Lateral Entry for PMRF
(Please ensure you fulfill the detailed eligibility criteria for Lateral entry mentioned on here before reading further.)
Warning: The information available here was current up to the May 2021 season. It has been kept here for archiving and posterity. Especially be careful of all deprecated information.
Application Procedure
Please check with senior fellows for application process and deadlines and access to Piazza
Basic Eligibility for Lateral channel
You should satisfy all of the following filters:
Time filter: If you have “postgraduate” equivalent qualifications and joined the PhD program one year before the date of application, then you are normally eligible. (For those with undergraduate qualifications, read that as “two years”). Don’t worry about corner cases like one month mismatch -- PMRF is aligned to semesters.
Course Filter: Completed (credited) at least four full semester courses in the PhD programme with CPI of 8.5 or above. If more than four courses are completed, the CPI is computed using all relevant courses. Seminar, Research, and RnD “1-1 courses” do not count towards this “course'' requirement. A full course at the very least is at least 6 (IITB) credits, and temporally runs throughout the semester (or at least has enough hours equivalent to a standard semester), so a so-called lab course might well work (or not!). Two unrelated half courses normally does not constitute a full course.
No other commitment filter: Intend to be a full time doctoral student (with no commitments, strings attached to any entity) (similar to MHRD TA students).
Attempt Filter: Regardless of the period of eligibility, only 2 lateral attempts are permitted
FAQ
ELIGIBILITY RELATED QUESTIONS
Time Filter
1. What is the treatment of M.Sc students for the time filter?
A. Same as M.Tech student (i.e., not as B.tech students). All lateral entry candidates with MS/MSc/MTech degree get 12 months only for lateral entry. Note that educational requirements that IITB insists is different from the time filter for PMRF lateral.
2: What is the treatment of the time filter for the integrated Masters-PhD programme?
A. If you joined an integrated masters-phd programme, you are deemed to have joined the PhD program two years after entry. (Needless to say, this just establishes the time meter, other conditions apply of course).
3. What is the treatment of the time filter for a student converting from a regular masters program to a masters+phd programme?
A. The time instant you are deemed to be a PhD student is used to determine the time period of eligibility. This is usually a three semester window (18 months). The zero month starts from the instant the student has a confirmation (proof) of conversion. It is the student responsibility to provide this at the time of application, and in the absence of which the application will be rejected. In no case, can the student be too "old' e.g.., 4 years old with join date as zero years.
Course Filter
1. I joined as M.Tech student and converted to PhD. I satisfy the (time filter). Due to conversion it wasn't necessary to do courses again. Am I eligible for this fellowship?
A. Since you do not fulfill the (course filter), you are ineligible. (If it is some comfort, note that many M.Tech students also would have done the courses elsewhere (and are required to do courses during the PhD program)
All your M.Tech (in general, Masters) courses (barring 1-1 courses) wherever grading is available will be used to determine the CPI. Courses with a W grade do not count, but all others do. However, if you want your masters courses to be available as a course filter consideration, then see the time filter question above.
2. What is the treatment of course work for M.Tech (2 year programme) who converted to a joint Ph.D. programme?
A. Deprecated but read for context These students are deemed to also have joined two years after entry, even though the first APS for these students can be as early as October after the year of entry. So they can apply as early as 1.5 years after the join date with their M.Tech course work. However, the course work requirements ("four full courses after deemed PhD students") is applicable should they decide to apply after 2 years (i.e. at the 2.5 year mark or the 3 year mark).
3. What is the treatment of course work requirements for an integrated Masters+Phd programme?
A. Courses undergone as Masters students may be applicable as per department. Integrated students are eligible to apply only after becoming PhD students.
4. Oh, so the treatment for integrated masters and converted masters is different?
A. Deprecated but read for context Yes (written for the July 2020 cohort) First, note that PhD students who joined in July 2017 with a non-Masters degree qualification are not eligible in the 2020 round.
Unlike the M.Tech converted students, the number of credits to be completed after deemed as a PhD student does not apply (for integrated masters) because the total number of credits completed is substantially higher. Integrated students enter a program after 3 years of post-high school education and are not research ready. In that sense,
they are similar to B.Tech students only a year later. In comparing different types of students, It is important to keep in mind that the purpose of the PMRF program is for attracting "early researchers". At this time people well entrenched in the PhD programme definitely are more research productive, such students can easily "defeat" early researchers in the lateral entry. Indeed, in early years, lateral entry did not even exist.
5. I have a CPI of 8.4 in last semester (3 courses). I took 4 more courses this semester and expecting better grades this time based upon my performance. Hopefully, the aggregate CPI shall be > 8.5. But the final grades shall not be out until mid-june (the same time mentioned as a tentative deadline for application). Can I apply?
A. At the time of application you should have sufficient courses and CPI
6. The minimum credit requirement for our department is X. I, like many other PhDs in our institute have done X≤Y<4 full courses. Am I eligible?
A. No. PMRF is for exceptional students and we suggest you update Y to make it 4. That said, we have put in a request to reduce Y from 4 to a smaller number.
7. But, but, but .. the department said only X < 4 courses are required?
A. True, but as a PMRF fellow, the intent is to have you distinguish yourself compared to your peers. The research proposal is one, the course requirement is another. Besides this four course requirement is not a requirement coming in from IITB.
8. Why is seminar not included as a full course?
A. What is a full course? Seminars are independent study 1-1 courses and do not carry 6 credits. At the risk of sounding like a stuck record, the PMRF is for exceptional students. One might ask, why not the communication skills course.
9. Is the communication skills included in the basket of 4 eligible courses? Sure, it’s P/NP but we can always count the CPI from the other 3 courses.
A. No, it’s not a graded course.
10: Can audit courses be counted in the basket of 4 eligible courses?
A. No, it’s not a graded course.
11. I have already credited 3 courses last sem. I'm auditing 2 courses this sem. Can I convert one course as credit with the recommendation of supervisor and course instructor?
A. That’s up to you and the department/institute. At the time of application you should have sufficient courses and CPI
12. I converted from MTech to PhD. I had completed most of the MTech and PhD level courses during my MTech coursework. Can I take some MSc level courses to fulfill the course filter?
A. The decision whether a course is a full PhD level course lies with your department. Please contact your department for this information. Note that at the time of application, you should have completed a min. of 4 full PhD level courses.
13. I have done more than 4 courses, and I am not counting "1-1" courses here. Can I take the best CPI from four courses?
A. The CPI is "across all courses" excluding the 1-1 courses. So you don't get to choose the courses, and you are obligated to list all courses and grades. Note that potentially one of the courses can have a passing grade lower than BB, it does not matter.
No-commitment filter
1. I was admitted under "part-time" category. Am I eligible?
A. You should satisfy the no-commitment-filter i.e. you should be able to detach yourself from all other commitments and be ready to complete research full-time.
2. I was admitted under a project funded category (e.g. to an external university or project). Am I eligible?
A. You should satisfy the no-commitment-filter i.e. you should be able to detach yourself from all other commitments and be ready to complete research full-time. Your project supervisor or admission terms may not allow you.
3. How many times can I apply for PMRF Lateral Entry ?
A. At most twice.