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• Writing a Fellowship Proposal

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Writing a proposal for summer fellowships.

Writing Partners give advice and tips about writing fellowship proposals.

Tip: The Poorvu Writing Center offers many great resources that support student writing. Pair with a Writing Partner for one-on-one help in drafting your fellowship application.

What is a fellowship proposal?

The purpose of a fellowship proposal is to:

• explain your proposed project and the motivations behind it.
• introduce yourself to the committee.
• reassure the committee that you are invested in this project and that you are the right person to carry it out.
• demonstrate the preparation you have undertaken so far.

By the time applications are due, you will need to have done a lot of preparation and considered how your proposed experience fits into your “big picture”. However, it is understood that your plans will continue to evolve between the application deadline and your departure, so you may not have everything 100% finalized by the time you submit your proposal.

When selection committees read fellowship proposals, they are looking for evidence that:

• the proposed activity is feasible.
• you have the necessary background and skills to carry out the work that you are proposing.
• you have clear and realistic objectives for the activity.
• you have adequately researched and prepared for your project.
• you will carry something forward from the proposed activity to your experience at Yale or beyond.
• you have considered all the stakeholders, and their needs and expectations.
• you have sought guidance from experts in the field and you have the support you need to successfully and responsibly carry out the work.

Below, you will find a list of questions you should aim to answer in your fellowship proposal. These range from questions about your exact plan to questions about how your proposed activity fits into your longer-term goals.

General advice

• Start early.
• Think of your fellowship proposal as a part of a larger whole that includes the letter(s) from your recommender(s) and other supporting documents (e.g., your resume and transcript).
• Consider your audience; write for an intelligent non-specialist (i.e., make sure the terminology will be understandable to someone outside your field).
• The tone should be neither too academic nor too personal. Aim for economy, enthusiasm, and directness; eloquence is welcome, but not at the expense of substance or honesty.
• Make sure all information is accurate and that you will be prepared to discuss in some detail anything you mention.
• Do not exaggerate your accomplishments, but also do not be falsely modest.
• Do not try to guess what the selection committee might be seeking; they want to know you, not a fabrication.
• All rules of good writing (clarity, conviction, correctness, and academic honesty) apply. Proposals are read as indications of clear and organized thinking and effective communication.
• Ask for feedback. Consult especially your faculty advisers, recommenders, and your Writing Tutor. Ask your readers to tell you what questions your proposal raises that you might not have considered.
• Revise. Plan to experiment and try completely different versions.
• Keep to word limits and all other guidelines.
• Proofread. Errors suggest you lack seriousness of purpose.

To get your pen/keyboard going…

If you can respond to these items clearly and thoroug​hly, you are in a great position to write your fellowship proposal:

• What motivates/inspires you to pursue this project? Why is this project important to you?
• With whom have you developed your proposed idea? Please note that any research projects should be discussed with a faculty mentor, and this person will be expected to write your letter of recommendation.
• Where are you proposing to go, and why is it important that you conduct your project there instead of elsewhere?
• If appropriate, describe your knowledge of the local language and/or the culture of the country to which you are proposing to go.
• What contacts have you made (or do you plan to make) in your proposed destination?
• What other coursework and job/research/extracurricular experience has prepared you to make a success out of your proposed activity? In other words, how are you qualified to carry out your project?
• If conducting research, what theoretical framework will you employ and what methodology will you use? If planning interviews, is this acceptable in your proposed destination and how will you devise a valid interview instrument? If conducting interviews, or if your project involves human subjects in any other way, you must find out if you need IRB approval. If so, you must obtain this approval before you can receive your fellowship check, and you should start this process before you submit your fellowship application. Visit the Human Subjects Committee website for more information.
• If participating in an internship, how will you be contributing to your chosen organization? The committees understand that you might not have all the details or even confirmation that you’ve secured the internship, but you should provide them with as much information as possible.
• Provide a reasonable timeline and general explanation of how you will successfully carry out your project in the proposed timeframe.
• What do you hope to accomplish as you carry out your project?
• What are your longer-term academic and/or professional goals, and how might these benefit from your proposed experience? In addition to developing specific skills or learning more about a specific topic, you may consider how this experience might inform your choice of classes or major and how this experience might shape your career path or other future aspirations.
• What challenges or difficulties do you anticipate to encounter, and how might you overcome these?
• What aspects of your proposed project and/or preparation still need to develop, and how do you plan to address these before/while carrying out your project?

Other writing resources for undergraduates

• Residential College Writing Tutors
• Yale Writing Center
• Yale Global Health Field Experience Guide
• OCS "Telling your Story" guide
• Editing Personal Statements for Style
•     Style for Students, by Joe Schall
•     Elements of Style, by William Strunk, Jr.
•     On Writing Well, by William Zinsser
•     Manual of Style, University of Chicago

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Writing Research Proposals for Fellowships

In the Office of Fellowships, we often read essays for fellowship applications that have been copied and pasted from dissertation proposals. While the copy and paste function is one that we ourselves utilize and view with great affection, the use of it can be a barrier to being awarded a fellowship. Below you will find some tips for revising a dissertation proposal, or any research proposal, into a proposal for a fellowship application.

Before beginning the narrative, consider the answers to the following questions:

Why do I love this project?

You have a reason for doing the project that you chose – for some reason you feel that it is meaningful to you. Spend a little time considering why you are passionate about the project. Rarely should you explicitly state why you are passionate about the project, but your excitement should come through implicitly as you describe it.

Why do I consider it important?

As well as being important to you, the project should be important to the world at large and/or your discipline specifically. Graduate students often do not realize that reviewers need to be persuaded of the importance of the project on a more global scale than professors need to be persuaded. Ideally, when the reviewers finish the narrative they will feel that this project must be completed, that it will fill an important gap either in the world or in your discipline.

If I could distill my research into one question, what is that question?

Like most advice, this is easy to suggest and challenging to do. Often, researchers are halfway into their research before they fully understand their question. Sometimes it can be helpful to consider the type of question that you are asking and to find examples of similar studies that have been conducted. I find that graduate students tend to be too general and overly ambitious in their research proposal. Work to keep the research questions specific and manageable. If you think your project might be too broad, it probably is.

How and why is the research project problematic? Why is it still worth pursuing?

Your project will have weakness – be sure that you are aware of them. In some cases, you will want to directly confront the issues with your project and in other cases, you will want to confront them indirectly.

Why am I the right researcher for this project?

In some way, you are uniquely situated for the work you plan to do. This can be challenging to articulate. Consider your coursework and previous experiences. Demonstrate that you have the knowledge and skills necessary to carry out the research. You may find it helpful to discuss this with your advisor and/or colleagues.

How can I make the literature review into an argument?

Whereas the literature review in your dissertation proposal is usually a summary of what you know, the literature review in the fellowship proposal is a continuation of your argument that your project needs to be completed. Pare down this section to only the most relevant and necessary literature to support your proposal. Use this section to demonstrate how and why there is a need for your research.

What methods am I going to use and why are these methods the best way to conduct this research?

While students are generally clear about how they will go about their research, fewer students articulate the connection between their research methods and the research questions. The connection is probably obvious to you, but needs to be outlined clearly for the reviewers.

What other methods could I use? Why are my methods better? What are the problems with this approach? 

The answers to the questions above may or may not fit into the research proposal, but answering them for yourself will help you make the argument for the methods you have chosen.

Once I get the information, what am I going to do with it? In other words, how will I interpret the data?

Rarely will the data directly answer the research question. In most situations, you will need a method or an interpretive lens to connect the data to the research question.

What exactly is the question asking?

Study the instructions for the application closely. Be sure that you understand the broad goal of each question. If there are sub questions, read those closely but be sure that you understand them within the context of the larger question.

What is the purpose of this fellowship? How does my research project fit into (or advance) this goal? In other words, how will I help the funders achieve their goals?

Immerse yourself in the language and the worldview of the funder. Try to understand the ways in which you and your work would be viewed by the organization and, further, how you can articulate the ways in which could advance the goals of the organization.

While the process of applying to fellowships can seem daunting, reframing a project for a new audience provides many benefits. The application can help students fully develop their operational plan for their research. Additionally, many graduate students find that communicating their ideas to an interdisciplinary audience gives them a new perspective on and new energy for their work. And, finally, the fellowship application takes students another step closer towards being an independent scholar doing the work that they want to do.

The GradFunding Newsletter is a service of the University of Arizona Graduate College, Office of Fellowships and Community Engagement. You may reuse this article but please acknowledge Shelley Hawthorne Smith and the University of Arizona Graduate College Office of Fellowships and Community Engagement.

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• CAREER COLUMN
• 06 November 2018

How to design a winning fellowship proposal

• Crystal M. Botham 0 &
• Tanya M. Evans 1

Crystal M. Botham directs the Stanford Biosciences Grant Writing Academy at Stanford University in California.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Tanya M. Evans is a neuroscientist at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

Looking to win a US graduate or postdoctoral research fellowship? Don’t focus only on your current research: you’ll need a proposal that outlines your specific goals for career development and training.

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Nature 563 , 283 (2018)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-07297-x

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Last Updated On : 19-12-2023    Posted By : Smriti Verma

INSPIRE Fellowship 2023-24 is an initiative of the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, for students enrolled in Ph.D. degrees in Basic & Applied Sciences in specified subjects. The fellowship aims to strengthen the science and technology base of the country by encouraging students to pursue a doctoral degree in various disciplines, including basic and applied sciences, engineering, medicine, agriculture, veterinary, and pharmacy. 

The selected fellows will receive a grant as per Government of India (GoI) norms for a maximum period of five years or completion of the Ph.D. degree (whichever is earlier).

Source:  Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE)

To be eligible, an applicant must:-

• be in the age group of 22-27 years
• be enrolled in a Ph.D. program in any recognised university/institution/Research and Development (R&D) laboratory in India
• be an INSPIRE scholar having secured a minimum of 70% marks (or CGPA equivalent) in aggregate at M.Sc. or Integrated M.S./M.Sc. degree  OR
• be a 1st rank holder at the university level examination in postgraduate (PG) level examinations in Basic/Applied Sciences including Engineering, Medical, Pharmaceutical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Sciences from any recognised university and academic institution in India  OR
• be a 1st rank holder at the graduate/postgraduate level examination in Medicine only conducted by a university/institution in India

The following candidates are not eligible for the fellowship:-

• 1st rank holders in college, including autonomous college examination.
• Candidates who have obtained degree(s) through distance education mode.
• 1st rank holder in any specialisation at M.Sc. degree in second year/last year.

A total of 1,000 fellows will be selected under this scheme. The selected fellows will receive a grant as per Government of India (GoI) norms for a maximum period of five years or completion of the Ph.D. degree (whichever is earlier).

• A passport-size photograph; [in JPEG format; size 50KB]
• Class 10 marksheet or certificate (for proof of Date of Birth); [in PDF format; size 1 MB]
• Marksheets of educational qualifications (Class 12, UG & PG Program); [in PDF format; size 1 MB]
• First rank certificate for applicants who are not INSPIRE scholars; [in PDF format; size 1 MB]
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Eligible candidates can apply for the fellowship using the below-mentioned steps:- Step 1: Click on the 'Apply Now' button. Step 2: Click on the 'Register' button and fill in the required details to 'Register'. ( Note: - If already registered, log in using Gmail/Mobile number/Email ID) Step 3:  Navigate to the 'Sign In' section on the right-hand side of the dashboard and click on   the 'Register here' button. Step 4: Provide the required information and select 'Fellowship (PhD)' under the INSPIRE scheme category to register. Step 5: After successful registration, log in with the valid credentials to proceed with the application process. Step 6: Fill in the required details, upload the supporting documents, and submit the application form.

Important Dates

Fellowship Deadline: 25th December 2023

Selection Criteria

Applicants will have to undergo a two-stage selection process:

• Level I: Screening for eligibility
• Level II: Evaluation by a Subject Expert Committee (SEC)

Applicants who are already admitted to a Ph.D. program in Science and Technology (S&T) before submitting the application and selected at both level I & level II, will be awarded the final offer for the INSPIRE fellowship.

Applicants who have not been admitted to a Ph.D. program in S&T before applying and get selected at level I, will be awarded a provisional offer for the INSPIRE fellowship.

The provisional offer will be made based on the scrutiny of the application along with the required documents (level I) submitted by the applicant. However, the final offer will be made based on the evaluation of the application at level II considering the following factors:- 

• Academic merit  
• Host Institution including Research Supervisor profile and
• Detailed Research Proposal by the Subject Expert Committee

At Level II, the applicants are required to secure a qualifying score/cutoff. The cut-off marks may vary based on the competitive framework of the selection process.

Note:- A provisional offer does not guarantee the award of the INSPIRE fellowship. The student is provided with a one-year validity to take admission into a Ph.D. program.

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Terms and Conditions

• The fellowship shall be tenable for a maximum period of five years or completion of the Ph.D. program (i.e. till the final defence of the Ph.D. thesis), whichever is earlier. 
• For fresh applicants (already enrolled in a Ph.D. course): The "Effective Date" is the date of acceptance, joining, or switching from another fellowship to INSPIRE, but not earlier than the application date.
• For provisionally selected: The "Effective Date" is the date of confirmed Ph.D. admission or later, but resignation from another fellowship is only allowed after the Final Offer. ( Note:- Admission into a Ph.D. program is essential for the final selection under INSPIRE).
• INSPIRE fellow shall be allowed to avail of a short-term research internship at any national or international laboratory/university/institute for a maximum duration of 18 months either in single or in multiple slots during the five-year tenure of the Fellowship. 
• The fellowship shall be governed by administrative norms and guidelines of the host university/institute. The Department of Science and Technology (DST) reserves the right to review and modify the guidelines as and when required. 

Note:- For detailed information, kindly go through the 'Fellowship Guidelines'.

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INSPIRE Scheme

"Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE)"  is an innovative programme sponsored and managed by the Department of Science & Technology for attraction of talent to Science.

Vision   Buildthe critical human resource pool to strengthen the science and technology system and expand R&D base of the country.

Goal   Attract Young Talent to opt research as a career.A striking feature of INSPIRE Scheme is that it does not conductany competitive exam(s) for identification of talent at any level. It relies on the efficacy of the existing educational structure for identification of talent.

Scope   Covers the entire meritorious youth who is interested to study science right from school to college and university level and choose scientific research as a career.It carries out enabling activities of human capacity building including scholarships and fellowships, research exposure training of human resources.

Objectives  The basic objective of the ‘Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE)’ scheme is to communicate to the youth the excitement of pursuing science.INSPIRE attracts and nurtures  young bright students to study basic and natural sciences at the college and university level and to pursue research careers in both basic and applied science areas including engineering, medicine, agriculture and veterinary sciences. The same is done through the following components:

• INSPIRE INTERNSHIP aims to provide exposure to the top 1% students at Class X Board level by organizing Science Camps either during summer or winter which provides opportunity to them to interact with Science icons from India and abroad, including Nobel Laureates, to experience the joys of scientific pursuit. These science camps nourish the curiosity of students in science, help them to think out-of-the box and attract students at an early age of 16-17 years to choose science subjects for further studies.

INSPIRE FACULTY FELLOWSHIP component provides opportunities to 100 persons every year with Ph.D. qualification in the age group of 27-32 years for 5 years to carry out research in both basic and applied science areas including engineering, medicine, agriculture and veterinary sciences for establishing themselves as independent researchers. It grants an attractive fellowship for a duration of 5 years.

INSPIRE FELLOWSHIP component offers 1000 Fellowships every year to bright students in the age group of 22-27 years to pursue Ph.D. in basic and applied sciences including engineering, medicine, agriculture and veterinary sciences.

SCHOLARSHIP for HIGHER EDUCATION (SHE) component of the INSPIRE aims to encourage meritorious students to study basic and natural sciences at undergraduate level through attractive scholarship and mentorship opportunities. SHE offers 12,000 scholarships every year to meritorious students in the age group 17-22 years.

INSPIRE Components Details:

INSPIRE Scheme Implementation:

Implementation of INSPIRE Scheme is a fully automated process through INSPIRE Web-portal. Link for INSPIRE Web-portal is:  https://www.online-inspire.gov.in

Applicationsunder above INSPIRE components are entertained only against specific call announcements in online mode. Advertisement under a INSPIRE component covers eligibility criteria, how to apply, documents required along with application, instructions for filling online application etc. On INSPIRE Web-portal component-wise detailed information has been made available which includes Guidelines, Formats and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). 

Research Exposure Training Programme for Students of NE and J&K and Ladakh:

To promote research culture among students pursuing post-graduation courses in various science and technology streams in North-Eastern States and UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, a special Initiative under the “Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE)”scheme of Department of Science and Technology (DST) has been taken. It is the need of hour to interact with these young minds at Masters’ level and imbibe culture of research in them to pursue career in scientific research and development. The initiative has been launched in the year 2022.

“Research Exposure cum Training Programme for Students from North- Eastern States and UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh” focuses on providing training to the talented youth from the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura (North-Eastern States), UT’s of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh for pursuing research career in frontier areas of Science Technology and Innovation.

This being a new and special initiative, it is being implemented on pilot scale in first phase. Details of the programme are available on INSPIRE Web-portal including Guidelines and format for submission of project proposal etc.( https://www.online-inspire.gov.in ).

INSPIRE Division Team

INSPIRE-MANAK

Department of Science and Technology (DST) is implementing INSPIRE MANAK (Million Minds Augmenting National Aspiration and Knowledge) Scheme under its flagship programme Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) . MANAK is a unique initiative to attract talented school students at an early age to study science and pursue research career apart from fostering a culture of innovation among them. Scheme caters to school children in the age group of 10-15 years and studying in Class 6-10. INSPIRE-MANAK scheme targets ten (10.0) lakh ideas from more than five (05) lakh middle and high schools across the country every year. Out of these, one lakh ideas are eligible for INSPIRE Award of Rs. 10,000/-each. 

Under this scheme, all the middle and high schools across the country are eligible to participate and can provide nominations of 5 students through online mode, every financial year.  During submission of nominations schools are requested to provide all the relevant details including a brief ideas of the project students intend to make. Received online nominations are scrutinized on the basis of the ideas provided by the students and selected students participate in District, State and National Level Exhibitions and Competitions. The participants of National Level Exhibition & Competition (NLEPC) are provided mentorship at premier educational and technical institutions of the country. Top sixty projects are rewarded as national winners every. National Innovation Foundation, an autonomous institution of DST is the resource partner under this scheme.

INSPIRE-MANAK Team

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INSPIRE Fellowship Legacy Users

The objective of organizing the INSPIRE Internship camp is to reveal the joys of innovation to the talented youth of the nation to pursue study in science and career in Research and Development. [Back To Top]

Institutes/Degree Colleges/ Universities can organize INSPIRE Internship Science Camps. [Back To Top]

Program Coordinator of the proposed INSPIRE Internship camp should be a regular faculty/employee of the respective Institute with science background. [Back To Top]

Students within the eligibility criteria (Given on the website http://www.inspire-dst.gov.in ) in Class X of respective Education Boards and pursuing 11th in Science discipline. [Back To Top]

12th Students can participate in the INSPIRE INTERNSHIP Camp before the declaration of result of class X each year. [Back To Top]

Maximum budget for a science camp is based on the number of participating students with a ceiling of maximum to the sanctioned strength i.e., at the rate of Rs.6500 per Student. This cost is inclusive of all expenses. No additional grant will be sanctioned beyond the norms. [Back To Top]

The minimum and maximum INSPIRE Internship Science Camp limit is not there. It depends on the infrastructural capacity of the organizing institute. But preferred camp size is 150 students participation. [Back To Top]

10-12 eminent mentors covering the disciplines Physics, Chemistry, Life Science, Earth Sciences and Mathematical Science needs to be called. [Back To Top]

The infrastructural requirement for organizing the INSPIRE Internship Camp is lab infrastructure in the area of Physics, Chemistry, Life Science, Earth Sciences and Mathematical Sciences etc., Auditorium with sound system, Guest House, Hostel accommodation for boys and girls. [Back To Top]

Yes, It should be residential in nature. [Back To Top]

Initial grant will be release within two months of date of commencement of Program after seeking its formal approval following the normal approval process. The final installment will be received upon receipt of the INSPIRE Internship Science camp completion report. [Back To Top]

The bank detail submission page consists of a selected bank details list already approved by DST. If you select the required bank detail from the list, you do not have to wait for its approval. [Back To Top]

Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE) is a component of“Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE)”, which is a flagship programme of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), under the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. It aims to attract students to study basic and natural Science subjects at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and pursue research as a career by providing scholarships to interested and deserving students.Under SHE component, 12,000 scholarships (From SHE-2017 batch onwards), each valued at ₹ 80,000/- are announced annually to students pursuing Bachelors and Masters level courses in Basic and Natural Science areas. [Back To Top]

(a) Meritorious Students with aggregate marks within top 1% of their Class XII examination of any State/ Central Education Board in India are eligible. In addition, the student must be pursuing courses in Natural and Basic Sciences at the B.Sc., B.S., and Int.M.Sc./M.S. level.

(b) Those students who have secured ranks in the JEE of IIT, AIPMT (within top 10000 ranks),and are presently pursuing Natural and Basic Science courses in India at the B.Sc., B.S., Int. M.Sc./M.S. level.

(c) Students with aggregate marks within top 1% of their Class XII examination of any State/ Central Board in India and pursuing Integrated M.S. courses in Natural and Basic Sciences at IISERs, NISER and Department of Atomic Energy Centre for Basic Sciences-University of Mumbai, Visva- Bharati , Shanitiniketan.

(d) Students who have been selected under Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) and pursuing Bachelor/ Master level courses in Natural Sciences.

(e) National Talent Search Examination (NTSE) scholars, Jagadish Bose National Science Talent Search (JBNSTS) scholars and International Olympiad medalists pursuing Bachelor/ Master level courses in Natural Sciences are also eligible. [Back To Top]

The following subjects under Basic and Natural Sciences are within the scope of INSPIRE Scholarship for pursuing BSc/BS/Int. MSc/Int. MS course: (1) Physics, (2) Chemistry, (3) Mathematics, (4) Biology, (5) Statistics, (6) Geology, (7) Astrophysics, (8) Astronomy, (9) Electronics, (10) Botany, (11) Zoology, (12) Bio- chemistry, (13) Anthropology, (14) Microbiology, (15) Geophysics, (16) Geochemistry, (17) Atmospheric Sciences & (18) Oceanic Sciences. Courses other than these subjects such as Engineering, Medicine, Military Science, Defense Studies, Agriculture, Psychology, Seed Technology, Anthropology, Home Science, Geography, Economics, Education (including B.Sc.-B.Ed. dual degree course), Bio-technology, Computer Science, Computer Applications, Bio-informatics, Instrumentation, Information Technology, Physical Education, courses in Distance Education mode at the Open Universities and other professional courses are NOT supported. [Back To Top]

The scholarship is valued at ₹ 80,000/- per annum. Each candidate will receive annual scholarship @ ₹ 5000/- per month total value of ₹ 60,000/- . All the SHE scholars are required to undertake summer research projects under an active researcher in any recognized research centers across India. A summer time attachment fee of ₹ 20,000/- will be paid as Mentorship every year. The scholars have to submit the project report and Certificate from mentor after the completion of the project in due course of time. [Back To Top]

Selected candidates will be supported for a maximum period of five years , starting from the 1st year B.Sc., B.S., Int. M.Sc./Int.M.S. or until the completion of the course, whichever is earlier Continuation of the scholarship for the selected candidates is based on good academic performance ( i.e., within range as given in question no. 20) in the examinations conducted by the University and upon the recommendation by the Head of the Institution. [Back To Top]

Only candidates who have completed their XII standard examinationin the year and have enrolled in B.Sc., B.S., Int. M.Sc./M.S. degrees, in Basic and Natural Sciences (in subjects listed above) in the same year can apply.The call for applications will be advertised on INSPIRE Web Portal. The web portal link is given here: https://www.online-inspire.gov.in/ [Back To Top]

One can apply for the scholarship through online mode only. To apply online, please follow this link https://www.online-inspire.gov.in . The guidelines for online applications are given here. [Back To Top]

• Class XII Mark Sheets (mandatory)
• Class X Mark Sheet/Certificate (for proof of date of birth) (mandatory)
• Endorsement Certificate in the prescribed format, signed by the Principal of the College/Director of the Institute/Registrar of the University (mandatory)
• Eligibility Note/Advisory Note (if provided by the State/Central Board) (not mandatory)
• Certificate specifying Rank or Award in JEE (Main)/ JEE (Advanced)/ NEET/ KVPY /JBNSTS/ NTSE / International Olympic Medalists (if the candidate is eligible under this criterion)

As the Department receives a large number of applications, selection process on an average takes at least four months from the last date of submission of the application. All selected candidates shall receive a Provisional Offer Letter on their web portal account informing that they are selected for the scholarship. Provisionally selected students are required to log into the online portal to download the offer letter .List of selected and rejected students will also be displayed on home page of INSPIRE Web-Portal.Selected candidates will have to upload the required documents on their web-portal within prescribed time limit (time limit mentioned in the offer letter) for further consideration by the Department. [Back To Top]

Please Log in into your account on the INSPIRE Web-Portal. If you are selected, the offer letter will be available on your dashboard notification. [Back To Top]

Please Log in into your account on the INSPIRE Web-Portal. If you are rejected, the rejection letter will be available on your dashboard notification. [Back To Top]

The Registration number here refers to the Scholar’s INSPIRE/SHE registration number provided by the DST (not the scholar’s B.Sc. or M.Sc. or University’s registration number) . The INSPIRE/SHE registration number is indicated in the initial scholarship offer letter . [Back To Top]

The scholarship will be transferred to the scholar’s State Bank of India (SBI) bank account directly through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode. [Back To Top]

Each scholar has to open a regular Normal Savings Bank Account in any branch of State Bank of India (SBI)ONLY. Account must be in scholar’s name only. Joint Accounts shall not be accepted . Accounts in any other bank other than the SBI shall not be accepted. Account has to be linked with Aadhar no. of Scholar. After opening the account in SBI, first page of Bank Passbook has to be uploaded on INSPIRE Web-Portal . Please sign on first page of passbook before uploading. Unsigned documents shall not be accepted. [Back To Top]

For the release of scholarship, one should submit year-wise Performance Report in prescribed format and Mark Sheet of scholar’s B.Sc., B.S., Int. M.Sc./M.S. course. Blank format of the Performance report is available on INSPIRE web-portal www.inspire-dst.gov.in .

Performance Report must be signed by the Head of Institution. The Head of Institution here refers to (a) Vice-Chancellor/Registrar/Dean of Science in case of Universities and (b) Principal/Vice-Principal, Proctor and Officer-in-Charge in case of Colleges. Attestation of the endorsement forms by officers other than those mentioned above (such as Head of the Department, Section officers, Student welfare officers, etc.) shall NOT be accepted.The Head of the Institution should clearly mention whether the scholarship should be continued or discontinued for that academic year.

a) The Annual Performance Report and Mark Sheets (annual/two semesters) should be submitted as soon as the results of respective examinations are announced. Scholarship shall be released only after approval of the Performance Report and mark sheets as per norms.Scholar shall submit all the above referred documents together and not in part mode(s). b) Scholars are advised to submit their yearly Mark-sheets and performance related documents on-time, preferably within two (2) months of announcement of yearly results to facilitate the payment of scholarship by DST-INSPIRE. However, keeping in view the diverse time schedules of the examinations in Universities across the country, scholars are permitted fora maximum period of twelve (12) months to submit their Performance Report and Mark Sheets for a given completed academic year ending June every year . For example, a 2014 batch enrolled student is expected to submit the First Year Performance Report and First Year Mark Sheet before 30th June 2016. This analogy can be followed by other batches for the release of the INSPIRE Scholarship. After the expiry of maximum time period of 12 months, no document shall be considered. No representations in this regard shall be entertained. [Back To Top]

Initially, scholarship shall be released only after the approval of 1 st Year B.Sc., B.S., Int. M.Sc./M.S. Performance Reports and Mark Sheets provided scholar’s academic performance is satisfactory. Further, Two years of scholarship (i.e. ₹ 1,20,000/-) shall be released during second year of scholar’s B.Sc./Int. M.Sc. course.In the following years, the scholarship shall be released after the approval of yearly Performance Reports and Mark sheets. [Back To Top]

The offer of INSPIRE Scholarship will be summarily withdrawn if the course is discontinued. Even if scholarre-joins the course in the following academic year, the offer of INSPIRE Scholarship shall stand withdrawn. No representations in this regard shall be entertained. [Back To Top]

Scholar has to upload the following documents to continue the scholarship: (a) Performance Report for second year B.Sc./B.S./Int. M.Sc./Int.M.S. course signed and attested by the Head of Institution, and (b) )Self-signed original copy of Mark Sheet of your B.Sc./B.S./Int. M.Sc./Int.M.S.Annual/Semester (in case of semester system, upload both semester mark sheets in single file) examination. [Back To Top]

It may be noted that it usually takes 3-4 months to release the scholarship after the approval of relevant documents or sanction installment notification on INSPIRE Web Portal. If you have NOT received the scholarship even after five months of approval of relevant documents, please write to inspire[dot]prog-dst[at]nic[dot]in. . Generally, DST will withhold the scholarship due to any of the following reasons: (a) Scholar has not submitted his/her Performance Reports/Mark Sheets. (b) Performance below 60% marks orGPA (c)Scholar has not informed about M.Sc. enrolment (as applicable). Scholarship will be released as soon as the above-mentioned concerns are addressed. [Back To Top]

For continuation of Scholarship at any stage at B.Sc. or M.Sc. level, scholar needs to secure a minimum of 60% or above marks OR GPA ≥ 7.0 (on a 10-point scale) in the University or College level examinationin first attempt only. If any scholar fails in any subject during annual/semester examination or secures a GPA score of less than 7.0 (on a 10-point scale) or less than 60% marks in the B.Sc./B.S./Int. M.Sc./Int.M.S. examination, scholarship for that academic year shall be forfeited . The scholarship will be resumed in the next year only if academic performance of scholar is as mentioned abovein para1. [Back To Top]

In such a case, one year of scholarship shall be forfeited. Scholarship shall be resumed in the next year, provided academic performance of scholar is good and within range as given in question no. 20. [Back To Top]

After three years of B.Sc. program, students may join M.Sc. course (Natural and Basic Sciences only) anywhere in the country and provide us with proof of enrollment in the M.Sc. course. The blank format of the same can be found in this link: http://www.inspire-dst.gov.in/MSc_enroll_certf.pdf . Please note that M.Tech. courses are NOT supported. The following subjects under Basic and Natural Sciences are within the scope of INSPIRE Scholarship for pursuing M.Sc. course: (1) Physics, (2) Chemistry, (3) Mathematics, (4) Biology, (5) Statistics, (6) Geology, (7) Astrophysics, (8) Astronomy, (9) Electronics, (10) Botany, (11) Zoology, (12) Bio-chemistry, (13) Anthropology, (14) Microbiology, (15) Geophysics, (16) Geochemistry, (17) Atmospheric Sciences & (18) Oceanic Sciences, (19) Ecology, (20) Marine Biology, (21) Genetics, (22) Bio-physics. [Back To Top]

In such a case, the scholarship will NOT be continued. [Back To Top]

In order to inculcate scientific values and develop scientific temper, scholars are required to enrol in a Summer Research Project every year during the summer holidays, in recognized research centres of their choice across India, outside their parent institutions . Under INSPIRE-SHE,₹ 20,000/- per annum is provided as Mentorship grant to the INSPIRE scholar, to undertake Summer Research Programmes. Mentorship grant shall be transferred to bank account of scholar.After completion of the project, scholar should submit the following documents to the DST: (a) A letter attested by the Research Guide where the scholar is enrolled for the project, and (b) A report outlining the objectives and results of the project. The minimum tenure of the project must be six to eight weeks. The duration of the project must be clearly mentioned in the project report Note: Group projects are not acceptable. [Back To Top]

One cannot avail scholarship concurrently from more than one source. Therefore, it is advised that the candidate chooses the scholarship he/she wishes to avail and inform to DST at the earliest. If the scholar wishes to avail the INSPIRE/SHE Scholarship, documentary evidence (such as Scholarship Surrender Certificate) must be produced so as to ascertain that he/she is not availing scholarship(s) from any other sources. Please note that if the scholar is found to be availing scholarship from other sources, the Provisional offer of INSPIRE Scholarship will be summarily withdrawn and the scholar is liable to return the entire scholarship amount availed so far from DST-INSPIRE. [Back To Top]

Students with age group 17-22 years can apply for scholarship under SHE. [Back To Top]

In case of receiving more than 10000 eligible applications in a given year, the selection would be on the basis of the Board Inclusive Model within the available number of Scholarships in that year. As per the recommendations of the INSPIRE Scholarship Standing Committee, the calculation will be done on pro-rata basis of valid applications. The calculation will be done in terms percentage % marks for each respective Board w.r.t. total number of valid applications across all respective Boards against the total number of scholarships available under INSPIRESHE in the same year. Board-wise Quota = No. of Valid Applications of any Board / Total No. of Valid Applications x 10000 [Back To Top]

It is the fourth Component of INSPIRE Program launched by the Government of India to strengthen the national science and technology base. It is being implemented by the Department of Science and Technology (DST). This Component is focused on attraction of student to pursue doctoral degree in basic and applied sciences including engineering, medicine, agriculture, veterinary, pharmacy etc. after either masters’ degree in science or bachelor/ masters’ degree in engineering/ applied sciences. [Back To Top]

INSPIRE Fellowship, is offered to i) INSPIRE Scholar having secured minimum 70% marks (or CGPA equivalent) in aggregate at M.Sc. or Integrated M.S. / M.Sc. ii) 1st Rank Holder at University level examination in Post-Graduate (PG) level examinations in Basic/ Applied Sciences including Engineering, Medicine, Pharmacy, Agricultural sciences and Veterinary Sciences from any recognized University and academic Institutions (Excluding Autonomous Colleges) in India. 1st Rank Holders at the Graduate/Post-graduate Level Examination in Medicine only conducted by a University/ Institution in India are also eligible to apply. 1st Rank should be of obtained in minimum batch size of 10 students in that university level examination with minimum aggregate of 70% marks (or CGPA equivalent) for the entire course/ program. Students who i) are 1st Rank Holder in College including Autonomous College Examination, ii) have obtained degree (s) through Distance Education Mode and iii) are 1st Rank Holder in any specialization given at M.Sc. 2nd/ last Year, are not eligible for the offer of INSPIRE Fellowship.The Fellowship will be offered based on screening/availability of fellowships in the current year, as 1000 fellowships are available annually. [Back To Top]

Every year during around September/October call is announced to seek fresh applications from eligible students in that year through portal: http://www.online-inspire.gov.in. The online application link is : http://www.online-inspire.gov.in [Back To Top]

One can apply for the Fellowship scheme through online mode only when the call is announced. However, To apply online, please visit the link http://www.online-inspire.gov.in and follow the guidelines as given therein. [Back To Top]

Yes, it is mandatory to produce the Rank certificate in INSPIRE Fellowship Format only (Format provided at http://www.online-inspire.gov.in ). Provisional Rank certificate or mark sheet will not be acceptable for consideration of INSPIRE Fellowship application.

Selection from among the eligible applicants is done in two stages i.e. Level I and Level II. 1. Applicants who are already admitted to in Ph.D. Program in S&T prior to submitting application and selected at both Level I & Level II, will be awarded the Final Offer for the INSPIRE Fellowship. 2. Applicants who have not admitted to in Ph.D. Program in S&T prior to submitting application and get selected at Level I, will be awarded a Provisional Offer for INSPIRE Fellowship. The Provisional Offer is made on the basis of scrutiny of application along with required documents (Level I) submitted by the applicant. However, the Final Offer is made on the basis of evaluation of the application at Level II considering i) Academic merit ii) Host Institution including Research Supervisor CV and iii) the detailed Research Proposal by Subject Expert Committee. In this Level II Evaluation Process, applicants need to secure a minimum qualifying score/cutoff as recommended by the Subject Expert Committee and approved by the Competent Authority. The cut-off marks may vary based on the competitive framework of the selection process. Also, it is important to note that Provisional Offer does not guarantee the award of INSPIRE Fellowship. [Back To Top]

Provisional Offer : Students who are eligible for INSPIRE Fellowship but not admitted for PhD program, would get provisional selection and they will be given one year validity to gain admission into PhD program. Final Offer : Students who are eligible for INSPIRE Fellowship as well as got admitted for PhD program would be given final offer of INSPIRE Fellowship. [Back To Top]

The Fellowship shall be tenable for a maximum period of five years from INSPIRE Fellowship “Effective Date” or completion of the PhD program (i.e. up to the date of final defend of the PhD Thesis), whichever is earlier. The fellowship shall be governed by administrative norms and guidelines of Host University/Institute during the total tenure. . [Back To Top]

The entry in INSPIRE Fellowship would be only as JRF. There is no any direct entry into SRF. The Junior Research Fellow (JRF) or Senior Research Fellow (SRF) under this scheme shall be termed as 'INSPIRE Fellow'.. [Back To Top]

The Fellowship shall be governed through the Office Memorandum of this Ministry of Number A.20020/11/97-IFD dated 6th August 2007; 31st March 2010; 21st October 2014 [No. SR/S9/Z-09/2012] and SR/S9/Z-08/2018 dated 30th January 2019 shall be liable to be revised from time to time as per Government Order. However, the HRA to the Fellows shall also be applicable as per GoI norms depending upon the location of the Host Institution. [Back To Top]

Expenditure of contingency grant would be governed as per host institution norms. The limit of contingency amount is Rs 20,000 annually. The unspent balance of contingency grant at the end of a year may be adjusted to the next year to maintain yearly/instalment wise of contingency fund. [Back To Top]

Fellowship amount to selected students are transferred by electronic mode through PFMS to the host-institution Bank Account where students are pursuing PhD program. The Sanction Letter of individual Fellow is available to Fellow as well as to Host University through webportal. [Back To Top]

The Public Financial Management System (PFMS: pfms.nic.in) is a Central Sector Plan Scheme of the Planning Commission which is being implemented by the Office of Controller General of Accounts in partnership with National Informatics Centre. The scheme has established a common transaction-based on-line fund management and payment system and MIS for the Plan Schemes of Government of India. [Back To Top]

Yes, it is mandatory. Else Fellowship fund transfer cannot be done. [Back To Top]

• Fresh applicants who have already taken admission into PhD course prior to submission of application, or switching over from any other fellowship to INSPIRE Fellowship will be the Effective Date. The Effective Date would not be given earlier than the date of application received at the DST.
• Applicant who will be placed during selection process under “Provisional Selection” category from 9th advertisement onwards and subsequently issued “Final Offer” by gaining admission into Ph.D. the “Effective Date” would be the date of uploading documents related to confirmed Ph.D. Admission or date of Ph. D. Admission, whichever is later. However, in case the candidate already enjoying some other fellowship and resigns to join in to INSPIRE Fellowship, the “Effective Date” would only be after the date of resignation from previous funding agency. In no case the candidate would be allowed to resign from other fellowship before date of Final Offer of INSPIRE Fellowship. For Final selection under INSPIRE Fellowship, the admission into Ph.D. program is necessary.

An INSPIRE Fellow once accepted the offer of Fellowship at a particular University/ Institute/ Laboratory in the country shall not be allowed for transferring the Fellowship to any other University/ Institute / Laboratory in the country during 5 years of Fellowship tenure. However, in unavoidable situation for continuation of PhD works, the Fellow must seek prior permission from DST-INSPIRE Program Division for transferring/ shifting of Host Institute through written applications with following documents: 1. No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from both Host Institutes and Research Supervisors, 2. Detailed Justifications for changing / shifting of Host Institute for implementation of Fellowship, 3. Area of PhD works with an up to date technical Progress Report, 4. CV of the Research Supervisor at the new Host Institute, 5. Up to date Financial Statement from the old Host Institute.

However, shifting/ change of Host Institute without prior approval from DST-INSPIRE may be called for withdrawn of the INSPIRE Fellowship. Moreover, such shifting/ change of Host Institute may be allowed only one time in 5 years period of Fellowship tenure and within one year of effective of Fellowship at that Host Institute. If INSPIRE fellow leaves without permission, stipend due at any time shall not be paid to him/her by the Institution, till all University and other dues are cleared and certified by the University/Institution. Responsibility in such cases shall be that of the University/Institution concerned. [Back To Top]

When you receive the Final offer under INSPIRE Fellowship please resign from the previous fellowship for switching over into INSPIRE Fellowship and put these details into Acceptance letter (Format provided at http://www.online-inspire.gov.in ). Please do not resign unless you receive the Final Offer of INSPIRE Fellowship. [Back To Top]

INSPIRE Fellow shall be allowed for availing short-term Research Internship activities at any national or international Laboratory/ University/ Institute up to a maximum period of 18 months either in one or multiple slots during 5 years of Fellowship tenure. However, the Fellow requires informing DST-INSPIRE along with recommendation of PhD Research Supervisor as well as confirmation from Research Internship provider for obtaining prior permission. In the event that the Fellow receives financial support of the overseas institution, the INSPIRE Fellowship for the period of Overseas stay will not be remitted. [Back To Top]

No. [Back To Top]

INSPIRE Fellows need to submit Utilization Certificate, Statement of Expenditure, Claim Bill and Annual Report as per the formats available at http://www.inspire-dst.gov.in , at the end of every year through Host Institute for receiving the next instalment. [Back To Top]

The balance of Fellowship should not be more than the amount of one month’s fellowship.HRA or Contingency balance will be subtracted from next year’s Requirement if it is not utilized in last sanctioned year. Fill Expenditure details in online portal only for previous sanctioned instalment. Uploaded SE and UC should be clearly visible. In case multiple SE and UC have to be uploaded, please make one single file of all year’s SE together and another file of all year’s UC together, then upload at appropriate place. SE and UC without the Seal of Signing Authority will be unacceptable. [Back To Top]

It takes around 4 months to process from the date of uploading documents and no enquiry regarding next instalment will be entertained within this period. [Back To Top]

The up-gradation of Fellowship status i.e. Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) to Senior Research Fellowship (SRF) would normally be considered after completion of two (2) years of INSPIRE Fellowship at JRF level through performance assessment report on the progress made in the PhD program. However, this performance assessment can also be conducted at any time after completion of one year at JRF level with acceptance of at least one research publication (1st Authorship) in any international peer-reviewed journal by the INSPIRE Fellow out of the PhD work done at that Host Institute (within one year). [Back To Top]

For up-gradation of Fellowship, a three (3)- member Assessment Committee shall beconstituted by the Vice-Chancellor/Director/Head of the Host Institute to assess the progress ofthe concerned INSPIRE Fellow.The Assessment Committee shall include the Research Supervisor of the concerned INSPIREFellow and one Faculty from the Host Institution as a Members and a DST-nominated expertwho will act as the Chairperson. The host institute need not approach DST for the name of the DST-nominated expert who willbe the chairperson of the Assessment Committee. The Host institute may choose one Fellow ofany of the following four National Academies as the DST-nominated Expert and theChairperson of the Assessment Committee subject to i) his/her being in the concerned area ofresearch, ii) his/her being from an institution other than the Host Institution; iii) his/her beingnot related to the INSPIRE Fellow and/or his/her Research Supervisor; and iv) ResearchSupervisor of the INSPIRE Fellow not having been his/her research student: Indian National Science Academy (INSA), New Delhi Indian Academy of Sciences (IAS), Bengaluru National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI), Prayagraj, and Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE), Gurugran. [Back To Top]

You have to submit complete financial statements (SE & UC) with Completion report. Now, DST is not accepting any Cheque/Demand of unspent balance in physical form. All interests, unspent balance and other earnings against released Grant shall be remitted to Consolidated Fund of India (through Non-Tax Receipt Portal (NTRP), i.e. www.bharatkosh.gov.in), immediately after finalization of accounts, as it shall not be adjusted towards future release of Grant. A certificate or receipt (indicating IF No) to this effect shall have to be submitted along with Statement of Expenditure / Utilization Certificate on online INSPIRE portal (http://online-inspire.gov.in) for considering subsequent release of Grant/Closure of accounts. (Format of SE, UC, Annual Report and claim bill is available at http://www.online-inspire.gov.in ) [Back To Top]

You have to submit complete financial statements (SE & UC) with thesis soft copy (Only in CD). All interests, unspent balance and other earnings against released Grant shall be remitted to Consolidated Fund of India (through Non-Tax Receipt Portal (NTRP), i.e. www.bharatkosh.gov.in), immediately after finalization of account. The IF No. and Name of the Fellow should be mentioned on the receipt. [Back To Top]

If you join government job, there is no such provision of holding INSPIRE Fellowship and rejoining again after some period. Your Fellowship will be discontinued from the date of joining of job. Then you need to follow the procedure of discontinuation of the INSPIRE Fellowship. (Procedure given in 25th point) [Back To Top]

1. All kind of required blank formats for INSPIRE Fellowship are also available at http://www.inspire-dst.gov.in 2. Keep checking the website and registered email for any updates. 3. Acknowledge the financial support of DST in your all published research papers under INSPIRE Fellowship and also in PhD thesis. [Back To Top]

The bank detail submission page consists of a selected bank details list already approved by DST. If you select the required bank detail from the list, you do not have to wait for its approval and can move forward directly to upload your joining acceptance. [Back To Top]

If selected INSPIRE Fellow fails to upload JCA within one month from date of offer letter issued, their offer will be automatically withdrawn. [Back To Top]

This is an automated system. If student fails to upload his/ her PhD admission documents within validity, the portal will get closed and then he/ she will not be able to upload PhD admission documents for Final Offer. In that case his/ her provisional offer will stand withdrawn. [Back To Top]

Once you submit your Bank details you need to regularly check your portal whether your link for Joining cum Acceptance is opening. If it started opening that means your Bank details are approved and you need to fill and upload Joining cum Acceptance. [Back To Top]

Yes. [Back To Top]

Within 45 days of notifying the results for Stage-2 evaluations, in case any candidate whose application is rejected at that stage may be allowed for re-evaluation. The re-evaluation would be done only on the existing all documents including Research Proposal available on the Portal. No new documents would be possible/allowed to accept for the re-evaluation aspects like i). Academic Merit, ii). Host Institute and iii). Research Proposal. Such requests shall be made by the candidate within 45 days through email at (email id: tamanna[dot]arora[at]govin ). [Back To Top]

INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship Scheme (FACULTY)

INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship Scheme is a component under Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE), which is a flagship programme of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), under the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. It offers contractual research fellowships to young achievers and opportunity for independent research in the near term and emerges as a leader in future science & technology. The guideline of this component is available at http://www.online-inspire.gov.in . [Back To Top]

Indian citizens and people of Indian origin including NRI/PIO status with PhD (in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Pharmacy, Medicine, and Agriculture related subjects) from any recognized university in the world. Those who have submitted their PhD Theses and are awaiting award of the degree are also eligible. However, the Fellowship will be conveyed only after confirmation of the awarding the PhD degree. [Back To Top]

The INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship is tenable for a maximum period of 5 (five) years and no further extension will be given as per existing rules. [Back To Top]

Call for applications are advertised once in a year in the month of July/August in the online portal. The online application link can be found at http://www.inspire-dst.gov.in  for regular updates. The online application link can be found here: http://www.online-inspire.gov.in or at http://www.inspire-dst.gov.in  or at  http://www.inspire-dst.gov.in . [Back To Top]

A maximum of 100 INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship are to be awarded this year subject to rigorous and transparent criteria basis met by the potential aspirants. The number may vary. [Back To Top]

One can apply for the Faculty Fellowship scheme through online portal only. To apply online, please follow the link http://www.online-inspire.gov.in [Back To Top]

The upper age limit as on 1st Jan of the year of advertisement for General category applicants is 32 years. However, the upper age limit for SC/ST/Women candidates will be 37 years. For persons with bench mark disability the upper age limit, is 42 years. http://www.online-inspire.gov.in [Back To Top]

Each fellow shall receive fellowship of Rs 1,25,000/- per month with an annual increment of Rs. 2000/- and Rs 35 lakh (at the rate of Rs 7.0 lakh per year) of Research Grant for 5 years. [Back To Top]

Yes, it includes the carry-forwarded amount from previous year, if any. [Back To Top]

The Research Grant of Rs. 35 lakh for 5 years at the rate of Rs. 7.0 lakh per year can be utilized in any budget head flexibly. However, Expenditure under Travel and Contingencies would be limited to 10% each and Overhead 5%. Each fellow needs to provide proposal with detailed break up as above for utilization of Research Grant to INSPIRE–DST. Fellow/ Host Institution needs to adhere the approved break up for entire period of 5 years. [Back To Top]

Candidates who are employed at the time of application (in any form i.e. permanent, contractual etc.) with any organization within India are eligible to apply. However, they have to relinquish their jobs for accepting INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship. No lien/deputation/ leave will be allowed. [Back To Top]

When a fellow finds a permanent position during the Fellowship tenure of 5 years, the fellowship amount shall be discontinued from the day the Fellow joins the permanent position. But the fellow may continue with the INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship Scheme availing only the Research Grant for the remaining period to carry out research at the new position. [Back To Top]

Provision is available for supporting research staff out of Research Grant support during the fellowship tenure of 5 years. In the event of getting employment elsewhere other than the present Host Institute, the fellow could also be allowed to move the research staff along with him/her to new place within the country. [Back To Top]

The INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship is eligible for applying for any competitive grants from all funding agencies during the tenure of the INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship. [Back To Top]

Fellow shall be eligible to undertake short-term visit at any national or international Laboratory/ University/ Institute for further exposure and training to carry out research activities up to a maximum period of 18 months in multiple slots during 5 years of Fellowship tenure. However, this period will be treated as part of the fellowship period and it can be availed only after one year of positioning at the Host Institute. [Back To Top]

The INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship is generally required to be implemented at any recognized Institute/ University/ Laboratory in the country other than the Institute/ University/ Laboratory where the candidate has received his/her PhD degree or have undertaken PhD/post PhD research Activities. [Back To Top]

• Indian National Science Academy (INSA), New Delhi in coordination with DST implements this INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship Scheme up to the selection of candidates for awarding INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship.
• Selection process involves recommendations by Discipline-based Expert Committee followed by final selection by the Apex Level Committee.
• Discipline-wise committees of INSA evaluate and shortlist the candidates.
• The Apex Committee shall finally select short-listed candidates for offering INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship under this Scheme and decision of the Apex Committee for selecting candidates in this Scheme shall be the final.
• Candidates, who have not identified host institutions at the time of their application, should do so immediately after their final selection. All selected candidates should avail the INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship within 3 months of their final selection.
• Host institutions should be encouraged to provide a congenial atmosphere for the fellows to excel in their work, and should view them as potential assets for faculty development
• Under no circumstances the “INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship” is renewable after 5 years. Host-institutions are expected to consider “INSPIRE Faculty” for permanent positions in due course, subject to meeting institutions’ performance assessment criteria.
• Host Institute shall provide access to all common infrastructural facilities including equipments, Computational facility and library, acceptable laboratory and office space during the tenure of the Fellowship.
• Host Institute assumes to undertake the financial and other management responsibilities for implementation of the INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship for 5 years on behalf of the Fellow and shall be responsible for all accounting purposes with the DST-INSPIRE Program. Host Institute will be required to provide Financial Statements every year to consider releasing next installment to Fellow.
• Access to all common infrastructural facilities, acceptable laboratory and office space (independently or on shared basis), computing, library access, etc.
• Information on whether desirable new areas/directions of research are being introduced through this scheme,
• Information on whether the INSPIRE Faculty Fellow will be allowed to supervise PhD students, hire research fellows, independently or jointly with a permanent faculty member
• 4.Host-institution’s willingness to consider the candidate for a permanent position in due course, subject to meeting statutory requirements.

During the INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship tenure, a fellow will be governed by rules and regulations of Host Institute regarding all type of leaves or any other matters related to Faculty Fellowship. [Back To Top]

Yes, as per Income Tax act, it is taxable. [Back To Top]

• Undertaking signed by fellow and Host Institute
• Bank detail of Host Institute
• Breakup on usage of Research Grant
• Joining Report

Fellowship amount is consolidated (all inclusive). Break-up will not be feasible to provide. [Back To Top]

The Faculty Fellowship amount and Research Grant will be transferred to the Host Institute annually. Copy of the sanction letter will be uploaded in the online portal. The Fellow may download the same. [Back To Top]

Fellow shall be required to submit Annual Progress Report to INSPIRE-DST in the online portal. Midterm/Periodic performance evaluation shall be done on the progress of research by a national level Expert Committee and further continuation of support to each fellow shall depend upon the performance assessment by the Committee. [Back To Top]

Fellows need to submit Utilization Certificate, Statement of Expenditure and Annual Report as per the formats available at http://www.online-inspire.gov.in , at the end of every year through Host Institute for receiving the next installment. [Back To Top]

Transfer or Change of Host Institution is permissible under the Scheme either upon getting i) permanent employment in another Institutions or ii) for any other valid reason. [Back To Top]

• Appointment Letter of permanent employment or justifications for change of Host Institution.
• NOC from present Host Institute and Acceptance Letter from new Host Institute,
• Fresh Signed copy of the Undertaking (not required in case of permanent employment in the same Host Institution),
• Up-to-date financial documents from the present Host Institute (also in case of permanent employment in the same Host Institute).

Register at the place for legacy user RegisterLegacyUser , only. Please do not register as new user. [Back To Top]

If you have submitted before December 2014, no need to submit it again in online portal. If you have submitted hard copy after December 2014 you need to upload in online portal only. [Back To Top]

You perhaps registered yourself as new user. Please register as legacy user. [Back To Top]

You please make sure that you are filling correct details: Program Name:        Existing Fellowship Student Registration Number: Date of Birth (mm/dd/yyy): Subject Code: Subject code and DOB should be the same as given you in your first application. [Back To Top]

Please provide only important information and reduce the size of the file. [Back To Top]

In such case you have to provide two Utilization certificates. First one would be up to March and second (provisional) one would be up to complete utilization of fellowship. [Back To Top]

Yes you have to. [Back To Top]

Yes. We are not accepting any hard copy from the month of January for any further release process. You need to upload in online portal only till any further notification comes in this regard. [Back To Top]