KISHORE VAIGYANIK PROTSAHAN YOJNA (KVPY)

The Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) is an on-going National Program of Fellowship in Basic Sciences, initiated and funded by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, to attract exceptionally highly motivated students for pursuing basic science courses and research careers in science.

The objective of the program is to identify students with talent and aptitude for research; help them realize their academic potential; encourage them to take up research careers in Science, and ensure the growth of the best scientific minds for research and development in the country.

The advertisement for the KVPY Fellowship appears in all the national dailies normally on Technology Day (May 11) and the Second Sunday of July every year.

The Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) is a program started in 1999 by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India to encourage students who are studying Basic Sciences to take up research careers in Science. The aim of the program is to identify and encourage talented and motivated students to pursue careers in research.

This program aims to assist the students to realize their potential and to ensure that the best scientific talent is groomed for research and development in the country. Generous fellowship and contingency grant are provided to the selected KVPY Fellows up to the pre Ph.D. level or 5 years whichever is earlier. In addition, summer camps for the KVPY Fellows are organized in prestigious research and educational institutions in the country.

The Department of Science and Technology, the nodal agency of the Government has entrusted the overall responsibility for organizing and running the KVPY Program to the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and set up a Management Committee and a National Advisory Committee (NAC) for overseeing its implementation. A core committee looks after both the day-to-day and academic aspects of the KVPY Program.

ELIGIBILITY 

The KVPY Fellowships are given to Indian Nationals  to Study in India (Students intending to pursue/pursuing under graduate program under Distance Education scheme/correspondence course of any university are not eligible to apply).

Stream SA: Students enrolled in XI Standard (Science Subjects) during the academic year 2020-21 and having secured a minimum of 75% (65% for SC/ST/PWD) marks in aggregate in MATHEMATICS and SCIENCE subjects in the X Standard Board examination immediately in the preceding academic year are eligible to appear for Aptitude test.

The fellowship of the students selected under this stream will be activated only if they join an undergraduate course in Basic Sciences (B.Sc./B.S./B.Stat./B.Math./Int. M.Sc./Int. M.S.) in the academic year 2022-23 after having secured a minimum of  60% (50% for SC/ST/PWD) marks in aggregate in Science subjects in the XII standard/(+2) Board Examination. During the interim period of one year they will be invited for the National  Science (Vijyoshi) Camp and their travel expenses and local hospitality will be met by KVPY.

Stream SX: Students enrolled in XII Standard/ (+2) (Science subjects) during the academic year 2020–21 and aspiring to join undergraduate programs in Basic Sciences namely Physics/Chemistry/Mathematics & Biology leading to  BSc./B.S./B.Stat./B.Math./Int. M.Sc./Int. M.S. for the session 2021–22 provided they have secured a minimum of 75% (65% for SC/ST/PWD) marks in aggregate in MATHEMATICS and SCIENCE subjects (Physics/Chemistry/ Biology) in the X Standard Board Examination during the academic year 2018-19 are eligible to appear for the Aptitude test.

The fellowship of the students selected under this stream will be activated only if  they join an undergraduate course in Basic sciences (B.Sc./B.S./B.Stat./B.Math./Int. M.Sc./Int. M.S.) in the academic year 2020-21 after having secured a minimum of  60% (50% for SC/ST/PWD) marks in aggregate in MATHEMATICS and SCIENCE subjects (Physics/Chemistry/Biology) in the XII standard Board Examination during academic year 2020-21.

Students in their 2nd year of study in Cambridge International Examination Board and aspiring to join an UG program (viz. BSc./B.S./B.Stat./B.Math./Int. M.Sc./Int. M.S.)in Basic Sciences namely Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology in the Academic year 2020-21 are eligible to apply provided they have secured a minimum of 75% (65% for SC/ST/PWD) marks in aggregate in MATHEMATICS and SCIENCE subjects (Physics/Chemistry/Biology) in the X Standard Board Examination. They must secure 60% (50% for SC/ST/PWD) marks in aggregate in MATHEMATICS and SCIENCE subjects (Physics/Chemistry/Biology) in the XII standard Board Examination before taking up the fellowship, if awarded.

Stream SB: Students enrolled in the 1st year of undergraduate program in Basic Sciences namely Physics/Chemistry/Mathematics & Biology leading to BSc./B.S./B.Stat./B.Math./Int. M.Sc./Int. M.S. during the academic year 2020–21 and having secured a minimum of 60% (50% for SC/ST/PWD) marks in aggregate in MATHEMATICS and SCIENCE subjects (Physics/Chemistry/Biology)  in the XII Standard Board Examination  are eligible to appear for the Aptitude test. In the 1st year final examination of B.Sc./B.S./B.Math./B.Stat./Int. M.Sc./Int. M.S. they must secure 60% (50% for SC/ST/PWD) marks before taking up the fellowship, if awarded.

Empowerment initiative in the KVPY Fellowship Program:

1. A certain number of additional fellowships exclusively for the students belonging to SC/ST community under the various streams as stated above will be operated. 
2. A certain number of fellowships under various streams as stated above will be operated exclusively for students under the category of Persons With Disability (Physically and Visually Challenged).

Students enrolled in an undergraduate course in Basic Sciences, that is, B.Sc./B.S./B.Stat./B.Math./Int. M.Sc./Int. M.S. in Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Statistics, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Cell Biology, Ecology, Molecular Biology, Botany, Zoology, Physiology, Biotechnology, Neurosciences, Bioinformatics, Marine Biology, Geology, Human Biology, Genetics, Biomedical Sciences, Applied Physics, Geophysics, Materials Science or Environmental Science are eligible for KVPY fellowship.

• The students who qualify in the KVPY Exam are eligible for a fellowship as well as admissions into institutes like the IISc and the IISER based on additional criteria.