INSPIRE Fellowship (DST)
DST (Department of Science & Technology)
Application deadline
Check the official page
Overview
The INSPIRE Fellowship is given by the Department of Science & Technology (DST). It supports bright students who want to do a full-time Ph.D. in basic or applied sciences, including engineering, pharmacy, agricultural sciences, medicine and veterinary sciences. DST's own page says this part of INSPIRE is for the 22-27 age group and offers about 1,000 fellowships every year.
Who can apply? Mainly two kinds of students. First, 1st rank holders of a recognised Indian university or academic institution (autonomous colleges are excluded) — at PG level with at least 70% marks, or at bachelor's level (B.Sc., B.Sc. Hons., B.E., B.Tech, B.V.Sc., MBBS and similar) with at least 75% marks. The course batch must have at least 7 students, and the rank must be in the complete degree, not just in a specialisation. Second, existing INSPIRE Scholars with at least 70% at M.Sc. or 75% at a four-year B.Sc. (Hons.)/B.Sc. with Research.
What do you get? You join as a Junior Research Fellow and can move up to Senior Research Fellow. The fellowship runs up to 5 years, or until your Ph.D. viva-voce, whichever comes first. You also get HRA as per government norms and a contingency grant limited to Rs 20,000 a year.
How to apply? Only online, through the INSPIRE web-portal, when DST announces the call. The FAQ says the call comes in the 3rd or 4th quarter of each financial year. Meeting the eligibility rules alone does not guarantee an award — selection is competitive.
At a glance
| Who can apply | PhD |
|---|---|
| Streams | Basic Sciences, Applied Sciences, Engineering, Pharmacy, Agricultural Sciences, Medicine, Veterinary Sciences |
| Category | All |
| Age | 22–27 years |
| Income limit | — |
| Gender | — |
| States | All India |
| Benefit / amount | Monthly fellowship as a Junior Research Fellow (JRF), later Senior Research Fellow (SRF), paid at Government of India rates. The official guidelines do not print a rupee figure — they say the rate follows DST Office Memorandums and may be revised. You also get HRA as per Government of India norms, and a contingency grant with a limit of Rs 20,000 per year. |
| Duration | Up to 5 years from the fellowship activation date, or until the Ph.D. viva-voce is completed, whichever is earlier. |
| Renewable | Yes |
| Last date | See official page |
| Opened | — |
Documents you'll need
- All semester-wise or year-wise UG and PG marksheets, combined into a single PDF (a consolidated or final-semester marksheet alone is not accepted)
- First Rank Certificate strictly in the prescribed INSPIRE Fellowship format (a provisional rank certificate or marksheet is not accepted)
- Detailed research proposal
- Details and CV of the proposed Ph.D. research supervisor and host institution
- Ph.D. admission documents (uploaded later if you are not yet admitted when you apply)
How you're selected
Two-tier online selection. Level-I is a screening of eligible applications by an Internal Committee. Level-II is a final evaluation by a Subject Expert Committee, which looks at academic merit, the research proposal, the supervisor's research credentials and the host institution. You must cross a minimum cut-off score, and the cut-off can change every year. DST says the selection process is expected to be completed within 4-6 months from the last date of submission. Results are put only on your own account on the INSPIRE web-portal. Applicants already admitted to a Ph.D. and recommended at both levels get a Final Offer; those not yet admitted and recommended at Level-I get a Provisional Offer, with two one-month slots (about 5-6 months apart) inside one year to upload their Ph.D. admission papers.
FAQs
Who can apply for the INSPIRE Fellowship? Students who want to do a full-time Ph.D. in basic or applied sciences (including engineering, pharmacy, agriculture, medicine and veterinary science). You must be a 1st rank holder of a recognised university — at PG level with 70%+ marks, or at bachelor's level with 75%+ marks — in a batch of at least 7 students. INSPIRE Scholars with 70% at M.Sc. (or 75% in a 4-year B.Sc. Hons./B.Sc. with Research) can also apply. DST's programme page describes this component as being for the 22-27 age group.
How much money do I get? You are paid as a JRF, and later as an SRF, at Government of India rates. The official guidelines and FAQ do not print a rupee amount — they say the rate is governed by DST Office Memorandums and can be revised. On top of that you get HRA as per government norms and a contingency grant with a limit of Rs 20,000 per year. Please check the official notification for the current monthly rate.
What is the last date to apply? No current last date is stated on the official portal right now. The official FAQ says the call for applications is announced in the 3rd or 4th quarter of each financial year. Please check the official notification and the INSPIRE Notice Board for the exact dates.
How do I apply? Only online. The official FAQ says: apply through https://www.online-inspire.gov.in against the call, and follow the guidelines given there. Keep your semester-wise marksheets (in one PDF), your First Rank Certificate in the exact INSPIRE format, your research proposal and your supervisor and host institute details ready.
How long does the fellowship last, and can it continue? It is tenable for a maximum of 5 years from the activation date, or until you finish your Ph.D. viva-voce, whichever is earlier. It continues year to year: your host institute or you must upload the Statement of Expenditure and Utilisation Certificate, and you must submit an Annual Progress Report signed by your Ph.D. supervisor. There are separate DST guidelines for upgrading from JRF to SRF.
What if my application is not recommended? You can ask for re-submission by filling the consent form on the INSPIRE web-portal within 30 days from the date of the non-recommendation letter. You then upload an updated research proposal once, during the next application slot, and that portal stays open for 30 days.
Can I hold another fellowship at the same time? No. The guidelines say availing more than one fellowship at the same time from different sources is not allowed.