BHU JRF Botany DBT Project Recruitment 2026

BHU JRF Botany Recruitment 2026: Overview

Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, is hiring a Junior Research Fellow (JRF) for a research project in the Department of Botany, Institute of Science. The project is funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India under its call on Climate Resilient Agriculture for high-performance biomanufacturing under the BioE3 Policy. You will work under Dr. Deepak Kumar, Associate Professor, in the Plant Engineering and Stress Adaptomics (PESA) Lab. This is a project-based, contractual fellowship, not a permanent university job, and it suits a life-science postgraduate who wants hands-on experience in plant molecular biology.

The project is titled "Unravel the functional role of MYB96 transcription factors for improvement of drought tolerance and oil content in oilseed crops Indian mustard and groundnut". It is a joint collaboration between IISER Tirupati and BHU.

In simple terms, the team wants to understand how the MYB96 gene regulators help Indian mustard and groundnut survive drought and build up oil. The work uses molecular, physico-chemical and genetic methods to study MYB96 in drought stress and oil quality. The DBT file number is BT/PR60880/CRA/168/22/2026 and the BHU project code is M-21/1560.

Service Conditions and Caveats

• Tenure: The appointment is purely temporary and on contract. You are first appointed for one year, which can be extended up to the project's total length of two years if your work is satisfactory.
• Notice period: Either you or the Principal Investigator can end the engagement by giving one month's written notice.
• Shortlisting: Meeting the qualifications does not guarantee an interview call. Candidates are shortlisted on merit and the needs of the project.
• Interview: Shortlisted candidates get the interview schedule by email and must attend in person at BHU. An online interview may be allowed only with a proper reason.
• No travel allowance: No TA/DA is paid for attending the interview.
• Authenticity: You are fully responsible for the accuracy of the information, documents and photographs you submit.
• University's right: BHU can accept or reject any application at any time during the project.

Application Submission Notes

Apply online through the PESA Lab application portal at plantadaptomicslab.com (the notice also has a QR code). If you are on a mobile phone, switch to desktop view for a smoother form. Upload all the listed documents, because applications with missing documents may be rejected.

Give a working email address and mobile number, since the interview call comes only by email. For questions, write to pesa.lab.bhu@gmail.com or deepakkumar@bhu.ac.in.

• Assist the Principal Investigator in designing experiments for the MYB96 drought and oil-content study
• Carry out routine laboratory work and molecular biology experiments
• Perform plant transformation work in Indian mustard and groundnut
• Analyse experimental data and prepare summaries of results
• Maintain laboratory records, sample logs and project documentation
• Coordinate with the collaborating team at IISER Tirupati as needed