New Delhi: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has invited applications for the Netaji Subhas-ICAR International Fellowships (NS-ICARIFs) 2026, offering opportunities for Indian and overseas candidates to pursue doctoral studies in agriculture and allied sciences.
A total of 30 fellowships will be available for a period of three years. Indian candidates can pursue doctoral research at identified overseas universities and institutions, while overseas candidates can undertake their studies at eligible Indian Agricultural Universities within the ICAR-AU system.
The fellowship is open to candidates holding a Master’s degree in Agriculture or Allied Sciences. As per the scheme guidelines, applicants must have an CGPA of 6.60 out of 10 or 65% marks or equivalent.
The age limit is 35 years for fresh candidates and 40 years for in-service candidates as on the last date of application. Fresh candidates must also have completed their qualifying degree within two years before the specified admission year. In-service Indian candidates must be employed in the ICAR-AU system.
The fellowship covers both Indian and overseas candidates, with the selection and allocation of fellowships depending on suitable candidates in the identified priority research areas.
Candidates have to submit the application in the prescribed format provided in the PDF below. The application form requires academic qualifications, research experience, publications, proposed PhD research area, research plan, details of the host university and references, among other information.
Candidates are also required to obtain acceptance for admission to the relevant PhD programme at an identified institution.
Application deadline: September 25, 2026
Applications should be sent to ADG (HRD), ICAR at adg.hrd.applications@gmail.com with the subject line: “Application for NSIF: Name of Applicant and contact number.”
The detailed guidelines, priority research areas and application proforma are available through the ICAR website. Selection involves evaluation of the candidate's academic record, achievements, work experience, relevance of the proposed research and subsequent interview by a Selection Committee.
For Indian candidates, the scheme also requires a commitment to return to India after completion of the PhD, subject to the conditions specified by ICAR.