Admission Process in All Government and Non-Government Schools of the State 2026

This scheme aims to nurture 1000 full-time PhD scholars in key areas of Electronic System Design and Read More... Manufacturing (ESDM) and IT/IT Enabled Services (ITES) over five years, boosting research and innovation. Read less

Details

The Indian government, through the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has launched the Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme to significantly boost research and development in critical technology sectors.

What Is This Scheme?

This is an institutional scheme designed to increase the number of PhDs in Electronics System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM) and IT/IT Enabled Services (IT/ITES). Under this scheme, PhD seats are allocated to academic institutions, and these institutions then enroll students into their PhD programs for these specific areas. The goal is to foster innovation and make India more competitive in knowledge-intensive industries.

Who Can Benefit From This Scheme?

The scheme is primarily for institutions that wish to offer more PhD seats in ESDM and IT/ITES. Once institutions are allocated these seats, they conduct their own admission processes. Eligible candidates are those who register for a PhD with an allotted institution during the scheme's active period. It's important to note that individuals already receiving financial aid from other government PhD schemes cannot apply.

Why This Scheme Is Important

The Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme is crucial for enhancing India's research capabilities. By supporting 1000 PhD candidates and providing them with financial assistance, research grants, and opportunities for international exposure, the scheme aims to create a strong R&D ecosystem and drive innovation in vital technology sectors.

Objective

This scheme aims to nurture 1000 full-time PhD scholars in key areas of Electronic System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) and IT/IT Enabled Services (ITES) over five years, boosting research and innovation.

Benefits

After admission in all Government and Non-Government schools of the state, children from Class 1 to 8 receive free education, meals, books, and shoe-bags.

Sources and references

Guidelines (Page No. 72)

Eligibility Criteria

This is an institutional scheme. Eligible institutions must submit proposals when a call for applications is announced by the Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme, DIC, MeitY. Here's how it works:

The PhD Cell, DIC, MeitY announces calls for proposals for full-time PhD seats on their official web portal: https://phd.dic.gov.in/.
Only eligible institutions can submit proposals to request these PhD seats.
Institutions that receive allotted PhD seats will conduct their own admission processes to enroll candidates.
Only candidates who register for a PhD during the scheme's notification period and with an institution that has been allotted seats are eligible for financial support.
Candidates already receiving financial aid from other government schemes are not eligible for this fellowship.

Terms and Conditions for Support:

Support is for additional PhD candidates enrolled by an institution; it does not cover existing enrollment levels. Transferring from other scholarship schemes is not allowed.
The fellowship is available as long as the candidate is in good academic standing and making successful progress in their PhD. The maximum support duration is five years or until PhD completion, whichever is sooner.
Participating institutions must ensure candidates do not receive financial support for their PhD from any other Central or State Government scheme simultaneously.
PhD seats allocated for a specific year must be filled within that academic year; otherwise, they are returned to the general pool.
Institutions must promptly report any student drop-outs to the PhD Cell/DIC. They cannot enroll substitute candidates on their own.
Institutions are responsible for submitting utilization certificates for funds received, as per grant-in-aid conditions.

How To Apply

The Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme operates on an institutional basis. Here's the general process:

Keep an eye on the official Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme web portal for announcements regarding calls for proposals for PhD seats: https://phd.dic.gov.in/.
Eligible institutions submit their proposals to the PhD Cell, DIC, MeitY to request a certain number of full-time PhD seats.
Once seats are allotted to institutions, they will conduct their own admission procedures.
Interested candidates should contact the institutions that have been allocated seats under the scheme to inquire about their admission process and complete the necessary formalities.

Documents Required

As the Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme is institutional, the specific documents required from candidates will be determined by the participating institutions. These institutions submit proposals for PhD seats to the Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme, DIC, MeitY. For details on applying and required documents, candidates should contact the institutions directly.

Official Sources

For official notifications and further details on proposal calls, please visit: https://phd.dic.gov.in/

FAQ’s

What is the main purpose of the Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme?

The scheme aims to significantly increase the number of PhDs in the Electronics System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM) and IT/IT Enabled Services (IT/ITES) sectors. It also seeks to boost research and development, foster an innovative environment, and enhance India's global competitiveness in these knowledge-intensive fields.

How many students will receive support under this scheme?

The Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme plans to support 1000 full-time PhD candidates in total.

Which types of institutions can participate in this scheme?

For detailed information on the eligibility criteria for participating institutions, please visit the official website: https://phd.dic.gov.in/eligibility.

What are the eligibility requirements for PhD candidates?

The Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme is institutional. Eligible institutions request full-time PhD seats. The scheme is for new PhD scholars registered after seats are allotted to institutions. Candidates already receiving financial support from other government PhD schemes are not eligible. Institutions conduct their own admission processes for the allotted seats. No transfers from other scholarship schemes are permitted.

Can someone who has already started their PhD apply for this scheme?

No, the scheme is intended for new PhD scholars who register after the PhD seats have been allocated to eligible institutions.

How are PhD seats allocated to institutions?

The PhD Cell, DIC, MeitY announces calls for proposals on their web portal. Eligible institutions submit proposals to request PhD seats. The number of seats allocated to each institution depends on their proposal and the scheme's guidelines.

What is the process for a candidate to join the PhD Scheme?

The scheme allocates PhD seats to eligible institutions for a specific academic year. Candidates interested in joining should contact the institutions that have received these seats to complete their admission formalities.

What kind of financial assistance is provided to full-time PhD candidates?

Full-time PhD candidates receive a monthly fellowship: ₹38,750/- for the first two years and ₹43,750/- for the subsequent years (up to five years or completion of PhD). They also get Reimbursement of Rent (RoR), a research contingency grant of ₹1,20,000 per year, and support for attending international conferences (up to ₹1.5 Lakh). Additionally, 250 selected candidates can get a one-time support of ₹10.5 lakh for a 6-month visit to overseas labs.

How will the fellowship and other funds be distributed?

Fellowships and Reimbursement of Rent (RoR) are directly transferred to the candidates' bank accounts. Institutional Overheads and Research Contingency Grants are disbursed to the respective institutions.

What does 'Reimbursement of Rent (RoR)' mean in this scheme?

RoR is a component of the fellowship meant to help cover accommodation costs. The amount provided depends on the city's classification (X, Y, or Z) and is a percentage of the monthly fellowship (24%, 16%, or 8% respectively). This benefit is for candidates who are not staying in institutional hostels.

What happens if a candidate withdraws from the scheme?

If a candidate drops out, the institution must inform the PhD Cell, DIC, immediately and get an acknowledgement. If this isn't reported promptly, the institution may be held responsible for recovering any excess funds paid to the candidate.

Can an institution carry forward unfilled PhD seats to the next year?

No, any PhD seats that are not filled in a given academic year will be returned to the general pool and may be allocated to other institutions.

Is it possible to extend the fellowship beyond five years?

No, the support under the scheme is limited to a maximum of five years or until the successful completion of the PhD, whichever occurs first.

Does the research contingency grant cover the cost of laboratory equipment?

Yes, the research contingency grant can be used for the purchase of research equipment. However, it does not cover expenses for civil construction or expansion of facilities.

What expenses are covered under the 'Support to attend selected International Conferences' benefit?

This funding is for a PhD candidate's travel and other expenses to attend an international conference where their research paper has been accepted for an oral presentation (poster presentations are not covered). Candidates can attend renowned conferences in ESDM and IT/ITES fields. A list of eligible conferences is available on the scheme's portal: https://phd.dic.gov.in/about/ListOfInternationalConferences.pdf.