Awards Description

Eight among the nineteen Fisheries Colleges under the State Agricultural Universities and the National University in Fisheries are offering postgraduate education in Fisheries. Other Collages, which do not have postgraduate near future. About 100 students graduate are coming out from these institutions at the postgraduate level annually. In addition, few of the graduates have been successful in securing admission in foreign Universities and they have been serving as role models and guide to other aspiring graduates to pursue education in the best institutions. With a view to increase the quality of postgraduate emerging from postgraduate research, PFGF has introduced the “Best Postgraduate Thesis” awards with the following objectives.

            Altogether 3 (or) 5 Awards have been instituted by different generous fisheries professionals in the name of eminent scientists and academicians. They are:

1. Dr. N.R. Menon Award for the Best M.F.Sc Thesis
2. Dr. I. Karunasagar Award for the Best Ph.D. Thesis
3. Dr. V.G. Jhingran Award for the Overseas Indian M.Sc. / Ph.D. Thesis.

In addition to this, three core students in the order of merit are given a certificate of appreciation every year.

1. The selection would be largely based on the publications that have emerged from the thesis and published in high impact journals. Papers presented in seminars/workshops/symposia will not be considered. 
2. The selection committee will evaluate the submitted theses for their scientific quality and relevance to societal necessities.

Submission of Application

Eligible candidates should send thesis along with the following documents

1. Resume of the candidate containing previous academic records and co-curricular activities in not more than two pages.
2. Viva Voce examination certificate from the Head of the institution.
3. Synopsis of the thesis in not more than 300 words
4. Half a page statement (150 words) on how the results contained  the thesis enrich scientific knowledge and contribution to address the problems confronted by the community
5. Thesis copy in CD, along with reprints and the above information should be sent to Dr. Devika Pillai, Convene, PFGF best theses selection committee, College of Fisheries, Panangad, Kochi – 682506, on or before 30^th August of every year.
6. Thesis copies received will not be returned and will be deposited in the PFGF library at the CIFE center in Mumbai.

Recognition

1. Three theses, generally one from M.F.Sc, one from Ph.D. and one thesis submitted to an overseas University (M.Sc./Ph.D.) would be selected for the award. However, the allocation can be interchanged based on the necessity, but keeping the maximum number of awards to three.
2. The winners will be given a certificate of Merit and PFGF will take proactive role to provide publicity for the winners of the award.

Examination Committee

The Selection Committee in headed by Dr. N. Natarajan and members of the committee include Dr. Devika Pillai, Dr. M.N. Venugopal, Dr.M. Bhaskar and Dr.G. Jeyasekaran.

Likely Impact

The award has been instituted with the prime objective of increasing the quality of research carried out by the postgraduate students and to encourage the early publication of results in high impact journals.

1. Students who have completed M.F.Sc./Ph.D. degree from the Colleges affiliated to the Agricultural Universities in India alone would be eligible to apply for the award.
2. Those graduates who possess Bachelor/Master degree in fisheries science from one of the Fisheries Colleges, but have completed postgraduate education (M.Sc./Ph.D.) in any of the Universities outside the country are also eligible to apply and will be considered under overseas category.
3. Thesis will be eligible for submission of an award within two years from the date of final viva voce examination.
4. Thesis should be supported with at least one published paper for the M.F.Sc. thesis published in high impact journals. Accepted papers can also be submitted with a support letter to testify the acceptance of paper. However, those who have not been able to publish papers based on the results included in the thesis are not eligible to apply for the award.