Launched by the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education, the programme aims to strengthen India’s expanding research, development and innovation landscape by integrating global Indian expertise through placements in premier government higher education institutions, national laboratories and specialised research centres.
The scheme will engage at least 120 researchers over a five-year period from the academic year 2026–27 to 2030–31. Selected participants will be appointed across three categories, including young research fellows, senior fellows and research chairs, depending on experience and academic standing.
The initiative is structured around 13 priority sectors identified as strategically critical for national development. These include artificial intelligence, quantum computing, semiconductors, cybersecurity, healthcare, biotechnology, climate change, advanced materials, manufacturing, agricultural technologies, the blue economy and atomic energy.
Selected candidates will receive comprehensive support including fellowships, dedicated research grants, relocation assistance, access to advanced laboratory infrastructure and opportunities for collaboration with leading Indian research institutions. Fellowship support ranges from 15 lakh rupees to 60 lakh rupees annually, approximately equivalent to 13,000 to 52,000 pounds sterling, in addition to research grants of up to 5 crore rupees, or approximately 435,000 pounds.
Eligibility is extended to Indian nationals employed abroad, Overseas Citizen of India cardholders and Persons of Indian Origin who have demonstrated significant achievements in research, innovation or technology development.
The programme builds on earlier policy discussions initiated by the IIT Council in 2025 as part of broader efforts to enhance India’s research capacity and attract globally distributed Indian talent into strategically important sectors. It also aligns with findings from a NITI Aayog report on the internationalisation of higher education, which highlighted that for every international student studying in India, approximately 25 Indian students pursue higher education abroad.
Seven leading institutions have been designated as host organisations under the scheme. These include Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad, and the Indian Institute of Science Bengaluru.
According to the Ministry of Education, the initiative is intended to deepen international academic collaboration, significantly enhance research output and support India’s long-term ambition of becoming a globally competitive innovation hub. Applications from both fellows and host institutions opened on June 1 and will remain active until July 15.
The Prime Minister Research Chair Scheme 2026 marks a strategic step in positioning India as a central destination for high-impact scientific research and global knowledge exchange, reinforcing its push toward self-reliance in advanced technology sectors while leveraging its worldwide diaspora expertise.
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