Team Science Grants will fund team of researchers who bring together complementary skills, knowledge, and resources to address an important health challenge for India.

Clinical /​Public Health Research Centre Grants are institutional grants, envisioned as research-oriented centres with focus on major biomedical research problems and are meant to promote clinical/​public health research and develop physician scientists to empower clinicians and public health scientists to carry out patient- and population-oriented research in addition to patient care and preventive medicine.
CRCs may also link up with the Clinical Research Training Programme (CRTP) to develop a 3 – 4‑year mentored training programme for clinical/​public health researchers and seek separate funds for that CRTP. CRTP would fund 3 to 4‑year mentored research training fellowships for medical graduates (MBBS) and post-graduates (MD/​MS/​equivalent).

Eligibility for TSG Scheme 

• Minimum of three investigators: [1 PI + Minimum 2 Co-PIs] 
• PI should have PhD/MD/MBBS-MS/MPH or equivalent, with at least 5 years of experience in running an independent research group or lab. PI should be working at / willing to relocate to an Indian not-for-profit and financially eligible host institution
• Co-PI should have PhD/MD/MBBS-MS/MPH or equivalent, with at least 3 years of experience in running an independent research group or lab. Co-PI(s) located at an overseas not-for-profit institution are also eligible for this competition.
• No more than 2 investigators can be from one institution, and a minimum of 2 institutions should be included There is no age or nationality bar. CRTP would fund 3 to 4‑year mentored research training fellowships for medical graduates (MBBS) and post-graduates (MD/​MS/​equivalent).

For TSG — India Alliance would invite applications for the said scheme in the prescribed format which would be made available on its site.

Screening: The India Alliance Office would screen the received applications against the eligibility criteria (as mentioned in the scheme). A Screening Committee (SC) would carry out a hard triage of eligible applications so that only selected applications go for a peer review and interview. This Committee would be external to, but facilitated by India Alliance and would have basic, clinical, public health and interdisciplinary researchers. The SC is not expected to provide elaborate feedback on research merit of the project and would evaluate it based on the aforementioned eligibility and competition in the cohort of applications received. India Alliance would not be able to provide reviews to applicants at this stage.

Peer Review: Selected applications will be reviewed by external and international experts.

Funding: The peer-reviewed applications would be evaluated by a Funding Committee (FC), which would be external to, but facilitated by India Alliance. The FC would have members from the existing SIF and CPH committees of India Alliance. Based on need in a specific round, it may also co-opt other experts. All peer-reviewed applications would normally be brought to an interview, unless recommended otherwise by the FC, for example, based on an unsatisfactory external review. The FC would interview the PI and up to 2 more co-PIs on each application. The recommendations made by the FC and the decision of India Alliance would be based on performance at the interview with the Committee and competition within the cohort. These decisions would be final.

For CRC — India Alliance would invite applications for the said scheme in the prescribed format, which would be made available on its website.

Screening: The India Alliance Office would screen the received applications against the eligibility criteria (as mentioned in the scheme). A Screening Committee (SC) would carry out a hard triage of eligible applications so that only selected applications go for a peer review and interview. This Committee would be external to, but facilitated by India Alliance and would have basic, clinical, public health and interdisciplinary researchers. The SC is not expected to provide elaborate feedback on research merit of the project and would evaluate it based on aforementioned eligibility and competition in the cohort of applications received. India Alliance would not be able to provide reviews to applicants at this stage.

Peer Review: Selected applications will be reviewed by external and international experts.

Funding: The peer-reviewed applications would be evaluated by a Funding Committee (FC), which would be external to, but facilitated by India Alliance. The FC would have members from the existing SIF and CPH committees of India Alliance. Based on need in a specific round, the FC also co-opt other experts. All peer-reviewed applications would normally be brought to an interview, unless recommended otherwise by the FC, for example, based on an unsatisfactory external review. The FC would interview the PI and, if desired, up to two co-PIs on each application. The recommendations made by the FC and the decision of India Alliance would be based on competition within the cohort. These decisions would be final.

The scheme is expected to be very competitive at every step. All applications would be assessed in competition with others in that cohort.

Important Note:

The India Alliance’s Committees comprise of independent scientists from the international research community with appropriate expertise and research experience. They are asked to express their own views on research proposals and to adjudicate on opinions received from external experts.

Members of the India Alliance’s Committees are required to abide by a code of conduct, which is designed to protect and preserve the integrity of the India Alliance’s advisers and processes. This code of conduct dictates that the Committee Members may not discuss any aspect of the deliberations or recommendations of the Committee with applicants, and that they must refuse any requests for information as to how a particular decision was reached.

Applicants or their colleagues must never attempt to contact a Committee Member to discuss any aspect of an application or the decision reached on it. All such requests must be referred to the Office