Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme 2025 – Complete Guide
- What is the Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme?
- Objectives of the Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme
- Eligibility Criteria & Financial Support
- How to Apply
- Selection Process
- Importance of Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme
- FAQs
What is the Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme?
The Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme is a flagship project of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, as part of the Digital India program, envisioned to be a high-impact fellowship program to strengthen the Research ecosystem in Electronics System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM) and IT/IT-enabled services (IT/ITES) in India. The scheme seeks to develop doctoral talent in these knowledge-intensive sectors by providing generous fellowships, research grants, and supporting institutions, ultimately leading to improved global competitiveness for India. The scheme has developed to be one of the premier courses of PhD study in ESDM and IT/ITES.
Objectives of the Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme
- Enhance the number of PhDs in ESDM and IT/ITES by supporting students and young faculty.
- Promote R&D, IP creation and innovation by providing financial and R&D infrastructure support.
- Align to national policies, such as the National Policy on Electronics (2012) and National Policy on IT (2012), ensuring that India continues to remain a global player in these areas.
Eligibility Criteria & Financial Support
Eligibility
- You must be an Indian citizen.
- You must be admitted to a PhD program based on ESDM or IT/ITES at one of the participating Institutions in the scheme.
- Your admission must be consistent with the standards of the universities and research institutes selected by MeitY, based on their accreditation and research strength.
Financial Support
For PhD candidates (full-time):
- Fellowship: ₹38,750/month (year 1 – 2) and ₹43,750/month (year 3 – 5).
- Annual grant: Contingency grant of ₹1,20,000.
- Rent reimbursement as per the Government of India guidelines.
International exposure:
- Conference Participation: Up to ₹1,50,000.
- Lab visits abroad from year 3 onwards.
For PhD candidates (part-time):
- One-time incentive of ₹3,00,000 upon successful defence of the PhD.
Young Faculty Research Fellowships (YFRF):
- Fellowship: ₹20,000/month.
- Contingency: ₹5,00,000/year for research support (up to 5 years).
Institutional Funding:
- Infrastructure grant: ₹5,00,000 per candidate.
- Institutional Overhead funding: ₹25,000/year for each full-time candidate.
The Visvesvaraya Scheme offers one of the most generous fellowships of any government fellowship; therefore, an assured income, international exposure and research support.
How to Apply for Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme?
As the scheme is offered through institutions as opposed to directly through MeitY, candidates cannot make an application to MeitY. Rather, they must:
- Apply to a university or research institute that is taking part in the scheme and has seats available under the scheme.
- Comply with the university or research institute’s admission process (entrance exam, interview, or merit).
- Once the university or research institute has completed the admission process, it will admit the scholar under the Visvesvaraya Ph.D. Scheme and initiate the payment of the fellowships.
Documents Required
Although the requirements may vary by host institution, candidates generally will need:
- Evidence of admission to a P.D program under the scheme.
- UG and PG degree certificates and marksheets.
- Research proposal / Statement of Purpose (SoP).
- Entrance Examination scorecards (if applicable).
- No Objection Certificate (NOC) for part-time candidates.
- Additional documents as per institutional requirements.
Selection Process
- Institutional seat allocation: MeitY’s Academic Committee allocates seats to the institutions participating in the program.
- Candidate selection: Each institution has its own PhD admissions process, including a determination through a test or interview.
- Fellowship acceptance: Stipend and grants are disbursed following enrollment, via DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer).
- Monitoring: Scholars are required to submit annual reports on their progress, and any candidate who is not performing may lose their fellowship support.
Importance of the Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme
The scheme is a transformative initiative for PhD education in ESDM and IT/ITES for the following reasons:
- Offers a generous level of funding, even more than considerable fellowships, making a PhD the favoured career choice.
- Enhances existing research infrastructure and institutional capacity with grants.
- Promotes industry-relevant research, intellectual property, and commercialisation.
- Supports students, of course, but also young faculty members, creating institutional academic strength across participating universities.
Official links-
FAQs
Q: Is it possible to switch institutions as part of this funding?
Ans. No, the funding is locked into the institution to which you were admitted.
Q: Is a part-time PhD funded under the scheme?
Ans. Yes. Part-time scholars get a one-off ₹3,00,000 incentive after completion.
Q: What is the international exposure support?
Ans. Funding of ₹1,50,000 is provided for conferences and lab visits abroad from the 3rd year onwards.
Q: What happens if I choose to leave the program?
Ans. Institutions need to inform in the case of dropouts. The funding is turned off, and, typically, there is no money provided to replace the student.
Conclusion
The Visvesvaraya PhD The scheme represents one of the most ambitious schemes under Digital India. The fellowship support, infrastructure support, and exposure to global perspectives help to motivate more individuals to pursue PhD studies in the domain of ESDM and IT/ITES that will impact India’s technology-driven growth.
For students and faculty, it is not just about financial support or the PhD program; it is about being part of a national mission that promotes innovation, IP generation, and a commitment to research excellence among its researchers in these domains.
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