What happened (Lok Sabha written reply on INSPIRE components and outreach)

The Ministry of Science and Technology, Department of Science and Technology, presented the INSPIRE Programme (Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research) in a Lok Sabha written reply. The reply listed INSPIRE’s four major components, their target age groups, and the financial support provided for each stage of the academic and research pipeline.

INSPIRE Programme: four components (who it targets and what support it provides)

INSPIRE is designed to nurture science talent at multiple stages—from school-level idea-building to higher education scholarships and research fellowships.

Key components and support details named in the written reply are:

INSPIRE MANAK: Promotes innovation and scientific creativity among students aged 10–17 years (Classes VI–XII). The component encourages students to develop and showcase original ideas and innovations.INSPIRE Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE): Supports meritorious students aged 17–22 years pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate studies in natural and basic sciences. The written reply states 12,000 scholarships annually, each valued at ₹80,000 per year.INSPIRE Fellowship: Encourages outstanding graduates and INSPIRE scholars to pursue full-time Ph.D. research for up to five years. Financial support stated in the reply includes: ₹37,000 per month as Junior Research Fellow (JRF), ₹42,000 per month as Senior Research Fellow (SRF), House Rent Allowance (HRA), and an annual contingency grant of ₹20,000.INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship: Supports outstanding postdoctoral researchers, generally in the 27–32 years age group (with applicable age relaxations for reserved categories). The fellowship is stated as a five-year support period, with a monthly amount of ₹1,25,000, an annual increment of ₹2,000, and a research grant of ₹35 lakh over the fellowship period.

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