BITS Pilani Recruitment 2026: Apply Online for Junior Research Fellow Post at bits-pilani.ac.in

Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani (BITS Pilani, Rajasthan), an Institution of Eminence, has officially released recruitment advertisement inviting applications for 1 post of Junior Research Fellow (JRF) / Project Associate-I under an Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) sponsored research project. Qualified postgraduates in Mechanical Engineering, Material Science, Physics, or Chemical Engineering with valid GATE or CSIR-UGC NET scores can apply online via email before 08 October 2026. Selected researchers will receive monthly fellowships up to Rs. 37,000 plus 8% HRA per month.

BITS Pilani JRF 2026: Project Cadre & Fellowship Scale

The research fellowship is tenable in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at BITS Pilani campus:

Selection Process, Exam Pattern and Shortlisting Criteria

The fellowship selection will follow institutional research screening:

1. Application Scrutiny: Shortlisting candidates based on M.E. / M.Tech academic grades, GATE score, research publications, and thesis work in thermal or materials engineering.
2. Online / Offline Interview: Shortlisted applicants will be invited for technical interview before the Departmental Research Committee.
3. PhD Enrollment Option: Selected JRF candidates will have the opportunity to register for the regular Ph.D. programme at BITS Pilani subject to meeting institutional admission standards.

Qualifying Marks, Benchmark Cutoffs and Evaluation Criteria

Applicants must satisfy the prescribed educational criteria as on 08 October 2026:

• Essential Qualification: Post Graduate Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Thermal Engineering, Nanotechnology, Materials Science, or Chemical Engineering (M.E. / M.Tech) with minimum 60% marks or 6.0 CGPA on a 10-point scale.
• National Clearance: Valid score in GATE or CSIR-UGC NET examination is required for receiving the enhanced JRF fellowship of Rs. 37,000 per month.
• Age Limit: Upper age limit is 28 years as on 08 October 2026, relaxable up to 5 years for SC/ST/OBC/women/physically handicapped candidates as per DST guidelines.
• Interview Benchmark: Minimum 50% qualifying score in the technical interview is required for selection.

Candidate Guidelines and Next Steps for Email Application

Eligible candidates must complete the prescribed application procedure:

• Prepare an updated Curriculum Vitae highlighting academic marks from Class 10 onwards, GATE/NET score cards, master thesis summary, and publication titles.
• Combine the CV and self-attested copies of degree certificates, marksheets, and identity proof into a single consolidated PDF document.
• Send the application via email to the Principal Investigator, Dr. Aneesh A.M., Department of Mechanical Engineering, BITS Pilani at the official email address specified in the notification before 08 October 2026.
• Subject line must read: "Application for JRF / Project Associate Position - ANRF Project".

Laboratory Facilities and Research Publication Opportunities

The selected fellow will work in state-of-the-art computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and thermal measurement laboratories equipped with advanced laser diagnostic tools and high-performance computing clusters. Fellows will be encouraged to publish research papers in Q1/Q2 indexed international journals and present experimental data at premier global heat transfer conferences.

Frequently Asked Questions (Notice-Grounded)