Government of India Scholarships for BSc and MSc Students- INSPIRE Scholarships

Ministry of Science and Technology

Department of Science and Technology : INSPIRE Scholarship for 2007 and 2008 - Submission of Application for the “SCHOLARSHIP FOR HIGHER EDUCATION (SHE)” – a component of the `Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE)’ being implemented by the Department of Science Technology (DST), New Delhi.

Application Deadline: 30 days from the date of advt. 29/08/09
or 29/09/09

Genesis of INSPIRE: Global competitiveness in the changing global knowledge economy calls for expansion and right-sizing of the Research and Development base of the country. Need for special interventions for attracting youth to study of natural sciences and careers with research is recognized. Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) is a Programme launched by the Government of India to strengthen the National Science and Technology base. It is being implemented by the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

About INSPIRE: Programme includes three components namely Scheme for Early Attraction of Talents for Science (SEATS), Scholarships for Higher Education (SHE) and Assured Opportunity for Research Careers (AORC). The Scheme SHE is focused on attraction of talent to study of natural/ basic sciences at the bachelor and master’s level education. SHE is currently limited to support for educational programmes at B.Sc., B.Sc. (Hons), M.Sc. and integrated master’s level course in sciences leading to MSc in any branch of natural and basic sciences namely mathematics, statistics, physics, chemistry, earth sciences and life sciences.

Call for Applications: Applications are invited from eligible candidates for `Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE)’ component of INSPIRE. Total of 10,000 scholarships are available annually under SHE starting April 2008. The scholarships are limited only to the candidates studying courses in natural/basic sciences (B.Sc., B.Sc. (Hons), integrated M.Sc.) in any one of the recognized institutions in India. Eligibility criterion for the scholarships are a) performance in board examinations within the cutoff threshold (of top 1%) for each state or central board examination at the class X and class XII level and/or b) performance in any of the specified competitive examinations within stipulated cut off ranks. The eligible applicant must be already enrolled into degree level education in natural/basic sciences in any of the recognized institutions in India.

Criteria for Eligibility for SHE:

a) Based on Performance in Board Examinations: The candidates should have obtained aggregate marks in the top 1% in the board examination at both class X and XII levels. For example, the candidates applying now should have secured marks within the top 1% in class X in the year 2006 and class XII in 2008 in the respective board examinations and joined a degree course leading to B.Sc. or B.Sc. (Hons) of integrated M.Sc. in natural/basic sciences in any institution in India and returned to study of second year in the academic year 2009-10. Cut-off marks for various board examinations conducted in the years 2005 and 2006 for class X and corresponding year of 2007 and 2008 for class XII are listed in Table 1.

b) Based on Performance in Competitive Examinations (specified in Table 2).: Performance within the top 10,000 ranks in Joint Entrance Examination of IIT, AIEEE and CBSE-medical and joining courses in degree level courses in natural/basic sciences in any recognized Indian institution. The scheme in its current format does not include courses in engineering, medicine, technology and other professional courses.

c) Based on Performance in Competitive Examinations (specified in Table 3): Clearance of competitive examinations conducted by institutions listed in Table 3 and all candidates securing admissions and joining courses in natural/basic sciences conduced by Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER), National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), integrated M.Sc. courses in Indian Institutes of Technology, Department of Atomic Energy – Centre for Basic Science (DAE-CBS) course from the academic years 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 are eligible. Institutional coverage is being done for this category. Students in this category need not to apply.

Value and Type of Support: Eligible candidates will receive annually scholarship total value Rs.80,000 per candidate. The cash value payable to the SHE scholarship holder is Rs.60,000 per annum. All the SHE scholars are undertake summer time attachment to an active researcher in recognized research centers in the country. A summer time attachment fee of Rs.20,000 will be paid to the mentoring institution for undertaking summer time project.

Duration of the Support: Selected candidates will be supported for a maximum period of five years starting 1^st year course in B.Sc., B.Sc. (Hons) and integrated course leading to M.S. or M.Sc. or the completion of the course, which ever is earlier. Continuation of the scholarship for once selected candidates is based on satisfactory performance of the examinations conducted and certified by the institution imparting education.

Format for Application: All interested and eligible candidates (as per Table 1 for Board examination based eligibility or as per Table 2 or Table 3 for competitive examination based eligibility) must apply in the prescribed format along with attested copy of i) Mark sheets of Class X and Class XII and ii) Certificate from Principal of the College/ Director or Registrar of the Institute or University where the applicant is presently enrolled. Applications should reach by Ordinary Post only within one month from the date of this advertisement in Newspaper/Employment News and shall be addressed to the Director, National Institute of Science, Technology & Development Studies (NISTADS), Dr K S Krishnan Marg , New Delhi – 110012. The envelope should mention on top “Application for INSPIRE Scholarship – 2007 or 2008” program. This advertisement is also available at the website: www. inspire-dst.gov.in for online submission of application. Application form is also available at Website: http://www.nistads.res.in/inspire for online submission. The online applicants should also submit a hardcopy of the applications with all attested documents.