The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi is the apex body of Govt. of India, working for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research.

In 1917 Harcount Butler established Indian Research Fund Association (IFRA) later in 1949 it renamed to ICMR.

The ICMR Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) Examination is the first step in the process of admission to the Ph.D. Research Programme. The award of JRF is made on merit basis by holding an entrance examination after issuing a country-wide admission notice. The admission notice is published in leading English Newspapers of India usually during March/April.

A total of 150 Fellowships would be awarded. (120 fellowships would be awarded for work in the field of biomedical sciences with emphasis on Life Sciences (like microbiology, physiology, molecular biology, genetics, human biology, biotechnology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, biophysics, immunology, pharmacology, nursing, zoology, botany, environmental sciences and veterinary medicine (excluding Agriculture extension/Soil Sciences, etc).

Thirty (30) fellowships would be awarded for work with emphasis on Social Sciences like psychology, sociology, home science, statistics, anthropology, social work, public health/health economics (Agriculture Economics will not be considered).

Two separate merit lists, one comprising the candidates qualifying for life sciences and the second for those candidates qualifying for social sciences, will be made on the basis of their performance in the above exam.

Another 100 candidates would be selected for consideration for positions of JRF under various research schemes of ICMR (subject to fulfilling the conditions for appointment under the schemes) for the duration of that scheme. These JRFs would also be permitted to complete Ph.D. while working in the scheme, if enrolled. The validity of result will be two years for placement in ICMR funded projects.