There is no single fellowship for women in Indian research. There are about six. Three different government bodies run them, and each one is for a different situation.
A woman finishing a PhD, a woman coming back after a career break, a woman already in a permanent job, and a woman near retirement each need a different scheme. Picking the wrong one is the most common reason an application goes nowhere. This guide shows which is which.
At a glance
| Scheme | Who it is for | Age | What it pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| WISE-PhD (DST) | Women doing a PhD in science | 27–45 | Up to 5 years |
| WISE-PDF (DST) | Women with a PhD who do not have a regular job | 27–60 | ₹67,000 a month + HRA |
| WISE-SCOPE (DST) | Women coming back to research, applied work | 27–60 | Project funding |
| WIDUSHI (DST) | Senior women, including retired scientists | up to 62 | Project funding |
| POWER Fellowship (ANRF) | Women already working in an Indian institution | 35–55 | ₹15,000 a month on top of your salary |
| POWER Research Grants (ANRF) | Women who need money for a project | — | Up to ₹60 lakh or ₹30 lakh over 3 years |
| BioCARe (DBT) | Women in biotechnology without a regular job | up to 55 | See DBT’s current guidelines |
WISE-PDF: the one most people want
Do you have a PhD but no regular job? Start here.
WISE-PDF pays ₹67,000 a month plus HRA. That is the same as a Research Associate-III on the national scale. You also get:
- ₹2 lakh a year as a research grant
- Up to ₹3 lakh for small equipment
- ₹1 lakh a year for the host institute
- Up to three years of support
One rule catches people out. You cannot be in a regular job. Women in temporary research or teaching work can apply. Women in permanent posts cannot.
The age range is 27 to 60. That upper limit is high on purpose. The scheme is partly meant for women who left research and want to come back.
It covers five subjects: physical and mathematical sciences, chemical sciences, life sciences, earth and atmospheric sciences, and engineering and technology.
Check the dates before you plan. WISE-PDF opens only when DST announces a call. DST’s page says the last call closed on 28 February 2025 and the next one will be announced. Check DST’s page before you plan around this scheme.
POWER: if you already have a job
POWER is for women who are already doing research in an Indian institution, aged 35 to 55. It is now run by ANRF, which took over from SERB.
The fellowship pays ₹15,000 a month on top of your normal salary, plus ₹10 lakh a year for research. It runs for three years and cannot be extended.
You cannot apply for it yourself. Someone has to nominate you: the head of your institution, or a fellow of one of the national academies. Nominations are open all year and are reviewed twice a year.
Many women who qualify never apply. They are waiting for an advertisement that never comes. If you meet the criteria, speak to your head of department.
POWER Research Grants are different. You apply for those yourself.
- Level I — up to ₹60 lakh over three years, for IITs, IISERs, IISc, NITs, central universities and national labs
- Level II — up to ₹30 lakh over three years, for state universities, colleges and private institutes
You cannot hold a POWER Fellowship and a POWER Grant at the same time.
The other DST schemes
DST groups its women’s schemes under WISE-KIRAN. The others fit situations WISE-PDF does not.
- WISE-PhD supports women doing a PhD, aged 27 to 45, for up to five years. SC, ST and disabled applicants get three extra years of age.
- WISE-SCOPE is for women returning to research through applied work. DST calls it “lab to land”. It covers energy, health, environment, agriculture and engineering.
- WIDUSHI is for senior women scientists, up to age 62. It includes retired government scientists and women in temporary posts. Very little else in Indian science funding covers this group.
- WISE-IPR is a one-year training programme in intellectual property, for women aged 25 to 45.
- WINGS supports research in labs abroad.
BioCARe, for biotechnology
DBT has run BioCARe since 2011 for women in biotechnology and related fields. It is meant for women who do not hold a regular position, including those who have had a career break. It is meant to be your first independent research grant. Women who already hold research funding are outside its scope. The upper age limit is 55.
Current amounts and the open call are on DBT’s own pages, linked at the end.
Institute schemes are easy to miss
Institutes run their own schemes too. IIT Madras, for example, advertises a post-doctoral fellowship for women returning after a career break.
These rarely show up in lists of women’s schemes, because they are advertised as ordinary job vacancies. So watch institute recruitment pages as well as funder pages. We add new postdoctoral posts to our postdoc listings every week.
Frequently asked questions
Which scheme is best after a career break?
WISE-PDF, if you have a PhD and no regular job. WISE-SCOPE, if your work is applied and practical. Both allow applicants up to 60. In biotechnology, BioCARe is built for the same situation.
Can I apply for the POWER Fellowship myself?
No. Someone must nominate you: your institution head or a national academy fellow. If you qualify, talk to your head of department. Do not wait for an advertisement.
How much does WISE-PDF pay?
₹67,000 a month plus HRA. You also get ₹2 lakh a year for research, up to ₹3 lakh for small equipment, and ₹1 lakh a year for your host institute. It runs for up to three years.
Can I hold a POWER Fellowship and a POWER Grant together?
No. You can hold only one. Fellowship winners also cannot be nominated again.
Is there anything for women near or past retirement?
Yes. WIDUSHI supports senior women up to age 62, including retired government scientists and women in temporary posts. It is not well known.
Do I need to be an Indian citizen?
The POWER Fellowship asks for Indian citizenship and a post at an institution in India. For the DST schemes, read the call document. The call document sets the conditions.
Official sources
- DST — WISE Post-Doctoral Fellowship (WISE-PDF)
- DST — WISE-KIRAN schemes for women in science
- ANRF — SERB-POWER Fellowship
- POWER Research Grants
- DBT — BioCARe programme
Rules and amounts change, and the call document always has the final word. If you find something out of date here, tell us and we will fix it.
