INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship

What is the INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship?

The INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship is a scheme of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science and Technology, under the broader Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) programme. It is aimed at early-career researchers, PhD holders in the basic and applied sciences, giving them an assured, well-funded opportunity to run an independent research project at an Indian institution before moving into a regular academic or scientific post.

According to DST scheme information, the fellowship provides a consolidated fellowship of Rs 1,25,000 per month plus a research grant of Rs 7,00,000 per year, for a tenure of five years. The fellowship covers the fellow's salary; the research grant funds equipment, consumables and the work itself at the host institution. Roughly 100 fellowships are offered each year, selected competitively.

The scheme sits alongside the other INSPIRE components; scholarships for higher education and research fellowships, as the tier that supports independent early-career faculty-level research.

Who is eligible for the INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship?

You can apply if:

• You hold a PhD in the basic or applied sciences.
• You are an early-career researcher, broadly in the 27–32 year age band (with relaxations as per DST norms).
• You can secure a recognised Indian research institution or university willing to host the fellowship and administer the grant.

You cannot get a personal benefit if:

• You expect a personal cash payout without a host institute. The fellowship and research grant are administered through the host institution — there is no standalone individual benefit.
• You are outside the eligibility band, for instance, you do not yet hold a PhD, or fall outside the age and early-career criteria set by DST for the cycle.

Because selection is competitive and capped at around 100 awards a year, meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee a fellowship; the research proposal and academic record are decisive.

What documents are required?

How to apply for the INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship

1. Identify and secure a host research institution or university in India willing to host your fellowship.
2. When the call is open, register and apply online on the INSPIRE portal at online-inspire.gov.in.
3. Submit your PhD details, research proposal, academic record and host-institute consent in the application.
4. Your application is assessed competitively by DST-appointed expert committees on the strength of your record and proposal.
5. On selection, the fellowship and research grant are sanctioned to the host institution, which disburses them to you over the five-year tenure.

There is no application fee, and the award is decided purely on merit by DST.

How much does the fellowship provide?

The INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship provides Rs 1,25,000 per month as a consolidated fellowship and Rs 7,00,000 per year as a research grant, for five years. If a fellow secures a permanent position during the tenure, the monthly fellowship stops from the date of joining, but the fellow may continue to draw the research grant portion for the balance of the period. A provision meant to protect the ongoing research even after the fellow settles into a regular job.

Current status

The INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship continues to operate, but from 15 January 2025 the Department of Science and Technology consolidated the fund-flow of several of its schemes, including INSPIRE, under an umbrella "Vigyan Dhara" scheme. This is a change to how funds are routed rather than a closure of the fellowship. Prospective applicants should confirm the current cycle, exact rates and application window on the DST website and the INSPIRE portal, since these can change under the consolidated structure.

A note on scope

This is a competitive, institution-hosted research fellowship for a small pool of early-career scientists; not a public benefit an ordinary citizen applies for. The most important thing readers should take away is that there is no personal award without a host institution, and that the terms now sit under DST's consolidated Vigyan Dhara fund-flow. Verify the live details on dst.gov.in and online-inspire.gov.in before applying.