Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY ) : Call for Applications
Last Date: 30/08/2015

Note from the sender of this Information:

I am a 4th year undergraduate student at the Indian Institute of Science, and currently pursuing a degree in B.Sc. (Research) in Materials Science from the same institute.

I have attached an MS- Word document containing the details regarding the KVPY Fellowship Program, which will immensely benefit the students studying XI, XII and B.Sc. I year. The benefits provided by the Fellowship is included in the document along with the selection procedure, application process and other important information. I hope the following document will help those students who go through your page or those parents and relatives who can give the information to anyone relevant for the program.

The article is heavily derived from the following website, and related links:
KVPY Official Website (http://www.kvpy.iisc.ernet.in/main/index.htm )

Aims and Objective of KVPY

With the objective of identifying students with talent and aptitude for research; and to help them realize their academic potential; encourage them to take up research careers in Science, and ensure the growth of the best scientific minds for research and development in the country, the Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana, more popularly known as KVPY, is an ongoing National program of Fellowship in Basic Sciences, initiated by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, to attract exceptionally highly motivated students for pursuing basic science courses and research career in science.

About KVPY

The "Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana" (KVPY) is a program started in 1999 by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India to encourage students who are studying Basic Sciences to take up research career in Science. The aim of the program is to identify and encourage talented and motivated students to pursue career in research.

This program aims to assist the students to realize their potential and to ensure that the best scientific talent is groomed for research and development in the country. Generous fellowship and contingency grant are provided to the selected KVPY Fellows up to the pre Ph.D. level or 5 years whichever is earlier. In addition, summer camps for the KVPY Fellows are organized in prestigious research and educational institutions in the country.

The Department of Science and Technology, the nodal agency of the Government has entrusted the overall responsibility for organizing and running the KVPY Program to the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and set up a Management Committee and a National Advisory Committee (NAC) for overseeing its implementation. A core committee looks after both the day-to-day and academic aspects of the KVPY Program.

The Fellowships

If a candidate qualifies through the final round of the KVPY exam, then he/she will be eligible for the KVPY Fellowship, for which the following benefits will be made available, according to the following category:
1. SA/SX/SB (during 1st to 3rd years of B.Sc. / B.S. / B.Stat. / B.Math / Integrated M.Sc. / M.S.) – Rs. 5000 per month, with an additional Rs. 20,000 annually.
2. SA/SX/SB (during M.Sc. / 4th to 5th year of Integrated M.Sc. / M.S. / M.Math. / M.Stat.) – Rs. 7000 per month, with an additional Rs. 28,000 annually.

For more information on continuation of the Fellowship, please refer to the KVPY website:
http://www.kvpy.iisc.ernet.in/main/fellowship.htm

Other interesting Privileges includes: Every KVPY fellow will be issued an Identity Card so as to have an access to National Laboratories / Universities who have agreed to extend special privileges like library, laboratory facilities, etc. on the production of the said ID card. Moreover, students who qualify for KVPY are eligible for admission into various institutes including: Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (IISc); Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER); National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), under certain criteria.

Special Summer Programs

Summer program is an important part of the nurture program for the KVPY Fellows. These are meant to expose the Fellows to methods of scientific search and inculcate in them an abiding interest in doing scientific research. These are normally organized during the summer vacation, when KVPY Fellows spend one or two weeks in scientific institutions listening to lectures by experts in different fields of Basic Sciences and other related subjects, observe things in a research environment, science in action, watch scientists at work, interact with scientists, visit nearby scientific research laboratories and institutions, exchange views and interact with other research students. Sometimes Fellows with specific interest are associated with individual scientists who talk to them about their interest, help them clear their doubts, give them problem to work on, let them do experiments, and tell them about the future scope in the area of their interest.

Summer Program for the KVPY Fellows is arranged at the Indian Institute for Science Education and Research (IISER) - Kolkata, Pune, Mohali, Bhopal, and Trivandrum for a week.

Eligibility Criteria

1) The KVPY Fellowships are given to Indian Nationals only to Study in India (Students holding PIO, OCI Card and students intending to pursue / pursing under graduate program under Distance Education scheme / correspondence course of any university are not eligible to apply).
2) Students enrolled in an undergraduate course in Basic Sciences, that is, B.Sc. / B.S. / B.Stat. / B.Math. / Int. M.Sc. / M.S. in Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Statistics, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Cell Biology, Ecology, Molecular Biology, Botany, Zoology, Physiology, Biotechnology, Neurosciences, Bioinformatics, Marine Biology, Geology, Human Biology, Genetics, Biomedical Sciences, Applied Physics, Geophysics, Materials Science or Environmental Science are eligible.

Candidates can qualify for the KVPY Fellowship through various streams depending on the following factors, as mentioned across the respective streams:
1) Stream SA: Students enrolled in XI Standard (Science Subjects) during the academic year 2015-16 and having secured a minimum of 80% (70% for SC / ST / PWD) marks in aggregate in MATHEMATICS and SCIENCE subjects in the X Standard Board examination. The fellowship of the students selected under this stream will be activated only if they join an undergraduate course in Basic Sciences (B.Sc. / B.S. / B.Stat. / B.Math. / Int. M.Sc. / M.S.) in the academic year 2017-18 after having secured a minimum of 60% (50% for SC / ST / PWD) marks in aggregate in Science subjects in the XII standard / (+2) Board Examination. During the interim period of one year they will be invited for Regional /National (Vijyoshi) Science Camp and their travel and other related expenses will be met by KVPY.

2) Stream SX: Students enrolled in XII Standard/ (+2) (Science subjects) during the academic year 2015–16 and aspiring to join undergraduate program in Basic Sciences namely Physics/Chemistry/Mathematics & Biology leading to B.Sc. / B.S. / B.Stat. / B.Math. / Int. M.Sc. / M.S. for the session 2016–17 provided they have secured a minimum of 80% (70% for SC / ST / PWD) marks in aggregate in MATHEMATICS and SCIENCE subjects (Physics / Chemistry / Biology) in the X Standard Board Examination and a minimum of 60% (50% for SC / ST / PWD) marks in aggregate in SCIENCE subjects (Physics / Chemistry / Biology) in the XII standard Board Examination.

Students in their 2nd year of study in Cambridge International Examination Board and aspiring to join an UG program (viz. B.Sc. / B.S. / B.Stat. / B.Math. / Int. M.Sc. / M.S.) in Basic Sciences namely Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology in the Academic year 2016-17 are eligible to apply provided they have secured a minimum of 80% (70% for SC / ST / PWD) marks in aggregate in MATHEMATICS and SCIENCE subjects (Physics / Chemistry / Biology) in the X Standard Board Examination. They must secure 60% (50% for SC / ST / PWD) marks in aggregate in MATHEMATICS and SCIENCE subjects (Physics / Chemistry / Biology) in the XII standard Board Examination before taking up the fellowship, if awarded.

3) Stream SB: Students enrolled in the 1st year of undergraduate program in Basic Sciences namely Physics / Chemistry / Mathematics & Biology leading to B.Sc. / B.S. / B.Stat. / B.Math. / Int. M.Sc. / M.S. during the academic year 2015–16 and having secured a minimum of 60% (50% for SC / ST / PWD) marks in aggregate in SCIENCE subjects (Physics/Chemistry/Biology/Mathematics) in the XII Standard Board Examination. In the 1st year final examination of B.Sc. / B.S. / B.Math. / B.Stat. / Int. M.Sc. / M.S. they must secure 60% (50% for SC / ST / PWD) marks before taking up the fellowship, if awarded.

For more information on the eligibility for the Fellowship Program, please refer to the KVPY website:
http://www.kvpy.iisc.ernet.in/main/eligibility.htm

Selection Process

The Selection procedure for qualifying to the KVPY Fellowship is based on an Aptitude Test followed by an Interview.
1) Aptitude Test: If the candidate is eligible (as mentioned in the eligibility criteria), he/she will be called for a written aptitude test at different centers across the country on Sunday, 1st November 2015. The details of the test center and Seat number for a particular candidate will be provided in the Admit card (Hall Ticket). It will also be published in the KVPY Website during the second week of October, 2015. Students can download their Admit card for the Aptitude test from the KVPY website from the second week of October.
2) Interview: Based on the performance of the candidate on the Aptitude test, shortlisted students (candidates who qualified the Aptitude test) will be asked to appear for an interview, which is the final step of the selection procedure.

Application Procedure:

The Application procedure can be done through the online modes only. For applying online, the step-by-step process is given in the KVPY website and the applicant is advised to read the guidelines carefully before applying.


Applicants can follow the following link in the KVPY website for applying:
http://www.kvpy.iisc.ernet.in/main/applications.htm

Important Dates:

1) Last date for closing of online application: 30/08/2015
2) Download Admit Card: 5/10/2015
3) Exam Date: 1/11/2015


For more information please refer to the KVPY website for FAQ’s and other details.