhD student at RGCB will depend on performance of the candidate
at the selection interview.
Only those
students who in the opinion of the selection committee are eligible to work at
RGCB as a PhD student will be shortlisted. To be shortlisted, candidates have
to score at least 70% marks in the selection interview.
The
selection committee will evaluate students in the following areas. Maximum mark
distribution is given in brackets.
Knowledge
in Subject/ Specialization (40)
General
knowledge, awareness, research aptitude, ability to comprehend research
questions, logical and creative thinking (30)
Research
Methodology and Instrumentation (20)
Presentation
and Communication skills (10)
Final
selection as a PhD student will be decided only after consent is obtained from
the above stated faculty scientists on suitability of shortlisted candidates to
work in their research program.
RGCB's PhD
Program is affiliated to Manipal University. The University expects the PhD
program to be completed in three years although this is extendable by a year.
The current university fee structure for the first year is ` 23,500 and then `
12, 000 for subsequent years. There is a provision in RGCB to meet 70% of the
fees from institute research funds The RGCB Director, may also sanction
additional funds in specific deserving cases.
After
candidates have been shortlisted by the selection committee, there will be
presentations to all the shortlisted candidates by each one of the concerned
faculty scientists who plan taking PhD students. The presentation will include
profile of their laboratory, research programs, the scientist's ideology on implementation
of a PhD in the laboratory, etc. The faculty member may use this meeting to
discuss research interests and views of the shortlisted candidates.
The
shortlisted candidates will then give options to visit all the laboratories
taking PhD students for further interaction with faculty scientists and other
laboratory personnel. The Dean's Office will allot specific times in
consultation with concerned faculty scientists. This interaction can continue
for a period up to Friday January 10, 2014.
In these
interactions, the candidate and the faculty member can have detailed
discussions on the work that the faculty member is interested in, his/her
philosophy of choosing the topic and guiding a PhD student including how much
handholding the faculty member will provide.
The faculty
member will explain the functioning of the laboratory and give a chance to the
candidate to talk to other members and PhD students of the laboratory so that
the candidate is given an opportunity to assess the working atmosphere of the
laboratory. This is not expected to be a single interaction and the candidate
may have to go back several times to the laboratory of interest.
After these
discussions should the faculty scientist not be keen to work with the
candidate, this will be appropriately informed. This will then allow candidate
to talk to other faculty members whose work is also of interest to him/her.
The
candidate will also tell the faculty member about his interest in the
laboratory and also inform him/her of the candidate's first choice to join if
the faculty member decides to opt for him/her.
In this
system, it must be clearly understood that a faculty member may not find a
candidate who is suitable just as it can also happen that a student may not
find an appropriate laboratory. This is inevitable.
Candidates
are encouraged to interact with as many different laboratories as possible
before zeroing in on a particular individual.
In the few
days of interaction, candidates should ask serious and incisive questions ranging
from science, track record of the laboratory, chances of students getting peer
reviewed publications, work habits, support systems and expectations.
Candidates must keep in mind that a PhD program is a protracted one going on
for at least 4 years and hence choice of a mentor is a decision that will
influence permanently the candidate's future career.
Following
these procedures, the student and the faculty member will sign a letter (format
will be provided), which will clearly state that they accept each other. This
letter will be forwarded to the Director/Dean to take appropriate decision. The
decision of the Director/Dean will be final and binding on all concerned.
PhD Course work
As a
mandatory requirement towards accomplishing the doctoral degree, all scholars
will need to undergo a formal course work. The first part will be a fundamental
science course work of six months duration. Advanced courses will be prescribed
in the second year.
Teaching
for the fundamental science course work will commence from January 21 2014.
Course work will encompass the following subjects:
Biochemistry
and Biophysics.
Developmental
and Cell Biology.
Disease
Biology.
Molecular
Biology & Genetics
Laboratory
Technology & Biotechniques
Microbiology
and Immunology
Research
Methodology & Ethics
The
teaching faculty for the curriculum includes RGCB Faculty Scientists as well as
distinguished international and national professors.
Course work
will be a combination of didactic lectures, assignments, seminars, teaching,
Interactive sessions and qualifying exams.
Scholars
will be awarded, recognized and rewarded for their performance.
Details of
subject wise contents, credits and exit examination will be provided after
admission.
For more
details visit: http://rgcb.res.in/phdprogram.shtml#da
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