Designed by our former president, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, the INSPIRE programme aims to encourage students from standard six to PhD to pursue their passion for science. INSPIRE – Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research – provides financial assistance, mentoring and apt guidance to selected students. Students are selected based on merit, passion and academic talent for a vast range of subjects. To apply for the scholarship, several aspects like its schemes, eligibility, application process and selection process come into the picture. Our guide compiles a detailed explanation for each of these factors to help students pursue INSPIRE scholarships. Continue reading to find out!
Components Of INSPIRE Scholarship
The objective of this scholarship is to make research and higher education more accessible to Indian scholars by providing them with financial aid. Depending on the age of the applicant, INSPIRE fellowships are divided into three broad categories. Each of these is elaborated on in depth below.
Scheme For Early Attraction Of Talents For Science (SEATS)
As the name suggests, this scheme is developed for young scholars between the ages of 10 and 15 years. A scholarship of INR 5,000 is granted to one million students from classes 6th to 10th. Additionally, summer camps are organised for around 50,000 students from classes 9th and 10th. Two sub-schemes have been introduced under it as follows.
- INSPIRE Awards – It is a continuing scheme for five years.
- INSPIRE Internships – 1% of Class 10th toppers are selected for this programme. They receive the opportunity to pursue summer and winter internships to enhance their interest in science.
Scholarship For Higher Education (SHE)
SHE is for slightly older students under the age group 17 – 22. Additionally, they must be pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree in natural sciences. 10,000 selected students are granted an INSPIRE scholarship amount of INR 80,000 annually, along with mentorship support. The maximum duration for this scholarship is five years.
Assured Opportunity For Research Careers (AORC) Fellowships
Similar to SEATS, this fellowship has two subschemes too. Together, 1,000 AORC fellowships are offered under both schemes.
- INSPIRE Fellowship for PhD – It is designed to provide research fellowship to doctoral students for a maximum duration of 5 years. Eligible students who don’t immediately enrol in a PhD programme receive a provisional offer valid for one year.
- INSPIRE Faculty Award – Under this scheme, selected scholars can complete their postdoctoral studies and acquire jobs. Beneficiaries are liable to get INR 1,25,000 per month and an additional grant of INR 7 lakhs annually.
Subjects Under The Scope Of INSPIRE Scholarship
INSPIRE fellowships include a vast range of subjects under their scope. A list of these is given below for reference –
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- Biology
- Statistics
- Geology
- Astrophysics
- Astronomy
- Electronics
- Botany
- Zoology
- Biochemistry
- Anthropology
- Microbiology
- Geophysics
- Geochemistry
- Atmospheric Sciences
- Oceanic Sciences
- Ecology
- Marine Biology
- Genetics
- Bio-Physics
The following courses have been included recently for postgraduate applicants –
- Biostatistics
- Bioinformatics
- Biotechnology
- Data Science
- Environmental Science
- Materials Science
- Nano Science
- Remote Sensing and GIS
How To Apply?
The application process for INSPIRE scholarships can be broadly divided into three crucial steps. Students can only apply online through the official portal of the INSPIRE programme. Follow the steps below to complete your application.
Step 1
To begin with, applicants are required to register on the INSPIRE website with their credentials. Enter a valid email address since maximum communication occurs through the mail. The name and date of birth filled must match the details mentioned on official documents to ensure no discrepancies arise. Lastly, a case-sensitive verification code or CAPTCHA must be input.
Step 2
Next, the following documents must be uploaded in the form of a PDF with a maximum size of 1 MB, except for the passport-size photograph, which needs to be a JPEG file of a maximum of 50 KB.
- Passport size photograph
- Mark sheet of class 10th
- Mark sheet of class 12th
- Certificate or mark sheet denoting marks obtained in any of the following exams: (if the student is eligible under this criteria)
– NEET
– JEE Main
– JEE Advanced
– KVPY
– JBNSTS
– NTSE
– International Olympiads - Endorsement form signed by the principal, dean or director of the educational institute.
- Eligibility note if attached by the Central Board or State Government
- Caste Certificate if the applicant belongs to OBC, SC or ST caste.
- The first page of the applicant’s SBI passbook
In addition to these, students are required to attach any other supporting documents depending on their scholarship, eligibility and individual course requirements.
Step 3
The last step is to complete the application form. Applicants can access the INSPIRE portal online using their registered email id and password. By clicking on the ‘Apply for Scholarship’ button, students can fill in their personal details, educational qualifications, contact, results of competitive exams and other necessary fields as specified in the form. Once submitted, the application form is now complete.
Selection Process For INSPIRE Scholarship Schemes
The criteria on which the selection of candidates is conducted is summarised in the following table. Once the list of shortlisted candidates is prepared, students can access it on the online portal of INSPIRE or their official website. Download the provisional offer letter from the portal as confirmation. These candidates will be required to upload the necessary documents within the time limit to take their consideration ahead. Lastly, the selected candidates will receive the scholarships directly in their SBI accounts.
| Age Group | INSPIRE Programme | Criteria Of Selection |
| 10 to 15 years | SEATS INSPIRE Awards | Academic performance. Two students are selected. |
| SEATS INSPIRE Internships | Scores of class 10th. The top 1% of performers are selected. | |
| 17 to 22 years | Scholarship for Higher Education | Academic Performance. Scores of entrance exams, olympiad and other competitive exams. |
| 22 to 32 years | AORC INSPIRE Fellowship | Minimum 70% marks. First rankers in MSc. Evaluation by an expert panel is conducted. |
| AORC INSPIRE Faculty Award | Selection is conducted based on the research proposals, which are reviewed by national and international peer groups. |
Renewal Of The Scholarship
Students are required to renew their scholarships every year to ensure that they stay consistent in their academics. The objective of the fellowship is to encourage students to continue pursuing brilliance and excellence even after their scholarship is approved for the first year. The criteria for a successful renewal of the scholarship are as follows –
- The candidate must portray a consistent academic record.
- The head of the institution must recommend the candidate for renewal.
- Grades achieved by the student in the academic year.
- A minimum of 60% marks or 7.0 GPA on a scale of 10
Overview
Students can refer to the following table to understand the essential aspects, schemes, INSPIRE scholarship eligibility and scholarship amounts of the different INSPIRE fellowships by referring to the table below. It summarises all the essential highlights at a glance.
| Particulars | Details |
| The parent organisation for the scholarship | Department of Science and Technology, Government of India |
| Beneficiaries | Students pursuing natural sciences from class 6th to doctoral studies |
| Award amount | INR 80,000 per year |
| Tentative application timeline | October to December |
| Number of scholarships under SEATS | One million |
| Age group (SEATS) | 10 – 15 years |
| Award amount (SEATS) | INR 5,000 |
| Number of scholarships under SHE | 10,000 |
| Age group (SHE) | 17 – 22 years |
| Award amount (SHE) | INR 80,000 per year |
| Number of scholarships under AORC | 1,000 |
| Age group (AORC) | 22 – 32 years |
| Award amount (AORC) | INR 1,25,000 per month INR 7 lakhs per year |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is the last date for completing the application process for INSPIRE scholarships 2023?
Ans: The last date for completing the application process for this scholarship is 31 July 2023.
Q2. What are INSPIRE schemes?
Ans: INSPIRE schemes aim to encourage students from standard six to PhD to pursue their passion for science. INSPIRE provides financial assistance, mentoring and apt guidance to selected students.
Q3. Is it tough to get a scholarship under the INSPIRE programme?
Ans: The INSPIRE programme aims to encourage the top meritorious students who wish to pursue research and natural sciences by providing them with financial assistance. Their eligibility criteria are quite strict, and they also consider the applicant’s academic performance for the scholarships. Because of these reasons, it may prove tough to acquire a scholarship under the INSPIRE programme.
Q4. Which courses are eligible for the INSPIRE programme?
Ans: Under the INSPIRE programme, students pursuing BSc, BS, MSc or MS are eligible to apply. A vast range of subjects are covered under this. Some of them are Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, Statistics, etc.
Q5. What is the age limit for INSPIRE fellowships?
Ans: Students from the age of 10 years are eligible to apply. Other applicants up to the age of 32 years are eligible to apply for the INSPIRE programme.
Thank you for reading our guide to the crucial aspects of INSPIRE scholarships! Let us know your queries or thoughts in the comments section below.
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