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National Science Chair 2026: ₹1.5 Lakh Monthly Fellowship, Eligibility & How to Apply

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Quick answer

The National Science Chair provides a ₹1.5 lakh per month fellowship, a ₹25 lakh per annum research grant and ₹1 lakh per annum overhead to the host institute for eminent senior superannuated Indian scientists in STEM and Medicine. It is open to active resident Indian scientists with outstanding research track record and national/international recognition. Applications are made online via the SERB portal by registering, filling the nomination form and submitting through a nominator.

At a glance

Main benefit₹1.5 lakhs per month fellowship
Ministry / departmentMinistry Of Science And Technology
LevelCentral Government
Application modeOnline

About the scheme

The National Science Chair- Scientific Excellence (NSC-SE) scheme, instituted by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) under the Ministry of Science and Technology, aims to support eminent senior superannuated Indian scientists who have demonstrated outstanding contributions in STEM and Medicine. The scheme provides a monthly fellowship, annual research grant and overhead allowance to the host institution, enabling continued research and mentorship of young talent. Selection is based on research track record, quality of proposed plan and ability to mentor researchers, with a maximum of thirty positions available for an initial three‑year tenure extendable by two years.

Benefits

  • ₹1.5 lakhs per month fellowship
  • ₹25 lakhs per annum research grant
  • ₹1 lakh per annum overhead grant to host institution

Who can apply (eligibility)

  • The nominee should be an active resident Indian scientist/academician with an outstanding research track record in any one or more areas of STEM and medicine, particularly during the last five years.
  • The nominee must have received recognition for his/her work from national/international scientific bodies such as fellowship in prestigious academies and S&T awards.
  • The nominee could be affiliated with an academic institution/R&D lab or should have consent on the subject from the future host institution.
  • The nominee should not hold any administrative roles and functions and is not in receipt of any honorarium/fellowship/salary from any other institute or organization at the time of initiation of the NSC award if offered by SERB.

Documents required

  • Research Proposal with brief Introduction, Objective, Methodology, Budget, and expected outcome (up to five pages)
  • Endorsement Letter by the head of the Host Institute
  • Certificate from the Nominee

How to apply

  1. 1Register on the SERB online portal.
  2. 2After logging in, fill all mandatory fields in the Nominee Details section under User Profile including photo, institution, address, etc.
  3. 3Under Form Submission, choose Scheme: National Science Chair and fill out the nomination form which includes Nominee Details, Qualification Details, Employment Details, Professional Recognition/Fellowship, Scientific Research Index, Publication Details, Patent Details, Upload Documents, Nominator Details and Other Information.
  4. 4Upload the proposed area of research and a brief outline of the proposal as a single PDF file not exceeding five pages.
  5. 5After completing the details, click on 'Send to Nominator'.
  6. 6The Nominator receives an intimation via email with a link to the SERB online portal to view the filled nomination form.
  7. 7The Nominator can either submit the nomination to SERB or resend the form to the Nominee for any revision.
  8. 8Once submitted, both Nominee and Nominator receive an intimation regarding successful submission.

Frequently asked questions

What is the mode to submit my nomination for National Science Chair (NSC) Award?+

The nominations are being accepted in online mode only through SERB online portal i.e. www.serbonline.in.

What are the eligibility criteria for applying under the scheme?+

1. The nominee should be an active resident Indian scientist/academician, with an outstanding research track record in any one or more areas of STEM and medicine, particularly during the last five years. 2. The nominee must have received recognition for his/her work from national/international scientific bodies such as fellowship in prestigious academies and S&T awards. 3. The nominee could be affiliated with an academic institution / R&D lab or should have consent on the subject from the future host institution. 4. The nominee should not hold any administrative roles and functions and is not in receipt of any honorarium/fellowship/salary from any other institute or organization at the time of initiation of the NSC award if offered by SERB.

What are the mandatory additional documents required to submit a nomination?+

1. Research Proposal with brief Introduction, Objective, Methodology, Budget and expected outcome (upto five pages) (For Mode-1 nominations only). 2. Endorsement Letter by the head of the Host Institute. 3. Certificate from the Nominee.

I am >65 years having Indian Nationality working in a foreign country institution as a Professor from past 5 years. Can I apply for this fellowship?+

Yes, you can but after withdrawing your position from the foreign institution and getting a No Objection Certificate from the same institution to apply under NSC Award.

What are the areas covered under NSC Award?+

Researchers working in areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) and Medicine are eligible to apply under this fellowship.

NaukriZila is not a government website. Apply only on the official portal; never pay anyone to apply for a government scheme. Source: myScheme (Government of India)