SERB - POWER Research Grants 2026

SERB - POWER Research Grants scheme aims to encourage emerging and eminent women researchers for individual-centric and competitive mode of research funding to undertake R&D activities in frontier areas of science and engineering.

POWER Grants will empower women researchers by funding them under following two categories:

• Level I: The scale of funding upto 60 Lakhs for three years.
• Level II: The scale of funding upto 30 Lakhs for three years.

Mechanisms of Identification:

The SERB-Core Research Grant(CRG) Platform will be used to identify and support women scientists under the POWER Research Grant component. Accordingly proposals will be received through two streams:

• Stream 1: Direct Applications for POWER Grant(Online).
• Stream 2: Applications sourced from CRG Scheme(All PACs).

Eligibility:

• Applicants (Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-Principal Investigator(s)(Co-PI(s))) should be Indian citizens.
• The Applicant(s) must hold a regular academic/research position in a recognized academic institution or national laboratory or in any other recognized R&D institution in India .
• Applicants from IITs, IISERs, IISc, NITs, Central Universities, and National Labs of Central Government Institutions will be considered under Level I category, whereas applicants from State Universities/Colleges and Private Academic Institutions should apply under Level II category.
• POWER Grant will be regulated through terms of reference confirming to SERB-CRG guidelines.
• The selection will be based on the recommendations of Program Advisory Committee (PAC) constituted by the Board. If required, the applicants may be called for discussion/presentation.
• SERB POWER grant will be regulated through terms of reference conforming to SERB CRG guidelines except sharing of 50 % non- recurring cost by National Laboratories and Research Institutions.
• Woman scientists can not hold POWER Fellowship and POWER Grant at the same time.
• Faculties recruited through UGC-Faculty Recharge Program are eligible to apply. INSPIRE Faculty, Ramanujan and Ramalingaswamy Fellows are also eligible to apply provided they have at least three and half years of tenure remaining at the time of submission of application.
• Investigators who will be superannuating during the duration of the project or already superannuated are also eligible to apply. In such cases, a Woman Faculty/Scientist from the host institute who has at least 5 years of service remaining should be associated as a Co-PI. The host institution should allow the investigator to continue after superannuation and provide required support towards implementation of the project.

Details of the proposal:

• Project Title (max 500 characters)
• Project summary (max 3000 characters)
• Keywords (max 6)
• Objectives of project (max 1500 characters)
• Expected output and outcome of the proposal (max 1500 characters)
• Budget (Research Personnel, Consumables,Travel, Equipment, Contingency, Overheads)