IIT Kanpur IPDF 2026
IIT Kanpur’s Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship (IPDF) is operating under revised norms effective from 10 March 2026. The fellowship pays ₹80,000 per month in Year 1, ₹90,000 in Year 2 and ₹1,00,000 in Year 3, with an annual research contingency of ₹1.5 lakh. Recruitment is department/IDP based, so there is no single institute-wide closing date.
IIT Kanpur IPDF 2026: What Is Open Now?
DoFA IPDF Route
IIT Kanpur’s central Faculty Affairs page currently invites IPDF applications and directs applicants to the online Pingala application system.
Important: the central page does not publish one universal closing date.
Open Advertisement Required
The 2026 norms state that IPDF appointments are based on an open advertisement displayed by the relevant department or interdisciplinary programme.
Practical rule: confirm the live department/IDP opportunity before submitting.
Fellowship Amount and Annual Research Contingency
Year 1
Monthly Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship
Year 2
Monthly fellowship after approved extension
Year 3
Monthly fellowship in the third approved year
Contingency / Year
Research contingency, available pro rata from joining
What Can the Contingency Grant Be Used For?
National/international conferences, research visits, invited lectures and workshops for the fellow.
Research publication expenses and professional-body membership fees.
Permitted e-books/books, monographs, journal subscriptions, software and databases.
Research-related equipment, chemicals, sample analysis and IIT Kanpur research-facility user charges.
Permitted computer accessories and limited laptop/desktop repair expenses under the Institute norms.
Minimum Eligibility for IIT Kanpur IPDF
Academic Qualification
PhD with first class or equivalent in the appropriate branch, with a very good academic record in preceding degrees.
Fresh PhDs
Fresh PhD holders are explicitly encouraged to apply.
Thesis Submitted
Candidates who have submitted their dissertation and are awaiting the oral examination may also apply under the central DoFA guidance.
Nationality / Applicant Category
The current central DoFA page invites applications from Indian nationals and states that Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) may also apply. Applicants should not assume broader nationality eligibility unless a specific current advertisement explicitly provides it.
Departments and Interdisciplinary Programmes
IIT Kanpur’s central IPDF page lists opportunities across a broad range of departments and interdisciplinary programmes. Availability at any given time depends on the live recruitment notice.
Engineering
Aerospace, Chemical, Civil, Computer Science & Engineering, Electrical, Materials Science & Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.
Sciences & Data
Biological Sciences & Bioengineering, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Physics, Mathematics & Statistics and related data-intensive research.
Humanities & Management
Economic Sciences, Humanities & Social Sciences and Management Sciences.
Design, AI & Cognitive Science
Design, Cognitive Science, Department of Intelligent Systems and Wadhwani School of AI & Intelligent Systems.
Sustainability, Space & Medical
Sustainable Energy Engineering, Space Science & Astronomy, Kotak School of Sustainability and Gangwal School of Medical Sciences & Technology.
Interdisciplinary Programmes
Photonics Science & Engineering, Materials Science Programme, Nuclear Engineering & Technology and other advertised interdisciplinary routes.
How IIT Kanpur IPDF Recruitment Works
Open Advertisement
The department or interdisciplinary programme advertises the IPDF opportunity.
Application + Research Plan
The application is addressed to the relevant Head and must include a research plan.
DFAC Review
Submitted applications are reviewed periodically according to departmental requirements.
Mentor Identified
The DFAC identifies a mentor for recommended cases if required.
Standing Committee
The Standing Committee makes the final selection.
Documents and Research Plan to Prepare
Core Academic Documents
- Detailed academic CV
- PhD degree / thesis-status evidence, as applicable
- Degree certificates and academic records where requested
- Publication list and selected research outputs
- Any department-specific supporting documents
Research Application Material
- Research plan — required under the 2026 norms
- Cover letter or statement of research fit where requested
- Potential mentor/lab information if relevant to the advertisement
- Referee details or recommendation letters where required by the department
What Should the Research Plan Show?
A clearly defined question and why it matters.
Methods, data, experiments, computation or theory needed to execute the work.
Why the proposed department, mentor group and Institute facilities suit the project.
Realistic milestones, papers, datasets, software, prototypes or other field-appropriate outputs.
Medical Benefits, Campus Facilities and Teaching
Health Centre
IPDFs may use outpatient facilities at the IIT Kanpur Health Centre under the 2026 norms. Specified OPD support is also available to eligible dependents.
Campus Facilities
Facilities are broadly similar to those available to registered students for ID access, Computer Centre, Central Library and other listed campus services.
Teaching Exposure
A department/IDP may involve IPDFs in laboratory or tutorial teaching for up to 8 hours per week, subject to approval.
Leave, Accommodation and Resignation Rules
| Personal leave | 30 days in an academic year |
|---|---|
| Casual leave | 8 days in an academic year |
| Medical leave | Up to 20 days per academic year without pay, supported by a medical certificate |
| Maternity leave | Up to 3 months, with additional provisions for specified circumstances under the norms |
| Carry-forward | Unused personal, casual and medical leave is not carried forward |
| Leave encashment | Not permitted |
Accommodation
The revised 2026 norms state that no on-campus accommodation will be provided to IPDFs.
HRA may be paid at the prevailing rate of the fellowship amount for off-campus housing.
Resignation
Resignation is addressed to the Head of Department. The norms require one month’s notice or salary in lieu to quit the fellowship.
How to Apply for IIT Kanpur IPDF 2026
- Choose your department or interdisciplinary programme. Start from IIT Kanpur’s department-wise postdoctoral vacancy page or the relevant academic unit.
- Confirm a current advertisement / recruitment route. The 2026 norms require open advertisement-based appointment.
- Check department-specific eligibility. Confirm discipline, thesis status, publication expectations and research-area fit.
- Identify a suitable research direction. A mentor may or may not be named at the initial application stage, but the proposed work should fit the department.
- Prepare the research plan. This is explicitly required by the 2026 Institute norms.
- Prepare the supporting documents. CV, academic records, publication evidence and any materials requested in the live advertisement.
- Submit through the route specified by IIT Kanpur. The central DoFA page directs applicants to the Pingala online portal.
- Retain submission confirmation and monitor the department/DoFA communication for review or selection updates.
IPDF vs Project Postdoctoral Fellow at IIT Kanpur
Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship (IPDF)
Institute-funded fellowship governed by the 2026 IPDF norms.
Current fellowship: ₹80,000 → ₹90,000 → ₹1,00,000/month.
Contingency: ₹1.5 lakh/year.
Project Postdoctoral Fellow
Project-funded contractual research position advertised through IIT Kanpur’s sponsored-research/project recruitment system.
Salary and duration: depend on the individual project advertisement and can differ materially from IPDF norms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the IIT Kanpur IPDF stipend in 2026?
The revised 2026 norms specify ₹80,000 per month in Year 1, ₹90,000 in Year 2 and ₹1,00,000 in Year 3.
How much contingency is available?
₹1.5 lakh per year, available pro rata from the date of joining and usable for permitted research-related expenses.
Is IIT Kanpur IPDF currently open?
The central DoFA IPDF page and online application route are active. Actual appointment availability is department/IDP based and depends on a current open advertisement.
Is there one institute-wide deadline?
No. The 2026 norms use department/interdisciplinary-programme advertisements, so applicants should follow the deadline or review schedule of the relevant unit.
Can a fresh PhD apply?
Yes. IIT Kanpur’s central DoFA page explicitly encourages fresh PhDs to apply.
Can someone who has submitted the PhD thesis apply?
The central DoFA page states that applicants who have submitted their dissertation and are awaiting the oral examination may apply. The live department advertisement should still be checked for any additional condition.
Is a research plan mandatory?
Yes. The March 2026 Institute Postdoctoral Norms state that each application should be accompanied by a research plan.
Do I have to name a faculty mentor?
Not necessarily. The 2026 norms state that an application may or may not specify a mentor faculty member/group. The DFAC identifies a mentor for recommended cases.
How long can the fellowship continue?
The initial appointment is one year. It may be extended subject to satisfactory performance, but the total fellowship duration cannot exceed three years.
Does IIT Kanpur provide campus accommodation?
No. The revised 2026 norms state that on-campus accommodation will not be provided. HRA may be paid at prevailing rates for off-campus housing.
Official IIT Kanpur Sources
Use these official IIT Kanpur sources to confirm current norms, participating departments and the live application route.
