Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) - Fellowship

What is the INSPIRE Fellowship?

The INSPIRE Fellowship is a doctoral research fellowship under the Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) programme of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. According to DST, the INSPIRE programme is a flagship effort to attract talented young people to the study of science and to build the country's science and technology human-resource base. The Fellowship component, also referred to as INSPIRE-AORC (Assured Opportunity for Research Careers), supports full-time PhD research in the sciences.

The Fellowship sits within a broader INSPIRE structure that includes school-level awards (SEATS/MANAK), scholarships for higher education (INSPIRE-SHE for undergraduate and postgraduate science students), and the Faculty Fellowship for post-doctoral researchers. This guide covers the doctoral Fellowship, which funds a scholar through their PhD.

According to DST, up to 1,000 INSPIRE Fellowships are offered every year to eligible candidates.

How much does the INSPIRE Fellowship pay?

According to the INSPIRE Fellowship guidelines, the stipend follows the revised DST rates effective 1 January 2023:

• Junior Research Fellow (JRF): Rs 37,000 per month.
• Senior Research Fellow (SRF): Rs 42,000 per month after upgradation.
• Contingency grant: Rs 20,000 per year for research-related expenses.
• House Rent Allowance (HRA) as per Government of India norms, depending on the location of the host institute.

A fellow usually begins at JRF level and is upgraded to SRF after a performance assessment. Upgradation is normally considered after two years of the fellowship, but can be done after one year at JRF level if the candidate has at least one first-author research publication accepted in an international peer-reviewed journal.

Who is eligible for the INSPIRE Fellowship?

You may be eligible if:

• You are pursuing, or about to begin, a full-time PhD in an eligible subject in basic and applied sciences, including engineering, medicine, agriculture, veterinary science and pharmacy.
• You meet one of the qualifying academic routes:
• a first-rank holder at university level in the relevant science subject (not at autonomous-college level);
• an INSPIRE-SHE scholar who secured 65% or above aggregate in a 2-year MSc or 5-year integrated MSc/MS; or
• a candidate qualified through GATE or NET (with a first rank in PG in the relevant provisions).
• Your PhD is at a recognised institution with a supervisor willing to endorse the fellowship.

You cannot apply / are not eligible if:

• You are not enrolled in (or admitted to) a full-time PhD in an eligible science discipline.
• You are already holding another fellowship or a regular salaried position — INSPIRE Fellowship cannot be combined with another JRF/SRF or a full-time job.
• You do not meet any of the qualifying academic routes (rank, INSPIRE-SHE percentage, or GATE/NET).

Because the routes are rank- and merit-based, meeting the specific academic threshold is the central eligibility test.

What documents are required?

How to apply for the INSPIRE Fellowship

The INSPIRE Fellowship is applied for online through the DST INSPIRE portal. The steps are:

1. Register on the INSPIRE portal at online-inspire.gov.in and create your applicant account.
2. Fill in your academic profile: degrees, marks, university rank, and your eligibility route (INSPIRE-SHE, university topper, or GATE/NET).
3. Enter your PhD enrolment details; institution, department, supervisor and the research area.
4. Upload the supporting documents, admission/registration proof, marksheets, eligibility proof and the institutional endorsement.
5. Submit the application and note the reference/application number for tracking.

DST screens applications and issues final offers of the INSPIRE Fellowship to selected candidates, who then activate the fellowship through their host institution. Always follow the exact instructions and any current call notice on online-inspire.gov.in, as application windows and document requirements are specified there.

Where to get help

The Fellowship is administered by the Department of Science and Technology under the INSPIRE programme, and the authoritative source of the current stipend, eligibility and application process is the official portal at online-inspire.gov.in, along with the INSPIRE section of dst.gov.in. For queries about your application, activation or upgradation, use the contact/help details on the INSPIRE portal and coordinate through your host institution, which is the interface for disbursal and progress assessment.