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 –

1. Max Planck Partner Groups at Indian Partner Institutions (IPI)
2. 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.
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.

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.
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 by the Director of the MPI nominating a candidate to MPG.

The last date for submission of applications for is 16th April 2007.  The applicants are required to send Five (one original and Four copies) hard copies of the complete application to: