PARLIAMENT QUESTION: INSPIRE SCHEME

1. At a Glance

INSPIRE = Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research, a flagship Department of Science & Technology (DST) scheme to attract youth to basic and natural sciences and build India's R&D human resource pipeline [S1][S2].
Operates across the school → UG → PhD → faculty continuum through five components (MANAK, Internship, SHE, Fellowship, Faculty Fellowship) [S1][S2].
No competitive exam is conducted for selection — talent is identified via academic performance and innovation [S2].
Examinable as a GS-III (S&T) and GS-II (Govt schemes) topic; recently in news via a March 2026 Parliament reply [S1].

18 March 2026: Ministry of Science & Technology answered a Parliament Question on INSPIRE, reiterating scheme architecture, beneficiary coverage, and DBT-based award disbursal via the E-MIAS portal [S1].

Conceptualised in 2008 by DST as part of the 11th Plan thrust on S&T human capital.
INSPIRE-MANAK (Million Minds Augmenting National Aspiration & Knowledge) revamped to cover Classes VI–XII with awards routed by Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) [S1].
2022: Piloted a Research Exposure Programme for North-East and J&K/Ladakh students [S2].
Operates via the online-inspire.gov.in portal and E-MIAS portal for MANAK nominations [S1][S2].

Parent Ministry: Ministry of Science & Technology → Department of Science & Technology (DST) [S1][S2].
Components & Quantum:
MANAK — Classes VI–XII (age 10–17); up to 5 students per school; selected students get ₹10,000 via DBT through E-MIAS portal; target ~10 lakh ideas/year, ~1 lakh INSPIRE Awards [S1][S3].
INSPIRE Internship — Top 1% of Class X; 5-day science camps; ~50,000 students/year [S2].
SHE (Scholarship for Higher Education) — Age 17–22; 12,000 scholarships/year @ ₹80,000 p.a. for B.Sc./M.Sc. in basic & natural sciences [S3].
INSPIRE Fellowship — Age 22–27; 1,000 PhD fellowships/year; JRF ₹37,000/month (2 yrs) + SRF ₹42,000/month (3 yrs) + HRA + ₹20,000 contingency [S3].
INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship — Age 27–32; 100 awards/year; ₹1,25,000/month consolidated + ₹7 lakh research grant p.a. for 5 years [S3].
Selection: No competitive examination [S2].
Portals: online-inspire.gov.in (main) and E-MIAS (MANAK) [S1][S2].

Scientific / Technological: Builds a 10-yr pipeline from school ideation (MANAK) to independent faculty research, addressing India's low researcher-per-million ratio [S1][S2].
Social / Equity: DBT disbursal ensures leakage-proof reach; special NE + J&K/Ladakh pilot improves regional equity in research [S1][S2].
Administrative: Multi-stage architecture under single nodal DST; coordinated with schools (MANAK), universities (SHE), and host research institutions (Fellowship/Faculty) [S1][S3].
Economic: Strengthens knowledge-economy base; aligned with Atmanirbhar Bharat S&T self-reliance, complementing Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) mission [S1].

18 Mar 2026 PIB release: Parliament Question reaffirms MANAK age band of 10–17 and Class VI–XII coverage; DBT mechanism specified [S1].
Earlier Parliament replies in 2025 reiterated the five-component structure and beneficiary numbers [S4].

INSPIRE is administered by DST, not MoE or MeitY [S1].
MANAK full form: Million Minds Augmenting National Aspiration & Knowledge [S1].
MANAK award = ₹10,000 via DBT [S1].
MANAK covers Classes VI–XII, ages 10–17; up to 5 students per school [S1].
SHE scholarship = ₹80,000 p.a., 12,000 per year, age 17–22 [S3].
INSPIRE Fellowship: 1,000 PhD fellowships/year, age 22–27 [S3].
INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship: 100/year, age 27–32, ₹1.25 lakh/month + ₹7 lakh research grant [S3].
Internship: top 1% Class X; 5-day science camps; ~50,000/year [S2].
INSPIRE does NOT conduct any competitive examination [S2].
Portal for MANAK nominations: E-MIAS [S1]; main portal: online-inspire.gov.in [S2].
2022 pilot: Research Exposure Programme for NE & J&K/Ladakh students [S2].

GS-III: Science & Technology — developments and applications; indigenisation of technology and developing new technology.
GS-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors.
Question stems: 1. "Evaluate the role of the INSPIRE scheme in addressing India's deficit of researchers per million population. Suggest reforms." 2. "Discuss how schemes like INSPIRE complement the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) in building India's R&D ecosystem." 3. "India's school-to-PhD science pipeline remains leaky. Examine in the context of INSPIRE-MANAK and INSPIRE Fellowship."

Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), 2023 — apex R&D funding body subsuming SERB.
Atal Innovation Mission / Atal Tinkering Labs — parallel school-stage innovation push under NITI Aayog.
PM Vidyalaxmi & PM-USP — higher education scholarships.
Vigyan Jyoti Scheme (DST) — girls in STEM at school level.
PMRF (Prime Minister's Research Fellowship) — high-end PhD fellowship by MoE.
STIP 2020 — Science, Technology & Innovation Policy framework.
Department of Science & Technology — institutional architecture.
National Education Policy 2020 — research orientation in HEIs.

Ministry confusion: INSPIRE is under DST (Min. of S&T), NOT Ministry of Education [S1].
MANAK age band: Updated to 10–17 / Classes VI–XII; older sources still say "10–15 / Class 6–10" [S1][S3].
SHE amount: Currently ₹80,000 p.a.; older notes mention "₹60,000 + ₹20,000 mentorship" — use the latest figure [S2][S3].
No exam: Many confuse it with KVPY (which was discontinued and merged into INSPIRE-SHE pathway) [S2].
PMRF vs INSPIRE Fellowship: PMRF is MoE (IITs/IISc), INSPIRE Fellowship is DST — different eligibility and quanta.

[S1] PIB — Parliament Question: INSPIRE Scheme, 18 Mar 2026 — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2241758 — (tier 1)
[S2] DST — INSPIRE Scheme (Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research) — https://dst.gov.in/inspire-scheme-innovation-science-pursuit-inspired-research — (tier 1)
[S3] DST/PIB compiled — INSPIRE components & fellowship amounts (SHE, Fellowship, Faculty, MANAK) — https://dst.gov.in/inspire-manak — (tier 1)
[S4] PIB — Parliament Question: Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2159319 — (tier 1)