NIT Silchar JRF (Chemistry) 2026 - DBT Microalgae CO2 Capture & Biofuel Project | Apply by 15 September 2026

The Office of the Dean (Research and Consultancy) at the National Institute of Technology Silchar has released a new opening for a temporary Junior Research Fellow (JRF) position that will work on a Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India sponsored project being run out of the Department of Chemistry. The advertisement carries reference number NITS/Dean(R&C)/Chemistry/723/01/2026, dated 28 August 2026, and sets the last date for receiving the soft copy of the application as 15 September 2026. The position is open only to Indian citizens and is purely project-based, with an initial tenure of two years or until the completion of the project, whichever is earlier. Extension after the first year is subject to a performance review carried out every twelve months. There is one single vacancy under this advertisement, and the selected candidate will be placed in the Department of Chemistry on the NIT Silchar campus in Assam.

The research project itself is titled Development of Genetically Engineered Microalgae, Membrane-Based Photobioreactors and Microalgal-Derived Acid-Base Bifunctional Activated Biochar for Enhanced CO2 Capture and Biofuel Generation: A Life Cycle Assessment. The project has been sanctioned by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, under project sanction number BT/PR60588/CCU/173/38/2025, and brings together three intersecting strands of contemporary green-chemistry and bioprocess engineering research. The first strand is the genetic engineering of microalgal strains so that they can fix carbon dioxide more efficiently under phototrophic conditions, with the goal of producing high-density biomass that can subsequently be processed into biofuel. The second strand is the design and operation of membrane-based photobioreactors - closed cultivation systems in which light, carbon dioxide and nutrients are carefully controlled to maximise photosynthetic yield while keeping contamination risks low. The third strand is the conversion of residual microalgal biomass into an acid-base bifunctional activated biochar that can be deployed for enhanced CO2 capture from point sources, completing a partial carbon loop and giving the project its life-cycle assessment component. The Junior Research Fellow appointed to this project will be expected to assist the Principal Investigator and the Co-Principal Investigator across laboratory work, data analysis, bioreactor operation, biomass characterisation, biochar synthesis, and the writing of reports and manuscripts that emerge from the funded work.

The Principal Investigator for the project is Dr. Samuel Lalthazuala Rokhum, who is a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry at NIT Silchar. The Co-Principal Investigator is Dr. Shanti Gopal Patra, also from the Department of Chemistry at NIT Silchar. Candidates who wish to clarify any technical or scientific question about the project before applying, or who need to discuss the suitability of their background, are encouraged to reach out to Dr. Rokhum directly at the email address listed in this advertisement.

Essential Qualifications

The essential qualification for the JRF position is a Master of Science (M.Sc) degree in Chemistry, Biotechnology, Life Sciences, or a relevant or allied discipline, from a recognised university, with a minimum of 60 percent marks. The 60 percent threshold follows the standard eligibility conditions applied by the Department of Biotechnology and by NIT Silchar for project-based research staff. Candidates who are in the final semester of their M.Sc programme and are awaiting results are advised to confirm their eligibility with the Principal Investigator before submitting an application, since award of the fellowship is contingent on the production of original certificates and mark sheets at the time of joining.

Where a candidate's transcripts are issued in a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) format, NIT Silchar's standard conversion practice will apply. The institute's recruitment framework is in line with the Government of India's reservation and relaxation policy, and the same is reflected in the advertisement - candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Other Backward Class (non-creamy layer), women, and Persons with Disabilities categories will receive age and qualification relaxation in accordance with the relevant Government of India rules in force at the time of recruitment.

Desirable Experience

While not strictly mandatory, the advertisement lists prior research experience in any of the following areas as desirable: microalgae cultivation and downstream processing; photobioreactor design, fabrication or operation; CO2 capture using solid sorbents, including activated carbons and biochar; catalysis and materials characterisation using techniques such as X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and gas chromatography. Candidates who have a working knowledge of photobioreactor operation, basic molecular biology techniques for microalgal strain handling, life-cycle assessment software, or biomass-to-biofuel conversion routes are likely to be prioritised during the shortlisting stage. The Institute reserves the right to restrict the number of candidates called for interview on the basis of a screening of applications against these desirable criteria, and to not make an appointment if no suitable candidate is found.

Age Limit and Emoluments

The upper age limit for applicants, calculated as on the closing date of the advertisement, is 28 years, with the same Government of India relaxations applying to reserved categories. The selected Junior Research Fellow will be paid a monthly fellowship of Rs. 37,000 (Rupees thirty-seven thousand only), plus House Rent Allowance (HRA) as per the Department of Biotechnology and NIT Silchar norms. In practical terms, the HRA is paid at the rate prescribed by the Government of India for the relevant city classification, and is normally not admissible if the Institute provides residential accommodation on campus. The fellowship and HRA are charged to the project head BT/PR60588/CCU/173/38/2025, and the appointment is co-terminus with the project; no separate liability rests on NIT Silchar beyond the project period.

Tenure and Working Conditions

The initial appointment is for two years, or until the completion of the project, whichever is earlier. Continuation beyond the first twelve months is contingent on a satisfactory annual performance review by the Principal Investigator and the Office of the Dean (Research and Consultancy). The selected candidate will be required to work full-time on the project, sign an agreement at the time of joining, and abide by the rules and regulations of NIT Silchar as well as the Department of Biotechnology's research fellowship terms. Candidates who are already employed in government, public-sector undertakings, autonomous bodies, or private organisations must produce a No Objection Certificate from their current employer at the time of the interview. The fellowship is purely temporary, does not confer any right to a permanent position at NIT Silchar, and the candidate cannot claim regularisation of services on the basis of this engagement.

Application Process

Applications are accepted only in soft-copy form. Candidates must download the prescribed application format that is appended to the official notification (Annexure 01(A) - 2), fill in all the required fields including personal details, educational qualifications starting from Class X, NET or GATE examination details, employment history, and any other relevant information, and then send the completed application along with a full Curriculum Vitae and self-attested soft copies of all supporting documents to the Principal Investigator at the email address rokhum@che.nits.ac.in. The subject line of the email must read exactly: Application for the post of JRF under the project BT/PR60588/CCU/173/38/2025. Applications that do not carry the correct subject line, or that are sent to any other email address, or that arrive after 15 September 2026, will not be entertained. The Institute is not responsible for delays caused by email delivery issues, spam filters, or server downtime on the candidate's end; candidates are advised to send their application well in advance of the deadline and retain a copy of the sent email for their own records.

For any queries about the project, the application process, or the suitability of a candidate's background, applicants may contact Dr. Samuel Lalthazuala Rokhum, Principal Investigator, Department of Chemistry, NIT Silchar, at the email address above. The Institute will not entertain telephonic or walk-in enquiries for this position.

Selection Process

Shortlisted candidates will be called for an interview, which will be held in offline mode at the Department of Chemistry, NIT Silchar. The exact date, time and venue of the interview will be communicated to shortlisted candidates only through email; no separate paper communication will be issued. Candidates are advised to check their email inbox (including spam or junk folders) regularly after submitting their application. No travel allowance or daily allowance will be paid by NIT Silchar or the Department of Biotechnology for attending the interview or for joining the post, and candidates must make their own arrangements for travel, lodging and boarding if called for the interview. The decision of the Institute in all matters relating to eligibility, shortlisting, selection, and appointment will be final and binding, and no correspondence in this regard will be entertained.

About NIT Silchar and the Department of Chemistry

The National Institute of Technology Silchar is one of the 31 NITs declared as Institutes of National Importance by the Government of India under the National Institutes of Technology Act, 2007. Located at Silchar in the Cachar district of Assam, the institute is recognised by the University Grants Commission and the All India Council for Technical Education, and offers undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes in engineering, science, humanities and management. The Department of Chemistry at NIT Silchar is an active research department running M.Sc and Ph.D. programmes, with research interests spanning organic synthesis, catalysis, materials chemistry, environmental chemistry, biofuels, photobioreactor engineering, and computational chemistry. The Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, funds extramural research projects in biotechnology and related areas across the country, and the present project is part of that extramural funding programme.

Key Information at a Glance

• Recruiting Institute: National Institute of Technology Silchar (Institute of National Importance, MoE, GoI)
• Department: Department of Chemistry
• Post: Junior Research Fellow (JRF) - 1 post
• Project: Development of Genetically Engineered Microalgae, Membrane-Based Photobioreactors and Microalgal-Derived Acid-Base Bifunctional Activated Biochar for Enhanced CO2 Capture and Biofuel Generation: A Life Cycle Assessment
• Sponsored by: Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India
• Project Sanction Number: BT/PR60588/CCU/173/38/2025
• Principal Investigator: Dr. Samuel Lalthazuala Rokhum
• Co-Principal Investigator: Dr. Shanti Gopal Patra
• Duration: 2 years or till project completion, whichever is earlier
• Essential Qualification: M.Sc in Chemistry / Biotechnology / Life Sciences or allied discipline with minimum 60% marks
• Desirable: Research experience in microalgae, photobioreactors, CO2 capture, activated biochar, catalysis / materials characterisation
• Age Limit: 28 years (with Government of India relaxations for reserved categories)
• Salary: Rs. 37,000 per month + HRA as per DBT / Institute norms
• Last date for application: 15 September 2026
• Application mode: Soft copy by email to rokhum@che.nits.ac.in
• Subject line: "Application for the post of JRF under the project BT/PR60588/CCU/173/38/2025"
• Selection: Offline interview at NIT Silchar, date and time to be intimated by email
• Advertisement No.: NITS/Dean(R&C)/Chemistry/723/01/2026 dated 28 August 2026

Eligible and interested Indian citizens who are looking to work on a high-impact, interdisciplinary carbon-capture and biofuel project in the chemistry laboratories of a centrally-funded Institute of National Importance in the Northeast of India should treat this as a strong opportunity. Candidates are encouraged to read the full notification carefully, prepare a complete application including all supporting documents, and send it to the Principal Investigator well before 15 September 2026 to avoid any last-minute technical issues.