The Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, announces the INSPIRE Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE) every year. The inspire scholarship selects eligible candidates on merit-based selection. The main objective of the scholarship is to help students study basic science and make a career in Science and Research. Students meeting the inspire scholarship eligibility can apply for the scholarship.

Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam came up with the idea of INSPIRE Scholarship which was established by the Department of Science and Technology. The scholarship programme offers various financial benefits to students pursuing science and helps them build a career in the same. The scholarships provide several programmes like; SEATS, SHE, AORC Fellowship, and AORC Faculty Scheme.

INSPIRE Scholarship: Highlights

INSPIRE is an innovative programme that helps individuals to learn basic and natural science. The scholarship will allow aspirants to pursue science at UG or PG level. The officials support the selected aspirants with the scholarship for a maximum of five years from the first-year course in B.Sc. The scholarship will be valid up to the completion of the course. However, the continuation of the scholarship will depend on the performance of the candidates in the examination and certificate by the institute imparting education.

Particulars	Details
Name of the Scholarship	Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE)
Offered By	Department of Science and Technology, Government of India
Beneficiaries	Students if Science Stream
Duration	Maximum of five years
Frequency	Once a year
Number of Scholarships	12,000
Minimum Eligibility	10+2
Selection Criteria	Based on applications
Scholarship Amount	INR 80,000 per annum
Official Website	http://online-inspire.gov.in/

INSPIRE Scholarship: Important Dates

The officials have released the application and other important dates for INSPIRE Scholarship 2021-22. Interested candidates must check the official website to access the application dates and INSPIRE Scholarship 2022 last date to apply for the scholarship. Any aspirant who will miss the deadline cannot apply for the scholarship. Check below the essential dates for INSPIRE Scholarship 2021.

INSPIRE Scholarship Schedule

Events	Important Dates (Tentative dates)
Commencement of Application Process	1st Week of November 2021
INSPIRE Scholarship 2022 Last Date to Apply	Last week of December 2021
Result of INSPIRE Scholarship	June 2022 (Last week)
INSPIRE Scholarship Cut-off 2022 list	June 2022 (Last week)

Subjects Under The Scope of INSPIRE Scholarship

The officials specify the subjects under basic and natural science which are within the scope of the scholarship for pursuing B.Sc/Integrated M.Sc/BS courses. Check below the list of subjects under the scholarship.

List of Subjects

Chemistry	Physics
Mathematics	Biology
Statistics	Geology
Microbiology	Astronomy
Astrophysics	Oceanic Sciences
Geophysics	Biochemistry
Electronics	Atmospheric Sciences
Zoology	Anthropology
Geochemistry	Botany

INSPIRE Scholarship Eligibility Criteria

The students willing to apply for INSPIRE Scholarship 2021-22 are advised to go through the eligibility criteria. Candidates must meet the eligibility to avoid any last-minute rejections. Candidates must keep the required documents supporting their eligibility ready for the time of verification. Check below the INSPIRE scholarship eligibility.

Age Criteria

Aspirants within the age group of 17 to 22 years are eligible for the scholarship.

Education Qualification

1. Candidates who have qualified their 12th with courses in natural science are eligible for the scholarship.
2. Students who rank in the top 1% of their class in terms of an aggregate score on the 10+2 board exam are eligible.
3. Candidates with the following degrees are eligible for the scholarship: BSc/BS/Int. MSc/Int. MS course in Mathematics/ Geology/ Physics/ Statistics/ Chemistry, Astrophysics/ Botany/ Biology/ Astronomy/ Zoology/ Microbiology/ Electronics/ Geophysics/ Bio-chemistry/ Geochemistry/ Atmospheric Sciences/ Anthropology/ Oceanic Sciences.
4. Aspirants who are among the top 10,000 rankers in the joint entrance exam or under 20,000 in AIEEE are eligible to apply provided they pursue basic science at UG or PG level.
5. The students pursuing basic science or natural science from IISER, NISER or the Department of Atomic Energy Centre for Basic Sciences at the University of Mumbai are eligible.
6. Students who have passed the KVPY (Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojna), NTSE, Olympiad Medallists, and Jagadish Bose National Science Talent Search (JBNSTS) and are pursuing Natural/Basic Sciences courses are eligible.

How to Apply for an INSPIRE Scholarship?

The registration for INSPIRE Scholarship 2021-22 is open from November 2021 to December 2021. Eligible aspirants can apply for the scholarship online via the portal. Candidates must provide all the necessary details and complete the application form in all respects. In the case of incomplete information, the officials hold the right to reject the application. Check below the steps to apply for scholarship.

1st Step: Registration

1. Visit the official portal of INSPIRE-http://online-inspire.gov.in/
2. Click on ‘new user? Register here.’
3. Provide necessary details such as name, gender, date of birth etc. to register for the scholarship.
4. Aspirants will receive a verification code of successful registration.
5. Candidates will get the user id and password on the registered mail id. 

2nd Step: Fill out the Application Form

1. Log in using the user id and password.
2. The application form will open on the screen.
3. Fill in personal, contact and academic details to complete the application form.

3rd Step: Upload the Documents

Upload all the specified documents in the provided area.

4th Step: Submission of Application Form

1. Review the filled details and submit the application form.
2. On final submission, aspirants must take the print of the application form for future references.

Documents Required

Students should upload the scanned copy of the documents listed below while applying for the scholarship.

Documents	Specifications
Passport size photograph of the applicant	JPEG format, not more than 50 KB size
Class 12 mark sheet	PDF format, size less than 1 MB
Class 10 mark sheet	PDF format, size less than 1 MB
Community/caste certificate in case of reserved category	PDF format, size not more than 1 MB
Eligibility or advisory note if provided by state or central board	PDF format, size less than 1 MB
The first page of the SBI bank passbook of the applicant	PDF format, size not more than 1 MB
Certificate specifying marks or rank in competitive exam	PDF format, size not more than 1 MB
Endorsement form signed by the principal of the college	PDF format, size not more than 1 MB

Note:
1. Students cannot edit or modify their applications once they click on the “Submit” button.
2. Students are requested to ensure that all aspects of the application and supporting documents are correct.
3. Incomplete or wrongly entered details in the application form with the lack of essential documents will be subject to rejection.

INSPIRE Scholarship Result

The cut-off is the minimum score required to be considered for the DST Inspire SHE scholarship. The prize is awarded to students who received the same or higher grades in their 12th results. They can look up their names on the list of Inspire candidates. The INSPIRE Scholarship Cut off 2022 will be released soon after the exams.

The DST Inspire scholarship results will be announced online in the last week of June 2022 (tentatively). Students can obtain their results by entering into the online portal. On the official website, you can also obtain the selection and rejection lists. These lists will include the student’s IVR number, name, and father’s name. In the rejected list, students can also look up the reason for their rejection. The INSPIRE Scholarship 2021 list will be released after the final stage of the selection process.

INSPIRE Scholarship Selection Process

The officials evaluate the applications of the candidates based on the eligibility criteria. The officials will consider the qualification, eligibility, rank or score of the aspirants for selection. The conducting authority releases the board-wise cutoff marks on the official website in the form of a PDF. The selection process for Inspire scholarship is given below:

1. Students who have scored more or equal to the INSPIRE Scholarship cut off 2022 marks are selected for the DST INSPIRE Scholarship.
2. Qualified students must download the provisional offer letter and upload the required documents within the specified time.
3. Students who are selected for the scholarship are required to open a savings bank account in SBI bank.
4. They should also link the savings bank account with Aadhar.
5. They are then requested to upload the scanned file of the self-attested photocopy of the passbook’s first page on the DST portal.
6. The eligible candidates will receive the scholarship amount directly in their SBI savings bank account through direct bank transfer (DBT).

INSPIRE Scholarship Rewards

The officials will provide a reward in the form of cash to the selected aspirants. Check below the reward of INSPIRE scholarship-

1. Each selected aspirant will receive an INSPIRE scholarship amount of INR 80,000 per annum.
2. The students will get a cash prize of INR 60,000 annually along with a summer time attachment fee of INR 20,000. The summer time amount will be paid only to the aspirants who undertake summertime research projects.

INSPIRE Scholarship Renewal

Aspirants will need to apply for the renewal of the scholarship. The students need to secure the specified marks to be eligible for the renewal. Check below the criteria to continue the INSPIRE scholarship-

1. Aspirants need to secure a minimum of 60% aggregate or 7.0 GPA in the annual examination every year.
2. In case the candidate fails to acquire the specified marks in the annual exam, the officials will cancel the scholarship.
3. The officials will resume the scholarship for the aspirants with satisfactory academic performance in the next academic year. 

Benefits of INSPIRE Scholarship

The scholarship rewards meritorious students and financially supports them in pursuing natural or basic science at UG or PG level. Aspirants with an interest in science and who wish to pursue any of these courses can apply for the scholarship. Check below the benefits of INSPIRE scholarship-

1. The selected aspirants will receive cash under the scholarship.
2. The scholarship amount will cover the course fee and other expenses of the candidates.
3. Aspirants will get the chance to complete their UG or PG course in science subjects. 

INSPIRE Scholarship Terms and Conditions

1. Aspirants will receive the award for a maximum of five years from the date of its commencement.
2. Candidates must complete the application form as incompletion will lead to rejection of the application.
3. Courses such as agriculture, psychology, home science, economics etc. in distance education mode at open universities are not supported under the scholarship.
4. Aspirants must have a regular savings bank account in any branch of the State Bank of India. The bank account must be in the name of the aspirant.
5. The selected students will need to submit their year-wise performance report signed by the head of the institution along with the mark sheet of the course for the release of the scholarship.
6. The head of the institution must mention in the performance report of the aspirant if the scholarship should be continued or not in the academic year.
7. For the first time release of the scholarship, the officials will transfer the amount only after the approval of the performance report and mark sheet of the aspirants.
8. The officials will release the INSPIRE Scholarship amount of two years INR 1,20,000 in the second year of the course on satisfactory performance. 
9. Candidates with any other scholarship are not eligible to apply for the INSPIRE scholarship.

Other Programmes Related to INSPIRE Scholarship

The programmes that come under the ambit of INSPIRE Scheme are listed below:

1. INSPIRE Scheme for Early Attraction of Talent for Science (SEATS): It intends to motivate talented young students and help them to develop an interest in Science by granting them the INSPIRE Awards and INSPIRE Internship.
2. INSPIRE Assured Opportunity for Research Careers (AORC): It intends to attract and retain bright young scientists to strengthen the research and development foundation and base. It involves two components, namely, INSPIRE Fellowship and INSPIRE Faculty Award. 
3. Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE): It is a component scheme under INSPIRE. It is a flagship programme of DST. 

FAQs Related to INSPIRE Scholarship 2021-22

Q.1: Who is eligible for the INSPIRE Scholarship?
Ans: Aspirants who have passed 10+2 and pursuing basic science or natural science are eligible to apply for the scholarship.

Q.2: Do I need to upload any document along with the application form for the scholarship?
Ans: Yes, candidates will need to upload specified documents along with the form to apply for the scholarship.

Q.3: How can I get an INSPIRE Scholarship?
Ans: Aspirants must check the eligibility conditions and apply for the scholarship. 

Q.4: How do I renew my Inspire scholarship?
Ans: Students must submit a self-attested result mark sheet as well as a performance report certified by the Head of the Institution.

Q.5: What is the duration of the scholarship?
Ans: INSPIRE scholarship will be valid for a maximum of five years.

Q.6: When will someone receive the 1st year scholarship?
Ans: Once the 1st year report and mark sheet is approved, the 1st year of the scholarship will be provided.

Q.7: What is the last date of the scholarship?
Ans: The application process will close by the last week of December 2021.