INSPIRE Scholarship India 2025

What is the INSPIRE Scholarship?

INSPIRE (Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research) is a flagship scholarship programme by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India. It is designed to attract talented students to pursue scientific research as a career.

The INSPIRE Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE) supports students who are among the top 1% of their board (or equivalent) in Class 12 and have enrolled in a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) or Integrated M.Sc/M.S/M.Tech programme in Natural or Basic Sciences.

Key purpose: INSPIRE SHE aims to prevent India's best science students from drifting to engineering or medicine and instead encourage them to build careers in fundamental science research.

Amount: ₹80,000 per year (₹60,000 annual scholarship + ₹20,000 summer research project support per year).

All information here is for general reference. Verify current eligibility, amounts, and application timeline from the official DST INSPIRE portal (online-inspire.gov.in) before applying.

Eligibility for INSPIRE Scholarship

The INSPIRE SHE scholarship has specific, merit-based eligibility criteria:

1. Academic performance: Among the top 1% performers in their respective Class 12 board examination (this translates to roughly the top 1% by cut-off — not based on absolute marks, but rank within the board). If a board has 1 million students, top 10,000 qualify based on the 1% criterion.

2. OR: Qualified National Talent Search (NTS) examination and are awardees. OR: Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) fellows.

3. Programme enrolled: Must be pursuing 1st year of B.Sc, Integrated M.Sc, Integrated M.S, or Integrated M.Tech in Natural/Basic Sciences at an institution recognised by UGC/AICTE. Sciences covered: Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, Statistics, Geology, Astrophysics, Astronomy, Electronics, Botany, Zoology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Computer Science.

4. NOT for engineering (B.Tech) or medicine (MBBS) students — INSPIRE SHE is specifically for pure/basic science programmes.

Note: The 1% criterion is applied separately for each board — CBSE, ICSE, and each state board have their own cut-offs.

INSPIRE Scholarship Amount and Duration

The INSPIRE SHE scholarship provides:

Annual scholarship: ₹60,000 per year (₹5,000/month) Summer research project: Up to ₹20,000 per year for a research attachment at a national laboratory or research institution during summer vacation

Total: ₹80,000 per year

Duration: 5 years — covers the full B.Sc programme (3 years) or Integrated M.Sc/M.S programme (5 years), subject to renewal.

Renewal: Scholarship is renewed each year on submission of mark sheets showing satisfactory academic performance (60%+ marks or equivalent grade).

Payment: Credited directly to the student's bank account.

This is one of India's most generous undergraduate science scholarships — ₹80,000/year for 5 years is ₹4 lakh total, which significantly reduces the cost of pursuing pure science education.

How to Apply for INSPIRE Scholarship

INSPIRE scholarship applications are submitted online through the DST INSPIRE portal:

Step 1: Visit online-inspire.gov.in Step 2: Register as a new applicant using your Class 12 board roll number and mobile number. Step 3: Confirm eligibility — the portal verifies roll numbers against board data for 1% criteria. Step 4: Fill in personal details, academic information, and bank account details. Step 5: Upload required documents. Step 6: Submit and note application number.

Timeline: Applications typically open between July–November (after Class 12 results are declared). Check the official portal each June/July.

Nomination vs Direct Application: Some institutions nominate their top students directly to INSPIRE — check with your college whether they participate in the institutional nomination route.

Required Documents and Summer Research Programme

Documents required for INSPIRE SHE application: - Class 12 mark sheet and certificate - Proof of board rank or NTS/KVPY certificate (if applicable) - Current course admission letter and fee receipt - Aadhaar card - Bank account details (student's own account) - Photograph - Domicile/residence proof

Summer Research Programme (SRP): The ₹20,000/year SRP component requires the student to identify a research mentor at a national laboratory (IISc, TIFR, IISER, national labs, IITs, central universities) and undertake a 1–2 month summer research project. This is a unique feature of INSPIRE — it creates direct research experience for undergraduates.

Finding an SRP mentor: DST maintains a list of approved mentors. Many INSPIRE scholars reach out directly to professors at IISc/IISER/TIFR. The experience of a summer research project significantly strengthens applications for future research programmes (JRF/PhD).