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INSPIRE-SHE is a large government scholarship aimed squarely at students who choose pure science. It is also easy to lose, or never get, over a detail: the wrong subject, a late document or a bank account in the wrong bank. This post reads the official INSPIRE-SHE FAQ closely for students in Class 12 or the first year of a science degree. For a wider family overview of scholarships, see our guide to scholarships for science students. Rules change, so confirm everything on the INSPIRE web portal for your year.
What is INSPIRE-SHE?
SHE (Scholarship for Higher Education) is a part of INSPIRE, a programme of the Department of Science and Technology (DST). According to the FAQ:
12,000 scholarships are announced each year, from the 2017 batch onwards.
Each is worth ₹80,000 a year: ₹5,000 a month (₹60,000) plus a ₹20,000 summer mentorship grant.
Support lasts up to five years, from the first year of a BSc, BS, BSc with Research or integrated MSc, or until the course ends if sooner.
Students aged 17 to 22 can apply.
Who can apply?
The FAQ lists these routes. You must be studying basic or natural science at Bachelor's or integrated Master's level, plus meet one of them:
An aggregate within the top 1% of your Class 12 board (any State or Central board in India).
A rank in JEE or "AIPMT" within the top 10,000. AIPMT is the older name of the medical entrance; the FAQ still uses it, so check with DST how it applies to current exams.
Top 1% in Class 12 and studying an integrated MS at an IISER, NISER, the DAE Centre for Basic Sciences (Mumbai) or Visva-Bharati.
Selection under KVPY, or being an NTSE scholar, a JBNSTS scholar or an International Olympiad medallist.
You apply in the same year you finish Class 12 and enrol in the degree. Applications are online only.
Which subjects count, and which do not?
For BSc, BS or integrated MSc, the FAQ lists 18 subjects: physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, statistics, geology, astrophysics, astronomy, electronics, botany, zoology, biochemistry, anthropology, microbiology, geophysics, geochemistry, atmospheric sciences and oceanic sciences.
It explicitly does not support engineering, medicine, agriculture, psychology, biotechnology, computer science, bioinformatics, BSc-BEd dual degrees and distance education courses, among others.
At MSc level the list is longer. It adds subjects such as ecology, genetics, biophysics, biotechnology, bioinformatics, data science, environmental science, materials science and nanoscience. So a student can do a BSc in, say, chemistry and later an MSc in materials science and stay eligible, but cannot start with a BSc in biotechnology.
How is the "top 1%" worked out?
Boards differ in how they mark, so DST uses what the FAQ calls a Board Inclusive Model. Scholarships are shared among boards in proportion to the number of valid applications from each:
Board-wise quota = (valid applications from that board ÷ total valid applications) × scholarships available that year.
Worked example (made-up numbers). Suppose 60,000 valid applications arrive in a year with 12,000 scholarships, and 3,000 of them are from one board. That board's quota is 3,000 ÷ 60,000 × 12,000 = 600 scholarships. Its students then compete for those 600 places. The FAQ also mentions an eligibility or advisory note that some boards provide; it is an optional document.
How do you keep the scholarship?
This is where many scholars stumble. According to the FAQ, and the more detailed post-offer implementation guidelines:
Marks: at least 60%, or a GPA of 7.0 on a 10-point scale, in each year's university exams, at the first attempt. Fall below or fail a subject, and that year's scholarship is lost. It can resume the next year if your marks recover.
Bank account: a regular savings account in your own name at State Bank of India, linked to your Aadhaar. Joint accounts and other banks are not accepted.
Reports: upload each year's performance report (signed by the head of the institution) and mark sheets, ideally within two months of results and at most 12 months.
Summer project: one research project of six to eight weeks each year with a researcher outside your own institution, which is what the ₹20,000 grant pays for.
No double scholarships: you cannot hold another scholarship at the same time.
No gap year: a break between BSc and MSc ends the scholarship.
Worked example. A scholar's second-year result is a CGPA of 6.9, below 7.0. Under the FAQ, the scholarship for that academic year is forfeited. Her third-year result is 7.4, so the scholarship resumes. Check the guidelines for exactly which year's payment each result decides.
What is the status of the current round?
When we checked the INSPIRE portal in October 2026, the latest SHE results listed were for the 2024 batch. The FAQ says selection usually takes at least four months after the last date, and that calls are announced on the portal. Check the portal for your year's call and deadline rather than relying on dates from other sites.
If you are choosing between a basic science degree and something else, it can help to see what university-level science feels like first. Fermi's Courses are university-level courses taught by working scientists, with the AI tutor available on every lecture. For what came before SHE for younger students, see what replaced KVPY.
Before your Class 12 results, ask your future college who signs the SHE endorsement form, and open an SBI savings account in your own name.
