Scheme Overview & Objective
The ANRF Core Research Grant (CRG) is the flagship competitive scientific research funding scheme administered by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), formerly known as SERB, under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India. Designed to catalyse high‑impact research across all frontier areas of Science and Engineering, the grant offers up to ₹50 Lakh (excluding institutional overheads) for a structured research tenure of three years. The core objective is to empower individual investigators and collaborative academic groups to pursue breakthrough discoveries in fields ranging from quantum computing and nanotechnology to biotechnology and advanced materials.
Eligibility Criteria & Scope
Only qualified Indian researchers who meet the strict criteria below can submit a proposal. The eligibility framework is deliberately narrow to ensure that the limited grant pool is allocated to projects with the highest scientific merit.
- Applicant must be an Indian citizen holding a regular academic or research position in a recognized academic institution or a national R&D laboratory.
- The Principal Investigator (PI) must possess a PhD in Science, Engineering, Medicine, or allied disciplines.
- The host institution must provide basic administrative and infrastructural facilities required for the project.
- The research proposal must present an original, high‑impact scientific inquiry with a clear methodology and measurable outcomes.
- Co‑Principal Investigators (Co‑PIs) from the same or other recognized Indian institutes are allowed, provided they meet the same citizenship and qualification standards.
- An investigator cannot hold more than one active CRG/EMR project concurrently.
These criteria apply uniformly across all Science & Engineering (S&E) fields—physical, chemical, life, and engineering domains.
Key Financial & Growth Benefits
The CRG delivers a comprehensive financial package that goes beyond mere cash assistance. The following benefits are explicitly outlined by ANRF:
- Frontier Scientific Funding: Direct research capital up to ₹50 Lakhs, disbursed over a three‑year tenure.
- Capital Equipment Support: Substantial grants for purchasing advanced instrumentation such as lasers, spectrometers, and high‑performance servers.
- Fellowship & Manpower Grants: Funds to hire research scholars (JRF/SRF/RA) to accelerate project execution.
