Overview
The INSPIRE Programme has recorded its performance for the last five financial years (2021‑22 to 2025‑26). It targets students aged 10‑22 and early‑career researchers through four components: INSPIRE‑MANAK, INSPIRE‑SHE, INSPIRE Fellowship and INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship. The data were disclosed by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Science & Technology, in a Lok Sabha reply.
Key Developments (2021‑26)
- All four components have shown a steady rise in beneficiary numbers, reflecting expanded outreach.
- Special focus on rural and remote districts through state‑level dissemination, webinars and mentorship.
- Collaboration with premier institutions such as IITs, NITs and IISERs to mentor selected students.
- Organisation of District, State and National Level Exhibition and Project Competitions to identify innovative ideas.
Important Facts
- INSPIRE‑MANAK: Beneficiaries grew from 52,720 (2021‑22) to 49,805 (2025‑26).
- INSPIRE‑SHE: Scholarships increased from 18,039 (2021‑22) to 24,276 (2025‑26).
- INSPIRE Fellowship: Fellows rose from 2,768 (2021‑22) to 3,364 (2025‑26).
- INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship: Fellows fell to 225 (2024‑25) but rebounded to 477 (2025‑26).
- Each INSPIRE‑SHE scholarship is worth ₹80,000 per year; Ph.D. fellows receive ₹37,000‑₹42,000 per month plus HRA and a contingency grant of ₹20,000 annually.
- Faculty fellows receive ₹1,25,000 per month with an annual increment of ₹2,000 and a total research grant of ₹35 lakh over five years.
Exam Relevance
The programme illustrates how the government uses targeted financial incentives to build a scientific temper (GS3). It also showcases inter‑governmental coordination with state education departments, a model of federal‑state partnership relevant for GS2. The data on beneficiary trends help aspirants analyse policy impact, a skill useful for answer writing in the essay and case‑study sections.
Way Forward
To sustain momentum, the Ministry could:
- Increase the number of faculty fellowships to match the rising pool of Ph.D. candidates.
- Introduce a dedicated outreach fund for the most underserved districts.
- Strengthen the monitoring mechanism by publishing annual impact reports with gender‑wise and region‑wise breakdowns.
- Link INSPIRE outcomes with industry‑academia collaboration to improve employability of young scientists.
These steps would deepen the innovation ecosystem and ensure a robust pipeline of scientific talent for India’s future.