INSPIRE Programme and Scholarships

Inspire Programme

The strength of the innovation infrastructure of a nation has enormous significance in the competition among emerging knowledge economies. The realization of Vision 2020 calls for action and a well designed innovation infrastructure.

Generation and nurturing of a human talent pool capable of utilizing and developing first principles in science is both a pre-condition and integral part of such an innovation infrastructure. An India specific model for attracting talent with an aptitude for research and innovation, for a career in Basic & Natural sciences is required. INSPIRE is an innovative programme developed by the the Department of Science & Technology to attract talent to the excitement and study of science at an early age, and to help the country build the required critical resource pool for strengthening and expanding the S&T system and R&D base. It is a programme with long term foresight.

INSPIRE has three components:

   i.     Scheme for Early Attraction of Talent      (SEATS)

   ii.    Scholarship for Higher Education             (SHE)

   iii.   Assured Opportunity for Research Careers (AORC)

Scheme for Early Attraction of Talent

 Scheme for Early Attraction of Talent (SEATS) aims at attracting talented youth to study science by providing INSPIRE Award, to experience the joy of innovations, of Rs.5,000/- to one million young learners in the age group 10-15 years. There shall be annual Summer/Winter Camps for about 50,000 youth at more than 100 locations, for toppers in Class X board examinations for exposure with global leaders in Science, through INSPIRE Internship.

INSPIRE Award

 In order to seed and experience the joy of innovation, every year two lakh school children in the age-group of 10 to 15 years i.e., 6th to 10th standards are being identified for the INSPIRE Award. Each INSPIRE Award envisions an investment of Rs.5,000/- per child. The scheme plans to reach at least two students per secondary school during the next five years.

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INSPIRE Scholarship

This scheme offers 10,000 scholarships every year @ Rs.80,000/- each for undertaking Bachelor and Masters level education in the Natural & Basic sciences, possessing any of the following criteria:

[A] Students who happen to be among the top 1% in 12th standard at their respective Board Examinations and are pursuing courses in Natural and Basic sciences at the B.Sc. or Integrated M.Sc. levels. Courses are not included other than Natural and Basic sciences in the current scheme in view of the focus on research in Basic sciences.

  

[B] Students who have secured in the Joint Entrance Examination of IIT top 10,000 ranks, AIEEE (top 10,000 ranks) plus those clearing AIPMT (top 10,000 ranks), and who also opt to study Natural and Basic sciences in any academic institute or university leading to graduate and post-graduate degree, would be eligible for scholarship.

 [C] Students admitted to Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Department of Atomic Energy Centre for Basic Sciences (DAE-CBS) at the University of Mumbai or happen to be Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY), National Talent Search Examination (NTSE), Jagadish Bose National Science Talent Search (JBNSTS) scholars and Science Olympiad Medalists, opting to undertake courses in the Natural & Basic sciences leading to B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees are eligible for "SHE" scholarship.

Each candidate will receive annual scholarship @ total value Rs.60,000 in cash.
All the SHE scholars are required to undertake summer research projects under an active researcher in any recognized research centers across India. A summer time attachment fee of Rs.20,000 will be paid to the mentoring institution for undertaking summer time project.

Selected candidates will be supported for a maximum period of five years starting 1st year course in B.Sc., B.Sc. (Hons) and integrated course leading to M.S. or M.Sc. Continuation of the scholarship for the selected candidates is based on satisfactory performance of the examinations conducted by the University and certified by the institution imparting education.

Age Limit
The candidates should be 17 to 22 years of age at the time of application.

How to Apply

Only candidates who have completed their XII and are currently pursuing B.Sc., B.Sc. (Hons) or integrated courses leading to M.S. or M.Sc degrees in Natural and Basic Sciences should apply. The call for applications is advertised in major newspapers. Also check our website: www.inspire-dst.gov.in for regular updates.


Completed applications should be sent by Ordinary Post only within 90 days from the date of the advertisement in Newspapers.
It should be addressed to the Director, National Institute of Science, Technology & Development studies (NISTADS), Dr K S Krishnan Marg, New Delhi - 110012.
 For online submission of application, kindly visit the website: www.inspire-dst.gov.in. The online applicants should also submit a hardcopy of the applications with all attested documents to the NISTADS.
DO NOT send the application forms to the DST.


The list of selected candidates will be announced on website, followed by an official letter from the DST to your permanent address.




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