AICTE announces Rs 245 crore fellowship programme to boost doctoral research

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has approved the AICTE Innovation and Entrepreneurship Doctoral Fellowship Programme (AIEDFP), which will make India’s innovation and entrepreneurship system strong through high-quality doctoral research.

The official statement said, “With a projected financial outlay of Rs 245 crore over a period of five years, the programme will support 150 PhD fellowships.” The programme will help researchers convert their findings into products, processes, services, policy solutions, social innovations, usable technologies and entrepreneurial ventures.

The AIEDFP will cover both technological and non-technological forms of innovation. It will also support research across different fields and use knowledge from these areas to align with national and global priorities. 

AIEDFP fellowship amount, innovation grant

Under the programme, fellows will receive financial help for up to five years if they meet the eligibility requirements and maintain satisfactory research progress. The fellowship amount will be Rs 60,000 per month. For the first three years, they will be given a House Rent Allowance (HRA). For the next two years, scholars will get Rs 70,000 per month and the applicable HRA.

In addition to the monthly fellowship, each fellow may also become eligible for an Innovation Grant of up to Rs 10 lakh. The programme will connect doctoral research with industry and societal needs.

According to the official notification, “The programme will also support activities related to intellectual property, technology transfer, innovation translation and commercialisation. Relevant AICTE mechanisms, including KAPILA and YUKTI, may be utilised for support relating to patent filing and innovation translation.”

Expected research outcomes

AIEDFP will focus on building stronger links between doctoral scholars and the innovation ecosystem. Industry partners, startups, research organisations, incubators and other stakeholders can participate. The programme can also provide fellows with optional industrial exposure of six to 12 months.

The press note stated, “Through the AICTE Innovation and Entrepreneurship Doctoral Fellowship Programme, AICTE seeks to establish a structured mechanism for connecting doctoral research with innovation, entrepreneurship and real-world applications. The programme is envisaged to support the translation of knowledge and research into solutions that can contribute to technological advancement, economic development and societal impact.”