Grants by Ministry of Education

The Ministry of Education in India is committed to promoting education, research, and innovation in the country. To achieve this objective, the Ministry offers various grants and funding schemes to individuals and institutions across different domains. These grants aim to provide financial support to meritorious students, researchers, and innovators, to enable them to pursue their goals and aspirations.

One of the major grants offered by the Ministry of Education is the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF). This fellowship is awarded to meritorious students who have completed or are in the final year of their undergraduate or integrated M.Tech/M.Sc. degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The fellowship provides financial support for pursuing PhD research in premier institutions in India. The fellowship amount is INR 70,000 per month for the first two years, INR 75,000 per month for the third year, and INR 80,000 per month for the fourth and fifth years. The PMRF program aims to promote research and innovation in STEM fields and create a pool of highly skilled researchers in the country.

Another significant grant offered by the Ministry of Education is the National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI). This program aims to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in India by providing pre-incubation support, seed funding, and accelerator support to innovators and entrepreneurs. The Ministry of Education provides funding for various components of the program. The pre-incubation support offers funding of up to INR 10 lakhs for a period of 18 months to innovators to validate their proof of concept. The seed funding offers up to INR 25 lakhs for a period of 18 months to startups to develop their product/service. The accelerator support offers up to INR 2 crores for a period of 36 months to startups to scale up their business. The NIDHI program aims to create a vibrant innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in the country.

The Study in India (SII) program is another initiative of the Ministry of Education. This program aims to attract international students to study in Indian higher education institutions. The Ministry of Education provides funding for the program, which includes scholarships, marketing and promotional activities, and infrastructure development. The SII program offers scholarships to international students to cover their tuition fees, accommodation, and living expenses. The program also conducts marketing and promotional activities in various countries to create awareness about the Indian higher education system. The infrastructure development component of the program aims to improve the quality of infrastructure and amenities in Indian higher education institutions. The SII program aims to make India a preferred destination for international students and promote cultural exchange between countries.

The Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC) is another initiative of the Ministry of Education. SPARC is a scheme aimed at promoting collaboration between Indian and foreign institutions in research and academic activities. The Ministry of Education provides funding for joint research projects, faculty and student exchange, and other collaborative activities. The joint research projects component of the program offers funding of up to INR 1 crore for a period of three years to Indian and foreign institutions to undertake joint research projects in areas of mutual interest. The faculty and student exchange component of the program offers funding to support faculty and student exchange between Indian and foreign institutions. The SPARC program aims to create a conducive environment for international collaboration in research and academic activities.

The National Fellowship for Persons with Disabilities (NFPwD) is a fellowship awarded to students with disabilities who are pursuing MPhil or PhD degrees in any discipline. The fellowship provides financial support for their research and living expenses. The fellowship amount is INR 25,000 per month for the first two years and INR 28,000 per month for the third year. The NFPwD program aims to

promote higher education among persons with disabilities and provide them with equal opportunities to pursue their academic and research goals.

Apart from these major grants, the Ministry of Education also offers several other funding schemes to support education and research in the country. Some of these schemes include the UGC NET JRF/SRF fellowship, the Maulana Azad National Fellowship for Minority Students, the Swami Vivekananda Single Girl Child Scholarship for Research in Social Sciences, the National Eligibility Test for Junior Research Fellowship and Eligibility for Assistant Professorship (NET), and the INSPIRE Faculty Scheme, among others.

The UGC NET JRF/SRF fellowship is awarded to students who qualify the National Eligibility Test (NET) and pursue their research in Indian universities and colleges. The fellowship provides financial support to cover their research expenses and living expenses. The Maulana Azad National Fellowship is awarded to students belonging to minority communities who are pursuing MPhil or PhD degrees in any discipline. The fellowship provides financial support to cover their research and living expenses. The Swami Vivekananda Single Girl Child Scholarship for Research in Social Sciences is awarded to single girl children who are pursuing research in social sciences. The scholarship provides financial support to cover their tuition fees, accommodation, and living expenses.

The National Eligibility Test for Junior Research Fellowship and Eligibility for Assistant Professorship (NET) is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on behalf of the University Grants Commission (UGC). The NET exam is conducted to determine the eligibility of candidates for the award of Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and/or Eligibility for Assistant Professorship in Indian universities and colleges. The INSPIRE Faculty Scheme is aimed at attracting and retaining talented researchers in the country. The scheme offers funding to early-career researchers to establish their independent research programs in Indian institutions.

Grants by Ministry of Education aim to provide financial support to meritorious students, researchers, and innovators, to enable them to pursue their goals and aspirations. The Ministry of Education’s initiatives have played a crucial role in promoting higher education, research, and innovation in the country, and have created a vibrant ecosystem for the same.