Indian scheme to provide 300 research grants for women

Three hundred women in India have been selected to receive a research grant that will run over three years as part of a scheme to support and empower female scientists. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) initiative is designed to encourage more women to participate in cross-disciplinary research, including the chemical sciences.

On International Women’s Day 2023, the CSIR launched – for the first time – a special call for research grants for female scientists branded CSIR-ASPIRE which took in over 3000 submissions across the country. Eligibility criteria stated the principal investigator must be a woman actively carrying out R&D in science and engineering. After an independent review, the research committee chose 301 research proposals to support. The funds, which do not exceed INR2.5–3 million (£236,000–£282,000), will be provided for staff, contingency and minor equipment. The grant also subsidises international travel to enable global exposure and foster international collaboration.