High Risk - High Reward Research Scheme

What is the High Risk - High Reward Research scheme?

The High Risk - High Reward Research scheme is a research-funding programme of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF). The successor to the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), under the Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology. Most competitive grants reward proposals that are safe and likely to succeed. This scheme does the opposite: it sets aside funding for ideas that are conceptually new, unconventional and risky, on the understanding that if they work, the impact on science and technology could be extraordinary.

According to the scheme description on the National scheme portal and the ANRF/SERB research-grants listing, the programme supports proposals that could lead to a new hypothesis, a breakthrough technology or a completely fresh approach that reshapes a field. The willingness to fail is built in: reviewers are asked to look for boldness and originality rather than a guaranteed result.

Key features

• Backs high-risk, high-reward ideas with the potential for a paradigm-shifting influence on science and technology.
• No fixed budget ceiling; funding is set by need and by expert review.
• Covers equipment, consumables, contingency, travel and overheads, with separate budgets possible for co-investigators at different institutions.
• Support for up to three years, extendable to five in exceptional cases.

Who is eligible for the High Risk - High Reward Research scheme?

You can apply if:

• You are an Indian citizen residing in India.
• You hold a regular academic or research position in a recognised university, college, national laboratory or R&D institution.
• You have a bold, original research idea that carries real risk but could be transformative if it succeeds.

Teams are allowed. Where a team applies, one person must be designated the Principal Investigator (PI), and co-investigators at other institutions can each be given a share of the budget.

You cannot apply if:

• You do not hold a regular position — research scholars, students, and ad-hoc, guest or contract faculty are not eligible as PI.
• You are an individual looking for a personal or family cash benefit; this is a competitive research grant, not a welfare payment.
• You already hold a live High Risk - High Reward project, only one is allowed per investigator at a time, and reapplication requires a short waiting period after a proposal is closed.

This is not an individual welfare benefit

The High Risk - High Reward Research scheme has no citizen application in the sense of a personal entitlement. It funds a research project administered by an institution, not a person's household. A member of the public cannot receive money under it; the route is a scientist, working through a recognised institution, submitting a research proposal that is then peer-reviewed. If you are looking for personal financial assistance, this scheme is not the right one.

What documents are required?

How to apply for the High Risk - High Reward Research scheme

1. Register on the ANRF research portal at anrfonline.in (earlier serbonline.in) and complete your researcher profile and biodata.
2. Log in and open the proposal submission section.
3. Select the High Risk - High Reward Research (HRR) scheme from the list of programmes.
4. Enter the project details: title, summary, keywords, objectives, a clear statement of why the idea is novel and risky, and a year-wise budget breakdown, adding co-investigator budgets where relevant.
5. Attach the PI certificate, biodata and the endorsement from your head of institution, and submit before the call deadline.
6. If the proposal is shortlisted and approved, submit equipment quotations and any additional documents the sanction letter asks for, usually within a month.

Submitted proposals go through peer review by ANRF's expert committees, which weigh the originality and potential impact of the idea against its risk.

How long does support last?

Funding normally runs for three years. In exceptional cases, where the problem genuinely needs more time and progress justifies it, the expert committee can extend support up to five years. Grants are released against progress reviews, and ANRF/SERB support must be acknowledged in resulting publications.

Where to confirm current details

Because SERB schemes have been migrating to ANRF, the live call, exact submission windows and any revised guidelines should be confirmed on the official portal at anrfonline.in and on serb.gov.in under Research Grants before you apply. No dedicated toll-free helpline is published for this scheme; queries go through the ANRF/SERB online helpdesk and your institution's research and development office.

Because this is a niche research-funding scheme with limited published detail, readers may be better served by a broader guide to ANRF/SERB research grants that places High Risk - High Reward alongside sister schemes such as SUPRA and the Core Research Grant.