IndiaAI PhD Fellowship 2026

About this AI Research Associate role at IndiaAI Mission, MeitY

The IndiaAI Mission, under India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), is offering 500 PhD fellowships across India for exceptional researchers pursuing advanced degrees in AI and machine learning. This is a prestigious government-backed research opportunity for freshers entering doctoral programs — a direct path to contribute to India's AI research agenda while building your credentials in a competitive field.

What you'll do

• Conduct original research in AI/ML, NLP, computer vision, robotics, or related domains as part of your PhD program at a recognised Indian university
• Focus on responsible AI development and ethical frameworks for real-world deployment
• Build AI solutions for India-specific challenges in agriculture, healthcare, education, and language technologies
• Contribute to foundational machine learning research that advances the field
• Present findings and collaborate with the broader IndiaAI research community over your fellowship tenure (up to 5 years)

Who should apply

You must be pursuing or about to commence a PhD in AI, ML, NLP, computer vision, robotics, or a closely related domain at any recognised Indian university or institute. This fellowship welcomes freshers entering doctoral programs — no prior industry experience required. Your institution will nominate you through their selection process, combined with an interview round.

Salary & offer in context

The IndiaAI fellowship stipend is ₹70,000 per month for the first 2 years, then ₹80,000 per month thereafter, with an additional contingency grant for research expenses. For freshers entering AI research roles in India, this monthly fellowship is competitive and frees you to focus on high-impact research without needing a separate income.

Path to apply

This is a nomination-based fellowship — your PhD-awarding institution will nominate candidates, followed by an interview conducted by IndiaAI. There is no separate entrance exam beyond your university's standard PhD admission process. Applications close on 30 July 2026, so connect with your institution's PhD admissions office early if you're interested in being nominated for this prestigious program.