SITARE-Gandhian Young Technological Innovation (GYTI) Award Grant

What is the SITARE-GYTI Award Grant?

The SITARE-GYTI Award Grant sits at the intersection of two programmes. SITARE stands for "Students Innovations for Translation and Advancement of Research Explorations", a scheme of the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), the public sector enterprise set up by the Department of Biotechnology under the Ministry of Science and Technology. GYTI stands for the "Gandhian Young Technological Innovation" awards, run by SRISTI. The Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institutions, in Ahmedabad.

Together, the SITARE-GYTI component channels BIRAC funding to the most promising student innovations recognised through the GYTI process. According to the BIRAC scheme description, up to 15 innovative student projects receive funding support of up to Rs 15 lakh each. The grant is designed to help a student innovator translate a research idea; especially in biotechnology, life sciences, medical devices and healthcare — from a project on paper towards a working prototype or product.

Key features

• Funding grant of up to Rs 15 lakh per selected project.
• Up to 15 student projects supported each year.
• Funded by BIRAC; administered with SRISTI.
• Aimed at Master's and PhD student innovators across disciplines.

Who is eligible for the SITARE-GYTI Award Grant?

You can apply if:

• You are an Indian student pursuing a PhD or a Master's degree in any discipline.
• You have a valid institutional ID confirming your current enrolment.
• You can obtain a No Objection Certificate from your institution or guide.
• You have a technologically novel, frugal or socially relevant innovation, typically with a biotechnology or life-science angle for the SITARE grant.

You cannot apply if:

• You are not an enrolled student, working professionals and others outside a Master's or PhD programme generally cannot apply for the grant.
• You are seeking pure business funding unrelated to a student research innovation. The grant supports translation of a student's research, not a standalone commercial venture.

Undergraduate and other student projects can still be entered for recognition under the broader GYTI awards run by SRISTI, but the SITARE funding grant is oriented towards Master's and doctoral innovators.

What does the grant cover?

The SITARE-GYTI grant of up to Rs 15 lakh is meant to advance and translate the student's innovation, building or refining a prototype, validating the technology, and moving it closer to real-world application. GYTI's stated focus areas span frugal and grassroots solutions, energy efficiency, sanitation, water purification, biotechnology, medical devices and assistive technologies for persons with disabilities. The emphasis is on ideas that are either "extremely affordable" or that push the technological edge.

GYTI awards versus the SITARE grant

It helps to separate the two:

• GYTI awards are recognition awards for outstanding student technology projects. Winners have historically been felicitated at the Festival of Innovation events associated with Rashtrapati Bhavan.
• SITARE-GYTI adds a BIRAC funding grant on top of recognition, so that the most promising biotechnology and life-science student innovations receive money to translate the idea.

A student can be recognised through GYTI and, if selected, receive SITARE funding.

How to apply for SITARE-GYTI

1. Watch for the annual call, announced on the BIRAC website and SRISTI's techpedia platform, usually around August or September.
2. Prepare your project abstract or proposal, describing the innovation, its novelty and its translation potential.
3. Gather your institutional ID and a No Objection Certificate from your institution or guide.
4. Submit online during the active call window, which typically stays open for about 45 to 60 days.
5. Await evaluation; shortlisted innovators are assessed before grants of up to Rs 15 lakh are sanctioned to selected projects.

What happens after you apply

Applications are screened and evaluated before any grant is sanctioned, so a submission is the start of a competitive process rather than an automatic award. Because the SITARE component is funded by BIRAC, selected biotechnology and life-science innovations are assessed for scientific novelty and translation potential; how realistically the idea can move from a student project towards a prototype or product. GYTI winners have historically been recognised at the Festival of Innovation events associated with Rashtrapati Bhavan, which is why the awards carry both prestige and, through SITARE, funding. Keep your institutional ID valid through the assessment period, since the grant is tied to your status as an enrolled student.

Help and where to verify

• Scheme description and current calls are on the BIRAC website under the ideation and early-stage programmes.
• SRISTI contact: 079-27913293 or 079-27912792, email info[at]sristi[dot]org, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

The award numbers and grant ceiling above reflect the BIRAC scheme description, fact-checked on 1 August 2026. The exact number of grants and call dates vary each year, so confirm on the BIRAC website before applying.