The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) launched the AICTE Innovation and Entrepreneurship Doctoral Fellowship Programme (AIEDFP) on 3 September 2026. The programme has a projected outlay of ₹245 crore for five years and will support 150 PhD fellowships in innovation and entrepreneurship.
AICTE and its statutory role
AICTE is a statutory body under the Ministry of Education, Government of India. It regulates technical education in India and covers institutions offering engineering, management, pharmacy, architecture, and applied arts and crafts programmes.
Fellowship structure and financial support
Selected research scholars under AIEDFP will receive a monthly stipend of ₹60,000 plus applicable House Rent Allowance for the first three years. The stipend will rise to ₹70,000 per month plus applicable House Rent Allowance for the next two years, and the total support period will extend up to five years.
The programme also provides an Innovation Grant of up to ₹10 lakh for prototype development, testing, field trials, validation, and research-related travel. The grant is linked to application-oriented research in both technological and non-technological areas.
Research focus and institutional linkages
The fellowship programme is designed for transdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research. It seeks to connect higher education institutions, industries, and the startup ecosystem for the conversion of laboratory ideas into commercial products.
Innovation-oriented doctoral support is a feature of several Indian research and entrepreneurship initiatives. Doctoral fellowships in India are commonly used to support full-time PhD scholars in universities, institutes of national importance, and technical institutions.
Important Facts for Exams
- AICTE stands for the All India Council for Technical Education.
- AICTE was established as a statutory body in 1987.
- House Rent Allowance is a common component of fellowships and government salaries in India.
- PhD stands for Doctor of Philosophy and is the highest academic research degree in many disciplines.
Doctoral fellowship in India
Doctoral fellowships in India are used to support research scholars during PhD programmes. They are often linked to research themes such as innovation, entrepreneurship, technology development, and industry collaboration.
