KVPY

Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) is a government scholarship program in India intended to attract exceptionally motivated students to research careers in basic science. Funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and implemented by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, KVPY provides fellowships to students at different stages of pre-PhD education to support their study and research.

Eligibility is open to Indian nationals and is divided into three streams—SA, SX, and SB—corresponding to different educational levels. The SA stream targets students in Class XI (10+2) in the science stream; SX targets students in Class XII or those in the first year of an undergraduate program in basic sciences; SB targets students in the 1st year of an undergraduate program in basic sciences. Each stream has its own eligibility criteria based on prior academic performance.

Selection is based on a nationwide aptitude examination. Shortlisted candidates may also be called for an interview or additional evaluation. Fellows receive a stipend and an annual contingency grant; the support extends through the pre-PhD stage, subject to satisfactory performance and periodic renewal.

Applications are submitted online once a year. The exam typically covers physics, chemistry, mathematics, and biology, and the syllabus aligns with school and early undergraduate curricula.