Scheme Of Assistance To Women Entrepreneurs (Mahalir Udavi) 2026

The National Geoscience Awards recognize and honour individuals and teams for their exceptional achievements and significant contributions Read More... to fields like mineral discovery, geosciences, and mining. Read less

Details

The Indian government, through the Ministry of Mines, has long been acknowledging the pioneers and achievers in earth sciences. What started as the National Mineral Awards in 1966 has evolved into the more comprehensive National Geoscience Awards (NGA) since 2009. This prestigious award aims to celebrate excellence and motivate further innovation in critical areas of our nation's mineral and geological sector.

What Are the National Geoscience Awards?

These awards are a way for the country to acknowledge outstanding work and groundbreaking contributions made by individuals and groups in various aspects of geoscience. This includes finding new mineral deposits, advancing our understanding of earth sciences, developing better mining techniques, and ensuring sustainable resource management.

Why These Awards Matter

The National Geoscience Awards play a vital role in fostering a culture of innovation and dedication within the geoscientific community. By highlighting exceptional talent, the scheme encourages new discoveries and technological advancements that are crucial for India's economic growth and resource security.

Who Can Be Nominated?

The awards are open to Indian citizens who are skilled geoscientists, engineers, technologists, or academics. They are specifically looking for those who have made a significant mark in their respective fields, particularly through work carried out in India over the last decade. There's also a special award for promising young talent.

Objective

The National Geoscience Awards recognize and honour individuals and teams for their exceptional achievements and significant contributions to fields like mineral discovery, geosciences, and mining.

Benefits

Financial assistance shall be considered up to a maximum of 75% of the project cost.

The loan is provided for acquiring fixed assets.

The loan is provided to meet the working capital requirement.

A concessional rate of interest of 0.5% less than the normal rate is charged for units promoted by Women.

A 50% concession is provided on the investigation fee.

The maximum term loan repayment period is 10 years.

Conditions

The project cost shall not exceed ₹20,00,000/-.

The Promoter’s contribution must be 25% of the project cost.

The Debt Equity Ratio (DER) shall be 3:1.

Repayment period is a maximum of 10 years, which includes a moratorium period of a maximum of 2 years, depending upon the period of implementation.

Collateral security in the form of immovable property shall be offered as per the lending policy of the Corporation.

Apart from collateral security, proposed fixed assets must be covered by mortgage and/or hypothecation.

For units promoted by women entrepreneurs, the value of the immovable property to be offered as collateral security is reduced and fixed at 50% of the loan amount.

Sources and references

Scheme Information

Who Can Apply?

Must be an Indian citizen.
Should be a qualified geoscientist, engineer, technologist, or academician with substantial contributions in relevant fields.
Work primarily submitted for consideration must have been conducted in India within the last 10 years, with an exception for the Lifetime Achievement Award.
For team nominations, the team can have a maximum of four members.
Applicants for the Young Geoscientist Award must be under 35 years of age as of December 31st of the previous year.
An individual can receive an award only once in a specific field but is eligible to apply in other geoscientific areas.
Those who have already received the Lifetime Achievement Award are not eligible to apply for any other award category.
While not compulsory, a supporting certificate from the head of your institution or department about your work is desirable.

How to Submit Your Nomination

To apply for the National Geoscience Awards, you need to fill out the official application or nomination form. Ensure all required details are provided accurately.

The completed forms and necessary documents should be submitted through the official channels as specified by the Ministry of Mines.

For detailed instructions and the application portal, please refer to the official website of the Ministry of Mines.

What Documents Are Needed?

A duly completed application or nomination form.
Proof of Indian citizenship (like an ID card).
Certificates demonstrating your educational and professional qualifications.
Detailed information about your work and achievements in the field of geoscience.
Any supporting documents or recommendation letters, if available.

FAQ’s

What is the main goal of the National Geoscience Awards?

The primary goal is to acknowledge and honour individuals and teams for their outstanding achievements and significant contributions to areas like mineral discovery, exploration, mining, and various branches of geosciences.

Which government body is responsible for these awards?

These prestigious awards are managed and presented by the Ministry of Mines, Government of India.

Can people working in a group apply for these awards?

Yes, absolutely. Teams can apply for the National Geoscience Award, but the team should not have more than four members.

Is there an age restriction for applying?

Yes, there is an age limit for the Young Geoscientist Award. Applicants for this specific award must be younger than 35 years old as of December 31st of the year prior to the award announcement.

What are the different award categories available?

There are three main award categories: the National Geoscience Award for Lifetime Achievement, the regular National Geoscience Award, and the National Young Geoscientist Award.

If I've won an award before, can I apply again?

You can apply for an award in a different field if you've received one previously. However, you cannot receive the award twice in the same specific field. Also, individuals who have received the Lifetime Achievement Award cannot apply for any other award under this scheme.

Does the work done outside of India count towards the application?

For most award categories, the work considered must have been primarily carried out within India. The Lifetime Achievement Award is an exception to this rule.

How many awards are typically given out each year?

In total, 12 awards are presented across the different categories: one for Lifetime Achievement, ten for the National Geoscience Award (individual or team), and one for the Young Geoscientist.

What proof of identity is needed for the application?

You will need to provide a valid proof of Indian citizenship as part of your application.

Is there a minimum duration for the work experience to be considered?

Yes, the scheme generally looks at significant contributions made over the last ten years, excluding the Lifetime Achievement Award category.

Can I get a certificate from my boss to support my application?

While it's not strictly mandatory, a certificate from your institution's or department's head confirming your work and contributions can be helpful as supporting documentation.