KVPY fellowship cancelled; DST to club KVPY with INSPIRE fellowships for Basic Science aspirants

NEW DELHI: The Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, has decided to subsume the Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY), the national program of fellowship in Basic Sciences, with INSPIRE.

“Ongoing KVPY fellows will continue to receive fellowship as per norms from DST,” as per the official website. The KVPY fellowship is an initiative to attract exceptionally highly motivated students for pursuing basic science courses and research careers in science.

The fellowships are provided up to the pre-Ph.D. level to the selected KVPY Fellows.

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“The objective of the programme is to identify students with talent and aptitude for research; help them realize their academic potential; encourage them to take up research careers in Science, and ensure the growth of the best scientific minds for research and development in the country,” it said.

Meanwhile, the DST has invited applications for Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) faculty fellowship programme from July 1, 2022. Candidates will be able to apply for INSPIRE fellowship for the academic year 2022 till August 15.

INSPIRE Fellowship will be available only for pursuing full-time PhD program in any recognized University, Institution, R&D Laboratory in the country.

Earlier, selection of the students were made from those studying in Class 11 to 1st year of any undergraduate programme in Basic Sciences namely BSc, BS, BStat, BMath, Int MSc or MS in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology having aptitude for scientific research.

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Special committees are also set up at IISc to screen the applications and conduct an aptitude test at various centres in the country. Based on the performance in the aptitude test, short-listed students are called for an interview which is the final stage of the selection procedure. For receiving a fellowship, both aptitude test and interview marks are considered.

INSPIRE fellowship: Eligibility criteria

The KVPY fellowship is cancelled now. As per the eligibility criteria laid down by the DST, INSPIRE Scholar having secured minimum 70% marks in aggregate or equivalent CGPA at MSc or Integrated MS/ MSc course will be able to apply.

• First rank holders in any recognized University and academic Institutions (Excluding Autonomous Colleges) in India in Post-Graduate (PG) level examination in Basic/Applied Sciences including Engineering, Pharmacy, Agricultural sciences and Veterinary Sciences.
• First rank holders at the Graduate/Post-graduate Level Examination in Medicine only conducted by a University/ Institution in India are eligible to apply.
• First rank should be obtained in university in basic/applied science subject course/program having batch size of minimum 07 students with minimum aggregate of 70% marks (or CGPA equivalent) for the entire course/ program.