Government of India
Ministry of Science & Technology
Department of Science & Technology
….
 
 
Subject :  INSPIRE  Award  Scheme  –  General  Guidelines  /
Clarifications.
 
1.  Innovation  in  Science  Pursuit  for  Inspired  Research  (INSPIRE)  is  a
flagship programme of this Ministry / Department which has five components
covering entire range of education and research from class 6th
  to post graduate
stage  of  a  student.   The  first  component  of  this  programme  is  the  “INSPIRE
Award" which recognizes the talent among students at a very early stage.   
 
2.  Under  the  scheme,  a  one  time  award  of  Rs.  5000/-  is  given  to  the
students, who would  utilize  about  50%  of  the  amount  for  making  a  science
project  / model  and balance 50%  towards  cost of bringing project  / model  at
District Level Exhibition Centre for display.
 
3.  The  scheme  envisages  selection  of  1 million  (10  lakh)  students  during
the  11th
  Five  Year  Plan  (2007-08  to  2011-12),  @  2  lakh  awards  per  year.  
Considering  that  there  are  about  5  lakh  schools  in  the  country which would
have classes 6th to 10th, during the 5 years period, 2 students from each school
would be selected for the INSPIRE Award (in two phases).
 
4.  The selection of  the students, on merits,  is  to be done by  the Principal.  
No specific criteria / guidelines have been laid down by DST in this regard and
it  is  expected  that  Principals  /  Headmasters  /  Headmistresses  would  be
nominating  the  most  deserving  and  meritorious  students  for  such  awards.  
However, a wide publicity should be done  in  the school about  this scheme so
that students become aware of  it.   Posters  / pamphlets containing brief details
of  the  scheme  should be put on  notice board  / other  prominent   places  in  the
school.  
 
 
5.  The  proposal  from  each  school  has  to  come  in  the  prescribed  format
(copy enclosed).  From each school, name of the recommended student in each
class  (from  6th  to  10th)  has  to  be  indicated  along  with  the  name  of  the
preferred  child  in  each  Group  (Group  A  consisting  of  classes  6th
  to  8th
  and
Group  B  consisting  of  classes  9th
  to  10th
).    To  the  extent  possible,  equal
representation  should  be  given  to  the  students  from  each  class.    It  should  be
ensured  that  relevant  details  in  various  columns  of  the  format  are  properly
filled  in respect of all the students / schools (like sex of the student  in col. 11,
category  in col. 12, type of school  in col. 6, location type in col. 7 and so on).  :  2  :
 
Based on these details, DST would select 2 children from each school (1 in the
first  phase  and  1  in  the  second  phase  over  the  Five  Year  Plan  period)  and
convey  the decision  to  the concerned authorities and send  the award warrants
in the name of selected students to the State Nodal Officer.
 
6.  The proposals of all schools within a district has  to be compiled  in  the
enclosed  format by District Education authorities and sent  to State authorities
(along with soft copy in MS-Excel format), who would compile the proposals
for  the  entire  State  and  send  to  DST  (along  with  soft  copy  in MS-Excel
format).   (One single file for entire state or separate files for different districts
of the state can be prepared).
 
7.  The states that could not participate  in the said scheme / could not send
any  proposal  till  the  end  of  financial  year  2009-10,  are  requested  to  send
proposals  for  2010-11  and  2011-12  together.    For  middle  schools  i.e.  those
having  classes  6th
  to  8th
  only,  1  set  of  proposal would  be  given  for  the  year
2010-11 and another set of proposal  for  the year 2011-12.   For High  / Higher
Secondary Schools  i.e. schools having classes 6th
 to 10th
, two names would be
recommended  from classes 6th
  to 10th
  (1  from Group A,    i.e. classes 6th
  to 8th
and 1  from Group B,  i.e. classes 9th
  to 10th
).   Out of  these, 1 name would be
selected during the year 2010-11 and the second name during the year 2011-12.  
However, if sufficient funds are available, DST can even sanction the 2nd child
during this financial year itself from the list of 2011-12 for middle schools and
/  or  from  list  of   High  / Higher  secondary  schools  for  those  states who  send  
complete proposals in time.  It may be noted that 2011-12 being the last year of
11th Five Year Plan,  it  is essential  that proposals  from States  / UTs, covering
two students  from ALL  the Schools, as stated  in  this para, must be submitted
during 2010-11 itself.
 
8 (a)  Simultaneously,  the  states  should  give  programme  /  schedule  of  their
District level and State level exhibitions and proposals for funds for organizing
such exhibitions.  Funds would be released to the States / UTs  to meet cost of
boarding  and  lodging  of  awardees,  teachers  accompanying  them, members of
Jury, etc. and travel cost of accompanying teacher, Jury members,  honorarium
to Jury members, etc., publicity, other miscellaneous costs towards organizing
the exhibitions. TA/DA, boarding,  lodging, honorarium etc. would be paid as
per  entitlements  under  the State Government  rules.    For States  exhibition,  in
addition  to  items mentioned  above,  the  expenditure would  also  include  travel
cost of selected students. (Travel cost of students for District level exhibition is
included in the Rs. 5000/- award money).  
 :  3  :
 
(b)  Funds  would  be  released  based  on  proposals  received  from  State
Government  for District  level  / State  level exhibitions, giving broad details of
proposed  expenditure,  subject  to  a  ceiling  of Rs.  20.00  lakhs    for State  level
exhibition and Rs. 5.00  lakhs  for District  level exhibition having participation
of  about  250  students.    For  District  level  exhibitions  having  lesser  /  more
number  of  students,  funds  would  be  decreased  /  increased  on  pro-rata  basis
(subject  to a maximum  limit of Rs. 10.00  lakhs per District  level exhibition).  
In  cases,  where  the  number  of  students  for  District  level  exhibition  is  very
small;  there  is  no  objection  in  organizing  combine  exhibition  for  2  to  3
neighboring District at one  location.   Funds would be  released as an advance
on  submission of programme  /  schedule of Exhibition with projected  cost  by
the  State  /  UTs.    Thereafter,  the  States  /  UTs  would  be  required  to  submit
Utilization Certificates  in  the prescribed  format  to  the Department of Science
& Technology, Government of India within 45 days of organization of District
/ State level exhibition.  
 
(c)  The  State  Nodal  Officer  /  other  authorized  officer  of  the  State
Government, dealing with  the  INSPIRE Scheme would be  required  to open a
Bank  Account  specifically  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  funds  from  DST  for
District and State level exhibitions and intimate the details of the Bank account
so  opened  viz.  name  of  the  Bank,  Branch  address,  type  of  account,  Bank
account number, IFSC Code of  the Bank  / Branch, MICR Code of  the Bank  /
Branch,  etc.   These particulars will  help  in  immediate  transfer of  funds  from
the  Bank  account  of  DST  to  the  bank  account  of  State  Nodal  Officer
(INSPIRE)  through  various Electronic  Funds  Transfer modes.   Hence, while
submitting  the  proposals  for  release  of  funds,  simultaneously,  the State  / UT
must furnish the bank details for enabling immediate transfer of funds.  Similar
arrangements  should be put  in place  asking District Nodal Officers of  all  the
Districts  to  open  a  bank  account  exclusively  for  receiving  funds  for District
level exhibitions, so  that State Nodal Officer,  immediately on receipt of  funds
from  DST,  can  transfer  the  same  electronically  to  the  bank  accounts  of
respective  District  level  Nodal  Officers.    State  Nodal  Officer  and  District
Nodal Officer would maintain proper records of funds received, spent, balance,
etc.  and  submit  requisite Utilization Certificates  to DST  through  State Nodal
Officer.   
 
9.(a)  All awardees get an opportunities  to display  their project at  the District
Level  Exhibition  to  be  organized  by  District  Level  Authorities.  Projects  at
District Level would be  judged by a 3-member  jury (2  locals- to be appointed
by District    /  State  authorities  (from  local  college/  university  /  other  reputed
institutes faculty members) and 1 DST panel – INSPIRE Mentor  list available :  4  :
 
at DST website), who would select best projects / models, subject to maximum
of 5%  project / models for State level Exhibition.   
 
(b)  Selected projects at District level would get opportunity to participate in
the  State  Level  Exhibition,  to  be  organized  by  State  authorities.    Projects  at
State  level would be  judged by a 3-member  jury  (1  local-  to be appointed by
State  authorities  and  2  DST  panel  –  INSPIRE Mentor  list  available  at DST
website) who would select best 5 projects / models for National level.  
 
(c)  Selected projects at State / UT level would get opportunity to participate
in the National Level Exhibition, to be organized by DST Projects at National
Level would  be  judged  by  jury  appointed  by DST, who would  select  best  5
projects.   
 
10.  For  those  States/UTs who  had  sent  proposals  during  the  year  2009-10
and had got awards in respect of some schools, it should be ensured that for the
current year,
 
(a)  Separate  proposal  are  sent  for  the  remaining  schools  of  the
State/UT as indicated in para 7 above i.e. for two students.
 
(b)  For  those  schools,  to which one  award  has been  sanctioned  upto
2009-10, separate proposals should be sent for the second award.
 
(c)  No  school  should  be  included  in  the  list  if  it  has  already  been
sanctioned two awards upto 2009-10.
 
11.  Keeping  in  view  the  large  number  of  schools  and  the  students
recommended  from  each  school  in  each  class, proposals  can be processed by
DST  only  if  accompanied  by  Soft  Copy  (in MS  Excel  format  in  prescribed
proforma duly filled in).  In the absence of Soft Copy, it will not be possible
for  Department  of  Science  &  Technology  to  process  proposals  and
sanction the awards.  Hence, to avoid any delay, states are requested to ensure
that Hard Copy of  the proposals  is  simultaneously  accompanied by  soft  copy
which  can  be  sent  either  on  CD  or  through  e-mail  of  concerned  officers  of
DST.
 
12.  All  the  INSPIRE  awardees  would  get  a  Certificate.    In  addition,
Certificates would be given to the students whose projects / models are selected
/ adjudged best at the District / State / National Level Exhibition.
 :  5  :
 
13.  The award amount would be sanctioned in the name of selected students
and  award warrants  in  the  name  of  selected  students would  be  got  prepared
from  the  bank.   All  the  award warrants  of  a  particular  State  / UT would  be
handed over to State Nodal Officer / his representative for onward distribution
to  awardees  through District  / School  authorities.   As  per  the  understandings
with  DST's  bank  issuing  the  award  warrants,  it  is  not  compulsory  for  the
awardees to open a bank account to en-cash his warrant.  The Award / Warrant
can be en-cashed at any branch of the bank (State Bank of India) at par.  
 
14.  It  may  be  noted  that  all  types  of  recognized  schools,  whether
Government  (Central Government  /  State Government)  or  Private  (Aided  or
Unaided), or run by NGOs etc.  are covered under the scheme.  
 
15.  While sending the proposals, it should be ensured that adequate number
of  students  is  included  from  SCs,  STs  and  OBC  categories  and  maximum
possible  representation  is  given  to  girl  students  in  proposals  from  co-
educational schools.    
 
 
*****
 
 
_____________________________________________
Notes:  e-mail of officers for sending soft copy of proposal.
 
Shri N.J. Thomas, Deputy Secretary, e-mail: nj.thomas@.nic.in
Shri Rajiv Malik, Under Secretary, e-mail: us.inspire-dst@nic.in
Shri Devendra Singh, Scientist 'E', e-mail: ds.chahar@nic.in