The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has opened applications for the IndiaAI Fellowship 2026, offering financial grants of up to Rs 2 lakh for postgraduate students and up to Rs 1 lakh for undergraduate students pursuing artificial intelligence research and projects, TechObserver reported.
Source: TechObserver (MeitY)
The programme is run under the IndiaAI Mission. Students can apply through the official portal, fellowship.indiaai.gov.in, until 30 November 2026, according to MeitY. Undergraduate students and those in integrated dual degree (IDD) programmes are eligible for grants of up to Rs 1 lakh — yaani Rs 1,00,000 — while postgraduate students can receive up to Rs 2 lakh, yaani Rs 2,00,000, for AI-related research work.
What PhD scholars get
The fellowship also supports doctoral scholars with monthly stipends that rise with seniority: Rs 70,000 per month in the first two years, Rs 75,000 in the third year, and Rs 80,000 in the fourth and fifth years, Jagran Josh reported in its detailed guide to the fellowship. Eligible PhD scholars can also receive Rs 2 lakh per year as a research grant, subject to the applicable conditions.
Source: Jagran Josh — IndiaAI Fellowship 2026 details
Students whose research is accepted for presentation can receive additional support of up to Rs 1 lakh for international conference presentations, according to the programme details reported by both outlets.
Who can apply, and what to prepare
Eligibility is tied to the semester of study: three-year undergraduate students at the start of the fifth semester, four-year undergraduates at the start of the seventh semester, five-year IDD students at the start of the ninth semester, and postgraduate students in semesters one, two and three, according to the fellowship details. Applicants must prepare academic records, bank details and endorsement letters before submitting through the official portal, and should review the eligibility criteria for their category before applying.
Applications go through fellowship.indiaai.gov.in until 30 November 2026. Amounts depend on the applicant's academic level, semester and the fellowship conditions — check the official instructions for your category before submitting.
Sources: TechObserver's report on the MeitY announcement and Jagran Josh's detailed IndiaAI Fellowship 2026 guide, both published in October 2026.