What Does NCL Offer Its Scientist

NCL is ranked among the top Indian institutions in terms of the quality and quantity of publications, number of PhDs in the chemical sciences, confidence with funding agencies, creation of intellectual property, contracts with industry, transfer of technologies etc. NCL boasts a global clientele that includes the largest and most respected companies in India and the world. NCL is the best-equipped organization in India for research in the chemical sciences in terms of infrastructure, equipments, instruments and information access.

NCL offers its scientists a stimulating work environment; the culture on campus is open and hierarchy-free (Work Culture and Management). Scientists have access to world-class experimental and computational facilities via resource centers that manage large equipments. The NCL library is among the best in the country, with access to a large number of journals in the chemical and materials sciences and engineering. Typically, NCL has both electronic and print access to journals and literature/ patent databases. NCL also has an excellent communications system with high speed/ bandwidth lines as well as teleconferencing and videoconferencing facilities.

Scientists starting up a research programme at NCL are provided with the resources that they require to get their laboratories going so that they can be productive right from the beginning. Start-up support at NCL is comparable to or better than what is offered elsewhere in the country. In addition to this, scientists at NCL have free access to the shared laboratory facilities and equipments ? this allows them to get their research programmes going very quickly.

Several of our scientists live on the lovely, verdant NCL campus. Accommodation is available to scientists at a rate that is substantially lower than the market price. The NCL campus has many amenities for recreation and leisure. Services such as schools, shopping centers, banks and post office are located within walking distance.

In addition, there are several other benefits to working at NCL that we list here:

1. All entry level scientists are given a start-up research grant of Rs. 6.00 lakhs (~US$ 12,000) per annum for a period of two years.
2. Generous travel support is provided for participation in national conferences. Travel grants are also provided to participate in international conferences to all young scientists.
3. All scientists are allowed to undertake industrial consultancy without any ceiling on the annual remuneration. If you are successful as an industrial consultant, this will provide you with an additional income, over and above your normal salary.
4. NCL scientists are eligible to a share of the premia, royalty, earnings from contract research, technical service etc. earned by NCL. Up to a maximum of 40% of the amount received is distributable. Thus a scientist oriented towards industrial research can easily multiply his/her income. There is no ceiling on such income received.
5. CSIR has number of exchange programmes with countries outside of India such as U.S.A., U.K., France, Germany etc. Additionally, the laboratory actively encourages scientists to pursue collaborative research with scientists abroad, as well as industrial organizations outside of India.
6. Special grants to support unusual or crazy ideas are made available to young scientists under the ?kite-flying? category, using a ?new-idea fund? available with CSIR.
7. The laboratory also provides funding for pursuing research projects based on peer reviewed proposals.
8. NCL Research Foundation gives various annual awards for excellence to NCL scientists. These are for outstanding individual scientific accomplishments and group efforts in development of commercial technologies. These awards also carry attractive cash prizes.
9. Scientists are entitled for a professional allowance of Rs. 10,000/- per year to become a member of professional societies.
10. The Laboratory is only a few minutes away from the campus. The Laboratory doors are open 365 days of the year, 24 hours a day, providing free access to scientists to use their offices/ laboratories etc. The NCL library is open from 9.00 am to 10.00 pm on all working days and up to 5.00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. In addition, every scientist is provided with a desk top access to a host of online information resources.
11. NCL has a state-of-the-art library with both traditional and digital information resources. NCL also has a local area network, with an optical fiber backbone supporting 2000 LAN ports which links over 800 PCs on campus. It has a dedicated 34 Mbps lease line for reliable e-mail and Internet connectivity. The NCL residential colony is fully WiFi enabled.
12. There are three schools (up to 12th standard) on NCL campus. This includes the NCL School, where NCL children are given preference. These schools offer some of the finest education in the city of Pune.
13. NCL has a medical centre on the campus ? with all outpatient treatment facilities. Medical expenses incurred in leading hospitals in Pune are reimbursable as per procedures laid down by the Laboratory.
14. There is a group insurance scheme of which all employees are members for an extremely nominal subscription.
15. NCL has a contributory provident fund and a gratuity scheme.
16. After a defined period of employment NCL employees are eligible for loans at nominal interest rates for purchase of vehicles or home.
17. The city of Pune is one of the fastest growing metropolis in India with several amenities for ensuring high quality of life. These include a wide choice of educational institutes for higher learning, state-of-the-art medical facilities and facilities for recreation and entertainment.