Policy Update
Tanushree Bora
Background
The Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF), an initiative launched in 2018, aims to attract talent to doctoral research programmes in some of the best institutions in India. The purpose of this fellowship is to improve the research ecosystem by offering admission to top PhD students directly in institutes such as IITs, IISc, IISERs, and other leading central universities. The program aims to attract innovative research in strategic sectors to reduce brain drain and enhance innovation at Indian academic institutions.
There was a need for such a policy due to India’s increasing desire to position itself as a global leader in research and innovation. India had a large base of students pursuing higher education in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields, but when compared to developed countries, it lagged historically in contributing high-impact research. To bridge this gap, the PMRF was introduced to improve the quality of doctoral research, promote interdisciplinary research and develop strong academia-industry linkages.
Key Features of PMRF
PMRF can be used for B. Tech, M. Tech and integrated M. Sc. alumni of leading institutions. Selection is subject to academic record, research proposal and a strict selection process. The application process for the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) is done completely online on the PMRF portal. After applications are received, a remote panel consisting of faculty members from IITs, IISc, NITs and other eligible institutions evaluates them based on academic performance, research potential, and quality of the proposed research.
The entire assessment process, including shortlisting and final selection, is carried out digitally, with no physical interviews or offline examinations involved. This ensures a streamlined and efficient selection mechanism while allowing students from across India to apply without geographical constraints. It offers a monthly stipend of up to ₹70,000 with an annual research grant of ₹2 lakhs for five years. It requires mandatory teaching assistance at the host institute. It encourages research with direct societal and industrial impact.
Timeline and Beneficiaries
The Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) has undergone several key milestones and expansions since its inception in 2018. Initially, the program was exclusive to graduates from IITs and IISc, limiting participation to a small pool of elite students. However, recognizing the need for a broader talent base, the eligibility criteria were expanded in 2020 to include graduates from NITs, IIITs, and other Central Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs).
By 2022, the number of PMRF beneficiaries had crossed 1,500 scholars, with recipients contributing to over 300 high-impact journal publications across fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, renewable energy, and biotechnology (Ministry of Education, 2023). The budget allocation for PMRF has steadily increased, reflecting the government’s commitment to strengthening India’s research ecosystem. However, reports indicate that only a small percentage of applicants are ultimately awarded the fellowship, underscoring its highly competitive nature.
As of 2024, the PMRF is being integrated with national innovation policies, such as Atal Innovation Mission and Startup India, to encourage research commercialization and entrepreneurship. Future expansions are expected to include more interdisciplinary research categories and stronger international collaborations, allowing PMRF scholars to engage in joint research projects with global institutions.
Functioning
The selection process for PMRF is highly competitive, involving a rigorous evaluation of the applicant’s academic record, research proposal, and potential contribution to national research priorities. A panel of faculty members from IITs, IISc, and other top institutions assesses the applications, ensuring that only candidates with exceptional research aptitude are selected. To maintain the quality of research, PMRF scholars are required to undergo an annual review process, where their progress is evaluated based on publications, patents, and project advancements. Scholars who fail to meet the expected research benchmarks may risk the discontinuation of their fellowship.
Despite its well-structured functioning, several challenges have emerged in the implementation of the program. Some scholars have reported inconsistent mentorship support, while others have faced delays in stipend disbursement, impacting their research productivity. Moreover, the lack of collaboration between academia and industry remains a critical concern, limiting the practical applications of the research being conducted under the PMRF scheme.
Performance Evaluation
Since its inception, the PMRF has awarded fellowships to over 1,500 scholars across various disciplines. The number of applications for the fellowship has steadily increased over the years, indicating a growing interest in research careers among Indian students. Furthermore, PMRF recipients have made significant contributions to artificial intelligence, renewable energy, healthcare technologies, and advanced materials research. Over 300+ high-impact journal publications have emerged from PMRF-funded projects, highlighting the policy’s success in fostering quality research.
Since its inception in 2018, the PMRF program has seen a progressive increase in budgetary allocations, reflecting the government’s commitment to fostering research and innovation. In the fiscal year 2018-19, the initial allocation was ₹100 crore, which increased to ₹150 crore in 2019-20, and further to ₹180 crore in 2020-21. Despite these increments, actual fund utilization has been suboptimal.
For instance, in 2020-21, only 70% of the allocated ₹180 crore was utilized, leaving ₹54 crore unspent. This underutilization is primarily attributed to administrative delays and procedural inefficiencies, leading to delays in stipend disbursals and research grant releases. Furthermore, while the eligibility expansion in 2020 allowed a broader spectrum of institutions to participate, the fellowship’s competitive nature resulted in only a small percentage of applicants being selected, highlighting the need for greater accessibility and streamlined administrative processes.
Challenges in Implementation
One of the key challenges facing the PMRF is restricted eligibility. While the program has expanded beyond IITs and IISc, it remains limited to select government-funded institutions, excluding many talented researchers from private and state-funded universities. Expanding eligibility criteria further could ensure that a more diverse talent pool gets access to this prestigious fellowship.
Another pressing issue is the lack of industry-academia collaboration. Many PMRF research projects focus on theoretical advancements rather than applied research that can be directly translated into technological innovations and products. Encouraging industry tie-ups and startup incubation programs for PMRF scholars could significantly enhance the practical impact of their research.
Furthermore, administrative inefficiencies, such as delayed stipend payments and slow approval processes, need to be streamlined. Ensuring a transparent and time-bound disbursement mechanism can improve the effectiveness and credibility of the fellowship. Additionally, introducing a structured mentorship program wherein scholars receive consistent guidance and networking opportunities can further enhance the fellowship experience.
Impact Analysis
The Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship remains one of India’s most ambitious initiatives to promote research excellence. However, for it to achieve its full potential, certain reforms are necessary. Expanding the program to include a wider range of institutions, fostering greater industry participation, and improving administrative efficiency will be crucial in shaping India’s future research landscape.
By addressing these emerging challenges, PMRF can solidify its position as a transformative policy that drives innovation, strengthens academic research, and contributes to India’s vision of becoming a global knowledge hub. The fellowship has already made remarkable progress, but continuous improvements will be necessary to sustain its impact in the coming years.
Key Issues
- Restricted Eligibility: One of the most significant limitations of the PMRF is its narrow eligibility criteria, which primarily restricts applicants to students from IITs, IISc, NITs, IIITs, and other select central institutions. This excludes a vast number of meritorious students from state universities, private institutions, and other non-elite colleges, many of whom demonstrate strong research potential but lack access to PMRF due to institutional barriers. While the 2020 expansion of eligibility criteria was a step in the right direction, it still leaves out a significant portion of India’s academic talent pool.
- Research-Industry Linkages: A major challenge in India’s research ecosystem, including PMRF, is the weak collaboration between academia and industry. While PMRF scholars are expected to conduct high-impact research, much of it remains theoretical with limited practical application. Unlike research ecosystems in developed countries, where universities frequently collaborate with private industries and startups for funding, research implementation, and commercialization, India still lacks strong industry-academia partnerships. This disconnect results in the limited translation of research into real-world products and solutions, reducing the fellowship’s impact on the economy and society.
- Delayed Stipend Payments: One of the most frequently reported issues by PMRF scholars is delays in stipend disbursement. The fellowship provides a generous financial package of up to ₹80,000 per month, along with an annual research grant of ₹2 lakh. However, scholars have often faced administrative delays in receiving their stipends, sometimes for months at a time. These delays negatively impact research productivity, as scholars may struggle with financial uncertainties while conducting their research.
- Lack of Interdisciplinary Research Promotion: The rigid structuring of research domains under PMRF has been another concern. While the fellowship aims to promote high-quality research, it lacks flexibility in encouraging interdisciplinary studies. Many of today’s most groundbreaking innovations occur at the intersection of multiple fields—such as artificial intelligence in healthcare, quantum computing in cybersecurity, or biotechnology in environmental sustainability. However, PMRF’s selection process still tends to favor traditional STEM disciplines, limiting scholars who wish to explore cross-disciplinary research areas.
Suggested Solutions
- Expand Eligibility: The government should consider further expanding the eligibility criteria to include high-performing students from state and private universities, provided they meet the necessary academic and research standards. A special quota or lateral entry pathway could be created for students from non-eligible institutions who have demonstrated exceptional research work. The inclusion of a national-level entrance or assessment mechanism for students from non-eligible institutions could help maintain fairness while widening access to the fellowship.
- Strengthen Research Networks: The government should introduce mandatory industry collaboration for at least a portion of PMRF-funded research projects. This would ensure that research has direct industrial and societal applications. PMRF fellows working on applied research should have opportunities to collaborate with startup incubators and innovation hubs within IITs, NITs, and research parks. Industries should be encouraged to co-fund PMRF scholars working on research aligned with corporate or national priorities. The government could introduce a framework that incentivizes companies to hire PMRF scholars as research consultants or offer fellowships in partnership with private enterprises.
- Improve Fund Disbursement: The government should implement a fully automated and centralized disbursement system that ensures the timely payment of stipends without bureaucratic hurdles. A responsive helpline or portal should be created where scholars can raise stipend-related complaints and receive real-time updates on payment status. Regular audits and monitoring should be conducted to identify and resolve administrative bottlenecks affecting fund disbursal. The host institutions should be allocated pre-approved research grants, allowing them to directly disburse stipends without waiting for government approvals.
- Encourage Interdisciplinary Projects: PMRF should allow scholars to propose projects that combine expertise from multiple fields, enabling collaborative research across STEM and non-STEM domains. Instead of limiting scholars to a single faculty department, they should be permitted to collaborate across multiple departments and research centers. The government could introduce sub-categories within PMRF for interdisciplinary projects, encouraging diverse and innovative research. Partnering with multiple industry sectors would help create new research opportunities across fields such as data science, biotechnology, climate science, and robotics.
Global Comparison
While PMRF is a significant initiative in India’s research landscape, it still lags behind international research fellowships in terms of funding, industry collaboration, and global exposure. In comparison, the Fulbright Fellowship (USA) and Rhodes Scholarship (UK) offer scholars international research opportunities and institutional tie-ups, which PMRF currently lacks (U.S. Department of State, 2023).
Moreover, countries like Germany (DAAD Fellowship) and China (CSC Scholarships) heavily invest in Ph.D. research funding, ensuring that doctoral students receive structured career support. To enhance its impact, PMRF could incorporate international research collaboration programs, allowing Indian scholars to work on joint projects with foreign universities while remaining affiliated with Indian institutions.
Way Forward
The Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship remains one of India’s most ambitious initiatives to promote research excellence. However, for it to achieve its full potential, certain reforms are necessary. Expanding the program to include a wider range of institutions, fostering greater industry participation, and improving administrative efficiency will be crucial in shaping India’s future research landscape.
By addressing these emerging challenges, PMRF can solidify its position as a transformative policy that drives innovation, strengthens academic research, and contributes to India’s vision of becoming a global knowledge hub. The fellowship has already made remarkable progress, but continuous improvements will be necessary to sustain its impact in the coming years.
References
About the Contributor: Tanushree Bora is a Research Intern at IMPRI and a student from Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi. She is passionate about International Relations, Conflict Transformation, and Gender Studies. She aims to contribute to meaningful dialogue and policy frameworks that promote sustainable and inclusive peace.
Acknowledgement: The author extends sincere gratitude to Dr. Arjun Kumar and Aasthaba Jadeja for their invaluable guidance and support.
Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
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