Ramanujan Fellowship 2026: Apply by 31 December

Ramanujan Fellowship 2026: Current Status

Eligibility

The current ANRF criteria require the nominee to meet the following conditions:

• Indian national or person of Indian origin.
• Working abroad in science or engineering at the time of nomination.
• Below 40 years of age at the time of nomination.
• PhD or equivalent higher qualification such as M.E., M.Tech. or M.D., with adequate professional experience.
• Outstanding research record and demonstrated scientific or engineering excellence.
• Not already holding a permanent, tenure-track or contractual position in an Indian institution.

Funding and Duration

Host Institution Rules

The fellow may work in a suitable Indian science and technology institution, university or department, academic institution or national laboratory willing to provide the required administrative and research infrastructure.

• The proposed host should normally be different from the institution where the nominee obtained the doctorate.
• Nominations from the nominee’s PhD guide are not considered.
• Nominations from the same institution where the nominee pursued the PhD are not considered.
• The host institution must formally support and submit the nomination through an authorised nominator.

How to Apply

Ramanujan Fellowship is nomination-based, but the nominee actively completes the online application before sending it to the institutional nominator.

1. Identify an eligible Indian host institution aligned with the proposed research.
2. Secure the institution’s willingness to host the nominee.
3. Register on the ANRF online system and complete the nominee profile.
4. Select Ramanujan Fellowship under the relevant form-submission section.
5. Complete nominee, qualification, research and nominator details.
6. Upload the proposed research area/outline as a single PDF of no more than 5 pages.
7. Upload the required supporting documents.
8. Use Send to Nominator.
9. The authorised institutional nominator reviews the application.
10. The nominator formally submits the nomination to ANRF.

Key Documents

Current ANRF portal instructions list supporting material including:

• nomination letter on official institutional letterhead;
• nominee curriculum vitae;
• proposed research area / research outline as a single PDF of up to 5 pages; and
• plagiarism undertaking.

Applicants should use the live portal checklist as the controlling source because ANRF can revise required fields or document formats.

Important Restrictions and Joining Conditions

• No salary during fellowship tenure: the awardee is not entitled to receive a salary while drawing the Ramanujan Fellowship.
• Permanent / tenure-track / contractual appointment: obtaining such a position makes the fellow ineligible to continue receiving the Ramanujan Fellowship, research grant and institutional overhead support.
• Joining timeline: a selected fellow must join the host institute within six months of the approval/award letter, failing which the award may lapse.
• Tenure: the fellowship is limited to five years and is not extendable.

CareerAidHub Applicant Guidance

The following is CareerAidHub guidance, not additional ANRF eligibility criteria.

• Choose the host strategically: prioritize scientific fit, infrastructure and the institution’s ability to support the proposed five-year research direction.
• Make the proposal independent: clearly distinguish the proposed programme from previous doctoral and postdoctoral work.
• Prepare the host discussion early: nomination requires institutional support and an authorised nominator.
• Keep the five-page research outline focused: emphasize the research question, originality, feasibility, expected outputs and why the chosen host is appropriate.
• Plan relocation timing: selected fellows must join within six months of the award letter.