Last updated on: February 27, 2026
Yuvika Rathi
College Student
Here's the brutal reality of PhD funding in India: a Non-NET scholar gets ₹8,000 monthly — unchanged since 2006. A Prime Minister Research Fellow gets ₹80,000 monthly in Years 4-5. That's a 10x difference for doing the same degree at the same institution. Your stipend isn't about your research potential. It's about which fellowship you secured before you even started.
If you're planning PhD admissions in 2026, this guide breaks down exactly which universities and fellowships deliver monthly stipends above ₹40,000 — the threshold where PhD becomes financially viable, not just academically ambitious.
The Prime Minister Research Fellowship is India's highest-paid PhD program. Selected candidates receive ₹70,000 monthly for the first two years, ₹75,000 in Year 3, and ₹80,000 in Years 4-5. Additionally, scholars get ₹2 lakh annually as a research grant for five years covering conference travel, equipment, and publication fees.
Eligibility is razor-sharp. Candidates must have completed or be in the final year of a four-year undergraduate or five-year integrated MTech/MSc from IISc, IITs, NITs, IISERs, IIEST, or centrally-funded IIITs with a minimum CGPA of 8.0 on a 10-point scale. The scheme admits approximately 100 new scholars annually through a rigorous two-stage selection: expert reviewer screening followed by Selection Committee interviews for each of the 19 broad disciplines.
The catch? PMRF is brutally competitive. Less than 5% of applicants secure selection. The program prioritizes research aligned with national priorities — AI, quantum computing, climate science, advanced materials, healthcare technologies. Generic research proposals without clear societal or economic impact get rejected regardless of academic credentials.
Senior Research Fellowship kicks in after two years as Junior Research Fellow. From January 1, 2023, SRF stipend increased from ₹35,000 to ₹42,000 monthly — crossing the ₹40,000 threshold that makes PhD financially sustainable in metro cities.
UGC-NET qualified scholars automatically transition from JRF to SRF after completing two years or passing their comprehensive exam, whichever comes first. CSIR-NET scholars follow identical progression. Both provide ₹20,000 annual contingency grants for research expenses.
The advantage of SRF over JRF isn't just money. It's recognition. SRF status signals you've survived the critical first two years, cleared comprehensive exams, and demonstrated research competence. It strengthens your CV for postdoctoral positions and faculty recruitment.
This industry-partnered fellowship scheme awards up to 100 scholarships annually with stipends between ₹55,000 and ₹72,800 monthly depending on HRA applicability. The total annual support reaches ₹8.7 lakhs per candidate. Fifty percent funding comes from government, fifty percent from partner companies like Bosch, TCS, Infosys, and Reliance.
The unique advantage: direct industry mentorship and guaranteed internships at partner companies during your PhD. This fellowship works exceptionally well for applied research in engineering, data science, AI, and manufacturing. Scholars essentially get paid to solve real industry problems while earning their doctorate.
Applications are accepted year-round through the portal. Selection involves company-specific interviews where fit with industrial research priorities matters as much as academic credentials.
Indian Institute of Science offers ₹37,000 monthly plus hostel accommodation or HRA for all PhD scholars, enhanced to ₹42,000 after PhD registration. Integrated PhD scholars receive ₹25,000 in Year 1, jumping to ₹37,000 from Year 2 onward.
IISc's advantage isn't just the stipend. It's the research grant ecosystem. Faculty have active projects funded by DST, DBT, DRDO, and international agencies. PhD scholars working on these projects often receive additional project assistantships stacking on top of their base fellowship, pushing effective monthly income to ₹50,000-₹60,000.
All 23 IITs follow UGC norms: JRF scholars get ₹37,000 monthly for two years, SRF scholars get ₹42,000 for the next three years. PMRF scholars at IITs receive the full ₹70,000-₹80,000 PMRF rate.
The hidden advantage at older IITs like IIT Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Kanpur, and Kharagpur: they host maximum PMRF scholars and have the strongest industry collaboration networks. A PhD scholar at IIT Bombay's Computer Science department has significantly higher probability of securing PMRF or industry-sponsored fellowships than a scholar at a newer IIT.
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research offers ₹37,000 monthly enhanced to ₹42,000 after registration — matching IISc. But TIFR's advantage is its PhD-to-postdoc pipeline. TIFR PhD graduates often transition directly into TIFR postdoctoral positions paying ₹58,000-₹67,000 monthly, creating a seamless five-to-seven-year funded research trajectory.
JNU, University of Delhi, University of Hyderabad, and Banaras Hindu University all follow standard UGC fellowship norms. JRF scholars receive ₹37,000, SRF scholars receive ₹42,000. The advantage of these universities is lower living costs compared to IITs in expensive metros, making the ₹42,000 SRF stipend stretch further.
Delhi University's specific advantage: proximity to CSIR labs, DRDO establishments, and government research institutes allows PhD scholars to collaborate on externally-funded projects that provide supplementary income.
Option 1: Qualify UGC-NET/CSIR-NET, survive two years, transition to SRF This is the most common pathway. ₹37,000 as JRF for two years, ₹42,000 as SRF for three years. Total five-year earning: approximately ₹23.28 lakhs.
Option 2: Secure PMRF directly The highest-paying route. ₹70,000 for two years, ₹75,000 for Year 3, ₹80,000 for Years 4-5. Total five-year earning: approximately ₹45 lakhs. But acceptance rate is under 5%.
Option 3: Target PM Fellowship for Doctoral Research with industry partners Guaranteed ₹55,000-₹72,800 monthly with industry exposure. Ideal for applied research students wanting corporate career pathways post-PhD. Acceptance rate is higher than PMRF at approximately 10-12%.
Option 4: Non-NET admission + external project funding Some IITs and IISc admit PhD scholars without NET if they have GATE qualification. These scholars start at ₹8,000 Non-NET stipend but can join faculty research projects as Project Assistants earning ₹25,000-₹35,000 monthly, bringing combined income above ₹40,000.
Here's the insider move: UGC and CSIR fellowships can sometimes be stacked with institute-specific teaching assistantships. For instance, a UGC-NET SRF scholar at IIT Delhi earning ₹42,000 can additionally serve as a Teaching Assistant for undergraduate courses, receiving ₹5,000-₹10,000 monthly as TA stipend. Effective monthly income: ₹47,000-₹52,000.
This stacking isn't advertised but is permitted at most IITs and central universities. PhD scholars need to proactively approach department heads requesting TA assignments. The workload is typically 4-6 hours weekly — conducting tutorial sessions or grading assignments.
₹42,000 monthly sounds comfortable until you account for:
After these deductions, a ₹42,000 SRF stipend leaves approximately ₹18,000-₹25,000 for savings and emergencies. This is why PMRF's ₹80,000 plus ₹2 lakh annual research grant is transformative — it's the only fellowship where PhD scholars can both survive comfortably and save meaningfully.
As of February 2026, no new stipend hike has been announced for Non-NET scholars, who remain at ₹8,000 monthly — unchanged since 2006. Research bodies like All-India Research Scholars Association continue demanding urgent revision citing inflation and rising living costs, but proposals remain under review with no confirmed timeline from UGC or government.
The JRF and SRF stipend revision announced in January 2023 remains in force: JRF at ₹37,000, SRF at ₹42,000. This means the pathway to above-₹40,000 stipends in 2026 remains unchanged: qualify NET, reach SRF status, or secure PMRF/PM Fellowship.
PhD stipends above ₹40,000 monthly in India in 2026 come from exactly three sources: UGC-NET/CSIR-NET SRF status (₹42,000), PMRF (₹70,000-₹80,000), or PM Fellowship for Doctoral Research (₹55,000-₹72,800). Every other pathway leaves you below ₹40,000 unless you stack external project assistantships or TA positions.
The strategic decision isn't just which university to join. It's which fellowship pathway to secure before joining. Universities don't determine your stipend — fellowships do. A PMRF scholar at a newer IIT earns more than a Non-NET scholar at IISc Bangalore. Focus your preparation energy on qualifying the highest-paying fellowship you're eligible for, then choose the university that offers the best research environment in your domain.
The ₹40,000 threshold isn't arbitrary. It's the minimum monthly income where PhD becomes financially sustainable rather than financially punishing. Below it, you survive. Above it, you thrive. In 2026, that threshold is accessible — but only if you know which doors to knock on before you start.