WIDUSHI
Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation
6.8/10WIDUSHI, or Women's Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation, is a program initiated by the Ministry of Science and Technology to empower senior women scientists across India. It provides fellowships and research grants to support interdisciplinary research in various scientific fields, including Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Life Sciences, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Engineering and Technology, and S&T-based Societal Research. Eligible candidates can receive a monthly fellowship of up to ₹85,000, along with a research grant of ₹5,00,000 per year and institutional overhead charges of ₹1,00,000 annually. The program targets two categories of women scientists: Category A includes those who are permanent employees nearing retirement or already retired, aged between 57 to 62 years, while Category B is for those who are not permanent employees but have completed two independent research projects, aged between 45 to 62 years. Proposals are accepted year-round through the online portal, fostering innovation and scientific advancement in India.
States / UT: All India
Ministry / nodal: Ministry Of Science And Technology
Nodal department: Department Of Science & Technology
Scheme for: Individual
Scheme profile
DBT (direct benefit transfer): No
Categories: Women and Child, Science, IT & Communications
Sub-categories: Research & Development
Target beneficiaries: Individual
Tags: WIDUSHI, Woman, KIRAN, Scientist, Retired, Fellowship, Research
Details
A new programme “Women's Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovations (WIDUSHI)” is started by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under its umbrella scheme “Women in Science and Engineering-KIRAN (WISE-KIRAN)” for senior women scientists to harness their knowledge and potential for the betterment of Science and Society. WIDUSHI programme aims to encourage and support senior women scientists to conduct research in interdisciplinary areas of Science and Technology.
Benefits
- Category A:
- Fellowship (Principal Investigator): ₹75,000/- per month - Research Assistant: 1 position provided - Research Grant: ₹5,00,000 per year - Institutional Overhead Charges: ₹1,00,000/- per annum Category B:
- Fellowship (Principal Investigator): ₹85,000/- per month - Research Assistant: 1 position provided - Research Grant: ₹5,00,000 per year - Institutional Overhead Charges: ₹1,00,000/- per annum
Category A:
- Fellowship (Principal Investigator): ₹75,000/- per month - Research Assistant: 1 position provided - Research Grant: ₹5,00,000 per year - Institutional Overhead Charges: ₹1,00,000/- per annum
Category B:
- Fellowship (Principal Investigator): ₹85,000/- per month - Research Assistant: 1 position provided - Research Grant: ₹5,00,000 per year - Institutional Overhead Charges: ₹1,00,000/- per annum
Eligibility
Category A: The following are the primary eligibility criteria-
- Employment: Women Scientists who are permanent employees but retiring in a year or already retired/superannuated from government academic/research institutions.
- Age: 57-62 years 1. Qualification: Women Scientists having Ph.D. in Basic/Applied Sciences or equivalent degree.
- Research Experience: Minimum 2 R&D projects as Principal Investigator with excellent track record.
- Publications: Minimum 20 research publications with impact factor.
Category B: The following are the primary eligibility criteria-
Employment: Women who are not permanent employees in any institution but working temporarily and have completed 2 independent research projects as Principal Investigator.
Age: 45-62 years 1. Qualification: Women Scientists having Ph.D. in Basic/Applied Sciences or equivalent degree.
Research Experience: Minimum 2 R&D projects as Principal Investigator with excellent track record.
Publications: Minimum 10 research publications with impact factor.
> Proposals are invited from senior women scientists in the following scientific disciplines:- Physical & Mathematical Sciences
- Chemical Sciences
- Life Sciences
- Earth & Atmospheric Sciences
- Engineering & Technology
- S&T-based Societal Research
Co-Investigator (Co-I):
'WIDUSHI' fellow should choose a permanent faculty as Co-I (male/female) of the project for academic and administrative support in project implementation. The service of Co-I has to be due for a period not less than the proposed period of the WIDUSHI project. The Co-I is not eligible for any separate grants under the programme.
How useful is this scheme?
A practical look at this scheme for citizens
AI-generated insights showing how useful, accessible, and practical this scheme may be — combining deterministic scoring rules with a public-policy LLM analyst.
- Accessibility6.0
- Financial impact8.0
- Rural utility4.0
- Awareness7.5
- Simplicity5.0
- Inclusivity10.0
What problem does this scheme solve?
The WIDUSHI program is designed to empower senior women scientists in India, providing them with necessary resources for research.
Key challenges addressed
- Encourages women's participation in scientific research
- Supports senior women scientists nearing retirement
Most beneficial for
- Senior women scientists
- Women in academia and research
Likely challenges
- Complex application process for first-time applicants
- Digital literacy requirements may hinder some applicants
Practical insights for citizens
The program's benefits may not reach all eligible women due to application complexities.
Rural challenges
- Limited internet access
- Lack of awareness about the program
Digital challenges
- High digital dependency for application submission
Implementation bottlenecks
- Complexity in proposal submission process
Awareness challenges
- Low awareness among potential beneficiaries
Application analysis
- Application mode
- Online portal
- Verification complexity
- Moderate
- Office dependency
- Low
- DBT dependency
- None
- CSC support
- Limited
- Estimated citizen effort
- High
Estimated beneficiary reach
Benefit analysis
- Benefit type
- Composite
- Benefit frequency
- Monthly and annual grants
- Benefit practicality
- High for eligible women scientists
- Financial meaningfulness
- High due to significant fellowship and research grants
- Long-term impact
- Positive impact on women's representation in science
Plain-language guidance
WIDUSHI supports senior women scientists with fellowships and research grants to promote their research. Eligible women can apply online throughout the year.
- Who should apply
- Senior women scientists aged 45-62 with research experience.
- Who may struggle
- Women with limited digital skills or those unfamiliar with online applications.
- Best application route
- Apply directly through the online portal.
This intelligence section is generated by an AI policy analyst combined with rule-based scoring. Scores and narrative are estimates derived from the publicly available scheme information shown on this page; actual experience may vary by state, district, and department. Always confirm details on the official portal before you apply.
Application Process
Online
Registration Process:
Step 01: The proposal submission is open throughout the year.
Step 02: The proposal format is available at https://dst.gov.in/ and https://onlinedst.gov.in/ under WISE-KIRAN Division.
Step 03: Log on to https://onlinedst.gov.in/ to access the home page of the “DST e-PMS Portal”.
Step 04: Click on “New PI Registration” and fill in the requisite details for New user registration. In the ‘Personal Information’ section, fill- department, Institute, and Institute Address as per the Host Institute identified for the WIDUSHI programme.
Step 05: After logging in, click on the “Submit proposal” option and then “Initiate New Proposal”. Search the programme by Division Name or Call By Programme/Scheme.
Step 06: Select the Programme/Scheme name (WIDUSHI) and then click on “Start Submission”. Select the category and fill in all the information as required in the form.
Step 07: After filling in all the particulars, preview your details before the final submission of the application form by clicking on the “Preview” button. The preview page will display all the facts/ particulars that you have mentioned. If there is something that you wish to update, go back and correct the information, or else proceed with the filled details by clicking on the “Submit” button to finally push data into the server.
Step 08: Candidates are advised to carefully fill and verify the details filled in the online application themselves as no change will be possible/ entertained after clicking the FINAL SUBMIT BUTTON.
Selection Process:
The project proposals received will be screened and the Principal Investigator (PI) of ‘screened-in’ proposals will be called for presentation before Programme Advisory Committee for final recommendation. The final decision of DST will be communicated to the applicants only after obtaining due administrative and financial approvals.
For detailed information:
• Please refer WIDUSHI Guidelines at www.dst.gov.in and online-wosa.gov.in. For further clarification email enquiry-wosdst@gov.in.
Clarifications
Additional points from the scheme information published on myScheme (not legal advice).
- What is the “WIDUSHI” programme?
The programme "Women's Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovations (WIDUSHI)" is started by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under its umbrella scheme "Women in Science and Engineering-KIRAN (WISE-KIRAN)" for senior women scientists to harness their knowledge and potential for the betterment of Science and Society.
- What is the aim of this programme?
WIDUSHI programme aims to encourage and support senior women scientists to conduct research in interdisciplinary areas of Science and Technology.
- Which is the implementing agency of this programme?
Department of Science & Technology, Government of India
- Who can apply for the Programme?
The following are the primary eligibility criteria- For Category A: Women Scientists who are permanent employees but retiring in a year or already retired/superannuated from government academic/research institutions. For Category B: Women who are not permanent employees in any institution but working temporarily and have completed 2 independent research projects as Principal Investigator.
- What are the areas covered under this Programme?
- Physical & Mathematical Sciences 2. Chemical Sciences 3. Life Sciences 4. Earth & Atmospheric Sciences 5. Engineering & Technology 6. S&T based Societal Research
- What is the nature of support provided to the selected scientists?
Category A: The Programme provides fellowship to the Principal Investigator @₹75,000/- per month, One Research Assistant, Research Grant of ₹5.0 Lakh per year and Institutional overhead charges @₹1.00 lakh per annum. Category B: The Programme provides fellowship to the Principal Investigator @₹85,000/- per month, One Research Assistant, Research Grant of ₹5.0 Lakh per year and Institutional overhead charges @₹1.00 lakh per annum.
- What is the age criterion to apply under the programme?
For Category A: The age of the applicant should be between 57 to 62 years. For Category B: The age of the applicant should be between 45 to 62 years.
- What shall be tenure of the project?
The maximum duration of the project is 5 years.
- What is the last date for receipt of Application?
The online Application portal is open throughout the year for proposal submission.
- How to apply under the programme?
The call is open for proposal submission under WISE-KIRAN at ePMS (https://onlinedst.gov.in).
Official links
References
- Guidelines
- https://dst.gov.in/sites/default/files/Advertisement-WIDUSHI_0.pdf
- E-PMS Portal
- https://onlinedst.gov.in/
- DST Portal
- https://dst.gov.in/
Apply
Apply nowOpens the official application or programme portal in a new tab. If in doubt, confirm details on the ministry site.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the purpose of Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation?
- Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation is a government welfare initiative designed to support Individual, Individual through benefits related to Women and Child, financial assistance, subsidies, social welfare, healthcare, education, or livelihood support.
- Who can apply for Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation?
- Eligibility for Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation may depend on factors such as income category, age, gender, occupation, state of residence, social category, and government-defined beneficiary criteria.
- What benefits are offered under Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation?
- Benefits under Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation may include financial assistance, subsidies, scholarships, insurance support, healthcare benefits, pension support, training assistance, or welfare services depending on the scheme guidelines.
- Which department manages Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation?
- Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation is managed by Department Of Science & Technology and may be implemented through district offices, online portals, CSC centres, banks, or authorised government agencies.
- Can users apply online for Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation?
- Yes, eligible applicants may be able to apply online for Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation through official government portals, authorised service centres, or digital application systems depending on the implementation process.
- Is Aadhaar mandatory for Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation?
- Many government schemes may require Aadhaar verification, identity proof, or linked bank account details for beneficiary validation and direct benefit transfer processing.
- Where can users apply for Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation?
- Applications for Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation may be submitted through government departments, official scheme portals, CSC centres, district offices, welfare departments, or authorised service centres.
- What documents may be required for Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation?
- Applicants may need Aadhaar card, income certificate, residence proof, bank account details, caste certificate, photographs, educational records, or occupation-related documents depending on scheme eligibility requirements.
- Is Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation a central government scheme?
- Yes, Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation is a central government welfare initiative that may be implemented across multiple states through authorised departments and agencies.
- Is Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation only for women beneficiaries?
- Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation is primarily intended to support eligible women beneficiaries through welfare assistance, financial support, skill development, healthcare, or social security initiatives.
- Does Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation support self-employment or financial assistance for women?
- Depending on scheme guidelines, Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation may provide loans, subsidies, training support, self-employment assistance, or financial welfare benefits for women.
- Who is eligible for pension benefits under Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation?
- Eligibility may depend on age, income category, social welfare criteria, disability status, widow status, or senior citizen classification defined under the scheme.
- How are pension benefits provided under Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation?
- Pension assistance under Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation may be transferred through direct benefit transfer (DBT), linked bank accounts, post office accounts, or welfare department payment systems.
- Can CSC centres help users apply for Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation?
- Many government schemes may be accessible through nearby CSC centres, authorised digital service centres, or welfare facilitation offices.
- How can users check the latest updates for Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation?
- Users should verify official notifications, department announcements, application deadlines, and eligibility updates through authorised government portals or implementing agencies.
- Can beneficiaries track application status for Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation?
- Certain schemes may provide online application tracking, beneficiary verification systems, or status-check facilities through official portals.
- Where can users get help for Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation in All India?
- Users in All India may seek assistance through CSC centres, district welfare offices, government departments, agriculture offices, social welfare departments, or authorised facilitation centres.
- Which nearby public services may help with Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovation applications?
- Depending on the scheme, users may require support from Aadhaar centres, CSC centres, banks, hospitals, post offices, or government welfare offices for document verification and application assistance.