The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has extended the deadline for industry registration under Phase II of its Industry Fellowship Programme (IFP) 2026-27 to October 31.
Eligible companies and organisations can complete the onboarding process through the official portal, ifp.aicte.gov.in. The programme aims to strengthen ties between technical institutions and industry by giving faculty members exposure to workplace practices, emerging technologies and industry requirements.
The extension applies to industry registration, not necessarily to applications by individual faculty members. The current notice does not specify a separate deadline for faculty applications.
Who can register for the programme?
Organisations seeking to participate must meet the following conditions:
Have a registered office in India.
Have been operational for at least five years.
Have an average annual turnover of at least Rs 100 crore over the preceding three financial years.
Eligible entities include proprietorships, partnership firms, private limited companies, public limited companies and public sector undertakings, subject to the prescribed conditions.
Organisations must register through the official AICTE Industry Fellowship Programme portal and provide the details required for onboarding before the October 31 deadline.
What is the AICTE Industry Fellowship Programme?
The programme is designed for faculty members of AICTE-approved technical institutions. It aims to address the gap between academic teaching and the skills and technologies used in industry.
Under the scheme framework, participating industries identify fellowship positions and their requirements. Academic institutions nominate eligible faculty members, AICTE screens candidates against the prescribed criteria, and industry partners select fellows based on their needs.
The scheme covers areas including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, advanced manufacturing, healthcare technology, sustainability, space and defence, smart mobility and critical minerals.
The published scheme guidelines provide for fellowship periods of six months or one year. They specify an AICTE contribution of Rs 75,000 per month and a minimum industry stipend of Rs 25,000 per month. The faculty member’s parent institution continues to pay the salary under the existing terms. Candidates should check the current Phase II guidelines for the applicable terms and dates.
Who can participate as a faculty fellow?
The guidelines require faculty members to have at least five years of full-time teaching experience at an AICTE-approved institution and to hold a regular appointment. Candidates also need a nomination and no-objection certificate from their institution and must meet at least one of the scheme’s additional academic or professional criteria.
These include qualifying a recognised entrance examination, publishing at least five articles in Scopus- or Web of Science-indexed journals, completing qualifying government-funded projects, receiving specified awards or meeting the prescribed academic-ranking criteria. The original scheme document also specifies an age limit, so applicants should consult the current guidelines rather than assume every condition remains unchanged for Phase II.
The fellowship is intended to help faculty members update their technical knowledge and apply industry experience to teaching, curriculum development and student training. For participating companies, it offers a structured route to work with technical institutions and contribute to the development of industry-ready graduates.
With the industry-registration deadline set for October 31, eligible organisations should complete onboarding through the official portal and review the latest programme instructions before submitting their details.