INSPIRE scholarship is back: 12,000 science seats, but one failed exam can end it
By TUF News Desk · Published 12 November 2026 · 4 min read
Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy
Science students who finished Class 12 in 2025 have waited more than a year for this. The Department of Science and Technology opened applications for the INSPIRE Scholarship for Higher Education on November 7, and the window closes on December 7 at 11:59 pm. It pays Rs 5,000 a month for up to five years, with 12,000 places on offer.
In August, DST told Parliament the scheme was being redesigned, not scrapped. The redesigned version is now live, with rules far stricter than the old ones: students who fail or miss a university examination can lose the scholarship outright.
Who can apply
The call is only for students who passed Class 12 in 2025 and are now studying a basic or natural science subject: BSc, BS, a four-year BSc with research, or an integrated MSc or MS. Applicants must be between 17 and 22 years old.
There are three ways in. A student must be in the top 1% of their Class 12 board in 2025, or hold a JEE Main, JEE Advanced or NEET rank within 10,000, or be an NTSE or JBNSTS scholar or an international Olympiad medallist. Students in integrated MSc and BS-MS programmes get first preference, and students at IITs, IISERs, NISER and IISc must apply through this same call.
The 12,000 places are split between boards by each board’s share of Class 12 candidates, so a student competes only against others from the same board. The UP Board has the largest share at 2,095, followed by CBSE with 1,397, Maharashtra with 1,234, Bihar with 1,056, Rajasthan with 725 and Tamil Nadu with 654. CISCE has 82.
The new rules are stricter
Under the revised guidelines, a scholar must pass every subject on the first attempt, with at least 60% marks or a 7.0 CGPA. A failure, or a score below that mark, in the first year makes the student ineligible for the entire five-year period. In later years, any failure or shortfall stops the scholarship at once, along with the mentorship grant.
Missing an examination now counts the same as failing one. The old rules also asked for good academic performance, but did not spell out a missed exam as a reason to end the scholarship.
The mentorship grant has been cut back too. It used to be paid every year; now the Rs 20,000 annual grant comes only in the third and fourth years, for summer research under an eligible mentor. The monthly scholarship itself is unchanged, so a scholar gets Rs 60,000 a year in the first, second and fifth years, and Rs 80,000 in the third and fourth.
The scheme has run since 2008, drawing school-leavers into the sciences and keeping them on a research path. The new conditions have drawn criticism from students and academics, who say a single missed exam, perhaps from illness or a family emergency, should not end five years of support.
How to apply
Applications are open only on the official INSPIRE portal, where the full guidelines and the list of eligible subjects are published. Students need a passport-size photo, their Class 10 certificate and Class 12 marksheet, and an endorsement form signed by their college principal, institute director or university registrar. The board’s top-1% eligibility note, if it issued one, and any rank or award certificate go in too.
Our scholarships for Indian university students guide lists other national scholarships, and the admission documents checklist covers the papers these portals ask for. Queries about INSPIRE-SHE go to inspire.prog@dst.gov.in.
Frequently asked questions
What is the last date to apply for the INSPIRE-SHE 2025 scholarship?
December 7, 2026, at 11:59 pm. Applications are open only on the official INSPIRE portal.
Who can apply for the INSPIRE-SHE 2025 scholarship?
Students aged 17 to 22 who passed Class 12 in 2025 and are now studying a listed science course. They must be in the top 1% of their board, or hold a JEE or NEET rank within 10,000, or be an NTSE or JBNSTS scholar or an Olympiad medallist.
How much does the INSPIRE scholarship pay?
Rs 5,000 a month, or Rs 60,000 a year, for up to five years. A Rs 20,000 mentorship grant is paid only in the third and fourth years.
What happens if an INSPIRE scholar fails an exam?
Under the new rules, failing or missing a university exam ends the scholarship. A failure in the first year makes the student ineligible for the whole five-year period.
Frequently asked questions
What is the last date to apply for the INSPIRE-SHE 2025 scholarship?
December 7, 2026, at 11:59 pm. Applications are open only on the official INSPIRE portal.
Who can apply for the INSPIRE-SHE 2025 scholarship?
Students aged 17 to 22 who passed Class 12 in 2025 and are now studying a listed science course. They must be in the top 1% of their board, or hold a JEE or NEET rank within 10,000, or be an NTSE or JBNSTS scholar or an Olympiad medallist.
How much does the INSPIRE scholarship pay?
Rs 5,000 a month, or Rs 60,000 a year, for up to five years. A Rs 20,000 mentorship grant is paid only in the third and fourth years.
What happens if an INSPIRE scholar fails an exam?
Under the new rules, failing or missing a university exam ends the scholarship. A failure in the first year makes the student ineligible for the whole five-year period.
Sources: AglaSem, TVN World, Disha Stars