Indian Council of Medical Research

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is India's apex body for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research. It functions under the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, and supports research across a wide range of health and biomedical fields.

ICMR operates through a network of permanent institutes and regional centres involved in areas such as infectious diseases, nutrition, cancer, epidemiology, reproductive health, public health, biomedical research and other specialised areas. Its work includes intramural research, extramural research funding, human-resource development, scientific guidelines and research support.

For examination and fellowship aspirants, ICMR is particularly relevant because of its research-fellowship ecosystem. The former ICMR Junior Research Fellowship examination was revised to the Biomedical Research Eligibility Test (BRET) from 2024 onward. BRET is associated with the award of Junior Research Fellowships for pursuing PhD-level biomedical research.

ICMR also advertises project-based research positions, fellowships, scientific posts and other employment opportunities through its headquarters and individual institutes. Candidates should distinguish the national BRET fellowship route from institute-specific recruitment for project JRFs and other temporary research positions.

ICMR's broader role is therefore much larger than conducting an examination. It is a national biomedical research organization supporting research institutions, scientists, programmes and health-research capacity across India.

ICMR traces its origin to the Indian Research Fund Association (IRFA), established on 15 November 1911. The organization subsequently developed into the Indian Council of Medical Research and became a central institution for biomedical research in India. ICMR headquarters moved into its purpose-built building at Ansari Nagar, New Delhi in 1959. Over the decades, the organization expanded its institute network and research programmes across infectious diseases, nutrition, public health, epidemiology and other areas of biomedical science.

ICMR operates under the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Its organizational network includes headquarters in New Delhi and a large group of permanent institutes and regional centres. Research is conducted through intramural programmes and supported externally through grants and collaborative research. Human-resource development, fellowships, scientific administration and research-policy functions are supported through dedicated divisions and institutional units.