The INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship gives scientists who already hold a PhD five years of funded independent research in India. INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship is a component under Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE), which is a flagship programme of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), under the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. Selected fellows get Rs. 1,25,000 a month as a consolidated fellowship and Rs. 7,00,000 a year as a research grant.
Indian citizens and people of Indian origin, including NRI and PIO status holders, can apply with a PhD in science, mathematics, engineering, pharmacy, medicine or agriculture. Applicants must apply online only, through the INSPIRE web-portal at online-inspire.gov.in. The latest call I could confirm ran from 15 August 2025 to 14 September 2025 (till 23:59 hrs IST). I found no 2026 call on the official pages I read, so check the portal before you plan.
What you get
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fellowship | Rs. 1,25,000 a month | Consolidated and all-inclusive, taxable as per the Indian IT Act. |
| Annual increment | Rs. 2,000 a year | Added to the fellowship each year |
| Research grant | Rs. 7,00,000 a year | For five years, for 2025 call selections |
A March 2025 Parliament reply gave the annual increment as Rs.200 per annum. The call itself says Rs. 2,000, so confirm the figure on the portal.
The research grant can be spent across recurring and non-recurring heads. Travel and contingency are each capped at 10% (Rs. 70,000 a year), and overhead at 5% (Rs. 35,000 a year). Grant released in a financial year should be used within that year, and there is no provision to carry unspent amounts forward.
Who can apply
- Citizenship: Indian citizens and people of Indian origin with NRI or PIO status.
- Degree: a Ph.D. degree in science, mathematics, engineering, pharmacy, medicine and agriculture related subjects from any recognized university in the world. If you have submitted your thesis and await the degree, you may apply, but selection for the Fellowship will be confirmed only after the Ph.D. degree is awarded.
- Marks: at least 60% (or equivalent CGPA) throughout their academic profile starting from the Senior Secondary Examination (Class 12 onwards).
- Age: the 2025 call set the upper limit as on 1 January 2025: 32 years for general category, 37 years for SC, ST and women, and 42 years for persons with benchmark disability of at least 40%.
- Research record: publication(s) in highly reputed journals demonstrating outstanding research potential. The call also lists top 1% Class 12 results, IIT-JEE or NEET ranks, and first ranks in UG or PG exams as desirable, not compulsory.
- Translational research: applicants need at least two patents filed or one patent granted, and the host institution must have a government-supported Technology Business Incubator. The proposal must explain the novelty and commercial potential of the idea (21-63).
- Cannot apply: those who already hold a permanent academic or research position. Contractual employees may apply, but must resign on selection. Fellows cannot take another fellowship at the same time (33-32:33-33).
How to apply
- Register as a new user at the INSPIRE web portal. Use your personal email ID, since use of Institutional E. Mail IDs is not permitted.
- Log in, fill in the online application, and read the portal guidelines first.
- Upload each document as a separate file. Incomplete or improper submissions will lead to rejection of the application without any further correspondence.
- Submit before the deadline. Do not submit more than one application.
- Take a printout and note the application reference number and IVR number. Do not send any hard copy of the application or any other documents by Post.
- Track your status by logging into your registered account.
For queries, send email to inspire.prog-dst@nic.in, or call 0124-6690020 or 0124-6690021.
Documents you need
- Passport-size photograph in JPEG, up to 50 KB (mandatory)
- Class X mark sheet or certificate, as proof of date of birth (mandatory)
- Mark sheets for Class 12, UG and PG programmes (mandatory)
- PhD degree certificate, or proof of thesis submission if the degree is not yet awarded. The thesis submission date must fall on or before the deadline.
- Community or caste certificate, only for SC or ST applicants
- Proof of disability, for benchmark disability
- Appointment letter, if you are employed
Other files are PDF, with a maximum size of 1 MB each.
How students are selected
Applications go through three stages. Subject-wise expert committees review them first. An Apex Level Committee and the INSPIRE Faculty Award Council then recommend candidates, and DST makes the final decision. INSA helps with the process up to recommendation.
If you are selected, you must avail the INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship within 3 months of issue of offer letter. For the first instalment, you upload the host institute’s bank account details, a joining report, two signed undertakings and a budget breakup for the research grant (21-98:21-100).
Renewal
The fellowship cannot be renewed. The INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship is tenable for a maximum period of 5 (five) years and no further extension will be given as per existing rules. Continued support depends on a mid-term review by a national expert committee. If you take a regular post during the tenure, the fellowship amount shall be discontinued from the day, he/she joins the permanent position, and you may continue with the research grant alone.
Important dates
- Latest call I could confirm: 15 August 2025 to 14 September 2025, till 23:59 hrs IST.
- The FAQ says calls are advertised once in a year in the month of June/July on the online portal. Another version of the FAQ says July/August, so expect the timing to vary.
- For existing fellows, DST has issued instructions for release/limit assignment of fellowship grant for FY 2026-27.
Read the 2025 call for applications and the official FAQ before you apply.
Official sources
- online-inspire.gov.in/Content/GuideLine/FAQsFacultyfellowship24.pdf
- insaindia.res.in/scroll_news_pdf/INSPIRE-Faculty-Fellowship2025.pdf
- Press Release Page
- NOTICE Subject: Instructions for release/limit assignment of
Checked against these official sources on 5 November 2026.
