22 July, 2022, NEW DELHI, KVPY 2022: The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has decided to discontinue the Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) examination as of 2022. It will now be merged with the Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) programme.
The Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) was created and funded by DST to provide fellowships to science students till the pre-PhD level. The KVPY fellows were selected through a national-level entrance examination.
However, DST has abolished the KVPY examination but will continue the fellowship by merging it with the INSPIRE fellowship. DST’s goal is to avoid using competitive exams to find talent at all levels. Rather, the newly merged KVPY and INSPIRE fellowships will depend on the effectiveness of the current educational system for talent discovery. Talented students can apply for internships, fellowships, and scholarships through this single programme.
The KVPY-merged INSPIRE programme employs a two-stage selection procedure that begins with an internal committee reviewing qualified applications before moving on to an expert committee for the final selection.
KVPY-Merged INSPIRE Fellowship Programme – Overview
| Programme Name | The Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) Fellowship Programme |
| Name of the Discontinued (Merging) Fellowship | The Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) |
| Governing Organisation | The Department of Science and Technology (DST) |
| Target Group | PhD students with Science Background |
| Educational Qualification |
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Why did DST Discontinue the KVPY Examination?
- DST officials state that they have abolished the KVPY examination because of the high cost of conducting this examination.
- The operational cost exceeded the fellowship, which was provided by KVPY to science students.
- The money saved by scrapping the KVPY examination will be used to start 300 new fellowships.
- The government officials also stated that the students who sat for the KVPY examination did not enrol in any science programme.
- Most of the students used the exam as a preparatory tool for the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) and the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE).
INSPIRE Fellowship Programme – General Information
- The INSPIRE fellowship will be exclusively available for PhD-pursuing students from any recognised university.
- Earlier, it was available for any student enrolled in Class 11th or the first year of any science graduate or postgraduate programme.
INSPIRE Fellowship Programme – Eligibility Criteria
- Only students who have completed their postgraduate studies in science subjects with a minimum of 70% marks and an equivalent CGPA will be eligible for the KVPY-merged new INSPIRE fellowship program.
- First-rank holders who have completed their post-graduation from UGC-recognised universities or institutions with a degree in pharmacy, engineering, veterinary, or agricultural sciences are eligible for this fellowship.
NOTE: To know more about the INSPIRE fellowship programme, please click here!
FAQs
Has the KVPY fellowship been abolished?
DST has discontinued the Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) examination. However, the fellowship will be merged with the Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) programme. The money saved by scrapping the KVPY examination will be used to initiate 300 more fellowships.
Who is eligible for the INSPIRE fellowship?
Only students pursuing a PhD at a recognised university with a science background will be considered for the INSPIRE fellowship.
Are social sciences PhD students eligible for the INSPIRE fellowship?
No. Only science students pursuing their PhDs are eligible for the fellowship.
