Delay in DST's INSPIRE scholarship leaves aspirants in limbo

A delay in the announcement of the Department of Science and Technology’s (DST)'s INSPIRE Scholarship and Fellowship for the 2025-26 academic year has left thousands of meritorious science students across India in a limbo.

The INSPIRE (Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research) programme, a flagship DST initiative aimed at supporting students from undergraduate to doctoral levels, is typically notified between September and October each year. However, months into the current academic cycle, no official notification has been released, leaving eligible students unsure of their next steps.

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The delay has created a dilemma, particularly because under existing rules, students cannot hold two fellowships simultaneously. As a result, many are unsure whether to apply for alternative scholarships or fellowships in the absence of clarity on INSPIRE, fearing they may have to forgo it later if selected.

About INSPIRE scholarship

At the undergraduate level, the INSPIRE Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE) targets students who rank in the top 1 per cent of their respective class 12 board examinations and choose to pursue courses in natural and basic sciences. Under the SHE component, 12,000 scholarships are announced annually. Each candidate receives an annual scholarship of Rs 5,000 per month (Rs 60,000 per year), along with a summer-time mentorship grant of Rs 20,000 every year.

At the doctoral level, the INSPIRE Fellowship is awarded to 1st rank holders in “any recognised University and academic Institutions (excluding autonomous colleges) in India in Post-Graduate (PG) level examination in Basic/Applied Sciences,” as well as to eligible INSPIRE scholars.

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The fellowship provides a monthly stipend of Rs 37,000 as Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Rs 42,000 as Senior Research Fellowship (SRF), making it a key source of support for PhD scholars.

More than an incentive

For many, this support is not just an incentive but a necessity. Students from modest backgrounds, in particular, rely on such funding to sustain their education and research.

“For us, an entire semester is almost over, but the notification is still not out. I asked my university and some teachers about why it hasn’t come, but they said they also don’t know. It has an adverse impact on us. Like TIFR (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research) was conducting an NIUS (National Initiative on Undergraduate Science) summer school for first-year bachelor’s students, and there they asked if we were getting the INSPIRE scholarship. If we had got it, we would have got some weightage because of that,” said Namitha Pradeep, an iMSc Physics student at the University of Hyderabad.

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Sakib, a BSc Maths student at Jamia Millia Islamia, also said he had been waiting for the notification to no avail.

“The issue is also that several people are not able to apply for any other scholarship because you cannot have two together. I wanted the INSPIRE scholarship, but since there is no information on that, I ended up applying for other minority scholarships through NSP (National Scholarship Portal),” he said.

Delay hits aspirants

The same issue is being faced by aspirants for the INSPIRE fellowship.

“I completed my master’s in 2024 from Osmania University, but when the INSPIRE fellowship notification came in December that year, I did not have my university rank, so I could not apply. I finally got to know that I’m ranked 1 in May 2025, but by that time, the application window had already closed. I thought that when they announce it for the 2025–26 cycle, I would apply,” said Harshavardhan, an aspirant.

“I took up a project with a professor at IIT Hyderabad, thinking I would gain hands-on experience before joining a PhD programme. But there has been no notification so far. I wouldn’t have joined this project if I had known about the delay. I would have prepared for other exams like GATE or CSIR, but I thought I had this opportunity through INSPIRE,” he added.

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The uncertainty has been further compounded by a response obtained by a YouTuber, Vansh Kumar Sharma, through a Right to Information (RTI) application, which sought clarity on the current status of the INSPIRE scholarship, the expected timeline for release of forms, and whether the scheme had been delayed, revised, or put on hold.

In a YouTube video carrying an image of the response, the department stated: “This is to inform you that INSIRE-SHE 2025 advertisement will not be announced.”

Aspirants seek clarity

Student organisations have also begun raising concerns over the delay. In a press statement, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) termed the situation a “matter of serious concern,” pointing out that the absence of notification has created “uncertainty and anxiety among students.”

ABVP National General Secretary Dr Virendra Singh Solanki said, “ABVP stands with the student community and urges the DST to take swift corrective measures. The future of thousands of aspiring scientists cannot be compromised due to administrative delays.”

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At Jadavpur University in Kolkata, the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) has also taken up the issue with the Pro-Vice-Chancellor but found no answers. “Some days ago, they asked the Pro VC to write to the DST so that students can get some answers. But nothing has happened so far. I have not been able to apply for any other scholarship because of this,” said Saptaparna Hazra, a BSc Chemistry student.

An email was sent to DST secretary Abhay Karandikar regarding the delay and expected timeline for the notification, but The Federal did not receive a response at the time of publication.