Visveswaraya PhD Scheme 2026: Post Doctoral Fellowship applications open, apply by October 5

Applications for the Post Doctoral Fellowship under the Visveswaraya Ph.D. Scheme for Electronic and IT: Phase-II are now open at various institutions across India. The scheme, sanctioned by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, aims to support advanced research in Electronics System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM), Information Technology (IT), and Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES).

The Visveswaraya Ph.D. Scheme, implemented by the PhD Cell, Digital India Corporation (DIC), MeitY, offers a monthly fellowship of ₹108,393 and a yearly contingency grant of ₹100,000. The fellowship is for a duration of one year and is designed to attract researchers with strong academic backgrounds to contribute to these critical technology sectors.

Eligibility and Fellowship Details

To be considered for the Post Doctoral Fellowship, applicants must be Indian citizens and have completed their PhD within the past five years as of the last date of application submission. The upper age limit for candidates is 40 years on the date of application submission. In addition, applicants must hold a PhD degree from a recognized university with a first-class academic record at all preceding levels.

A key criterion is that PDF applicants should not have completed their PhD at the same institution where the fellowship is to be awarded. Those currently in regular employment are not eligible. The scheme also provides travel support up to ₹2.10 Lakhs for specific purposes. Female PDF candidates are eligible for up to six months of maternity leave with fellowship support, provided the total fellowship duration does not exceed 12 months. The contingency grant, disbursed quarterly on a pro-rata basis, is restricted to minor equipment, consumables, and research-related items, with no provision for hiring research staff.

Application Process and Key Dates

Institutions like the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing, Kancheepuram (IIITDM Kancheepuram) and Maulana Azad National Urdu University have opened their application windows for the fellowship. IIITDM Kancheepuram, established in 2007 by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, began accepting applications on September 21, 2026, for one sanctioned PDF seat for the Academic Year 2025–26. Maulana Azad National Urdu University issued its notification on September 17, 2026, for one fellowship seat in the Department of Computer Science and Information Technology (Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning).

Applicants are required to identify a suitable Mentor/Guide who holds a regular academic/research position and a Ph.D. degree in Science or Engineering. The research proposal must clearly define objectives, outcomes, a timeline, and deliverables for the one-year period. Preference will be given to candidates with active industry linkages and research proposals addressing industry-specific problems. The host institution is responsible for the timely selection of awardees and their registration with the PhD Cell, DIC, MeitY, as unregistered awardees will not be eligible for support.

For IIITDM Kancheepuram, interested candidates must apply by filling out a Google Form by October 5, 2026. Maulana Azad National Urdu University has set its application deadline for October 20, 2026. The application fee for Maulana Azad National Urdu University is ₹550 for General & EWS Candidates and ₹350 for SC/ST/OBC/PWD/Women Candidates.

The Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme also includes 150 part-time PhD seats in ESDM and IT/ITES sectors, along with the Post Doctoral Fellowships. The scheme guidelines state that any publication, achievement, or recognition resulting from the R&D work undertaken during the PDF award tenure must acknowledge the Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme. The official portal for the scheme is phd.dic.gov.in.

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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