WISE-SCOPE Fellowship 2026: ₹55,000/Month Fellowship for Women Scientists

At a glance

About the scheme

The WISE-SCOPE (Women In Science and Engineering-Societal Challenges with Opportunities) Fellowship, launched by the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, aims to enable women scientists who have completed a Ph.D. to use their S&T expertise for grassroots societal challenges. It funds projects in thematic areas such as Energy, Water and Waste Management; Engineering and Technology Development; Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development; Agriculture and Allied Sciences; and Health, Food and Nutrition. The fellowship provides financial support for up to three years, including a monthly stipend, research grant, field demonstration allowance, and equipment grant, along with institutional overheads as per DST norms.

Benefits

• Fellowship amount of ₹55,000 per month and HRA (as per norms)
• Research Grant of ₹2.00 Lakhs per year
• Field Demonstration etc. of ₹1.00 Lakh (for project tenure)
• Cost of small equipment up to a maximum of ₹2.00 Lakhs
• Institutional overhead charges as per DST norms

Who can apply (eligibility)

• Candidates in regular employment are not eligible
• Women scientists temporarily employed in research or academics may apply but must leave earlier assignments if selected
• Minimum age 27 years and maximum age 60 years as of date of submission
• Women scientists who have completed a Ph.D. in Basic or Applied Sciences or have equivalent degrees like MD/MS/MDS are eligible

Who cannot apply

• Candidates in regular employment

Documents required

• CV of Mentor
• Conflict of Interest Policy Document
• Endorsement from the Head of the Institute
• Complete Project Proposal
• Highest Degree Certificate
• Consent Letter from Mentor
• Undertaking
• HRA declaration certificate
• Date of Birth Proof

How to apply

1. 1Visit the WISE-SCOPE call for proposal submission on the DST e-PMS Portal (https://onlinedst.gov.in).
2. 2Download the proposal format from https://dst.gov.in or https://onlinedst.gov.in.
3. 3Log on to https://onlinedst.gov.in/ to access the DST e-PMS Portal home page.
4. 4Click “New PI Registration” and fill in the required details for new user registration; in the Personal Information section, enter department, institute, and institute address as per the Host Institute identified for the WISE-SCOPE Fellowship project, and set Designation as ‘WISE-SCOPE Fellow’.
5. 5After logging in, click “Submit proposals” and fill in all sought information: General information, Principal Investigator, Mentor detail, Suggested Referees, Financial Details, PFMS Details, Ongoing Project Details (if any), Programme details, then Submission.
6. 6In the Programme detail menu, select the project category based on the objective and expected outcome; mention the specific societal challenge being addressed and the target beneficiary.
7. 7In the Financial Details section, enter ‘WISE-SCOPE Fellow’ in the description for each year of the fellowship section of the recurring budget; the amount per year is ₹6,60,000 (@₹55,000 per month). If claiming HRA, fill the amount based on the applicable rate (9/18/27%) of the fellowship amount as per GOI norms for X, Y, Z class cities. Enter Research Grant @ ₹2,00,000 per year; for field testing, demonstration, or knowledge dissemination allocate up to ₹1,00,000; overhead as per norms; non‑recurring grant for small equipment up to ₹2,00,000, uploading quotations for each equipment.
8. 8If you have the PFMS Unique Agency Code of the Host Institute, fill it in the PFMS Details section; otherwise leave it blank (it will be needed later during fund release).
9. 9Preview the application using the Preview button, correct any errors, then click Submit to finalize.
10. 10Verify all details before final submission, as no changes are allowed after clicking the FINAL SUBMIT button.

Frequently asked questions