BIRAC (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council), the Government of India’s biotech funding and mentoring agency, invites applications for the 3rd Call for Proposal under the E-YUVA Scheme. This initiative aims to cultivate applied research and youth-driven entrepreneurial innovation among undergraduates, empowering teams to translate ideas into value-added solutions with societal and industry relevance. The current call concentrates on undergraduate E-YUVA Fellows, offering a pathway for hands-on translational research, incubation support, and mentorship through a nationwide network of centers and partner organizations.

Overview of the E-YUVA 3rd Call and Core Intent

The E-YUVA scheme stands for Empowering Youth for Undertaking Value Added Innovative Translational Research. Its core objective is to nurture a culture of applied research and need-oriented innovation among young students and researchers. Through the 3rd Call for Proposal, BIRAC seeks to advance translational research by supporting undergraduate teams with fellowships, research grants, and incubation opportunities, while ensuring access to mentoring through BioNEST bioincubators. Selection is national in scope, conducted in collaboration with designated E-YUVA Centers and E-YUVA Knowledge Partners, ensuring a robust and standardized evaluation process. The scheme emphasizes collaboration, practical training, and access to infrastructure, enabling students to pursue meaningful work within their home institutions while leveraging the resources of specialized centers.

Key elements include structured support for undergraduate teams, a formal path to incubation and mentorship, and a focus on scalable, real-world impact. BIRAC also highlights a preference for applicants from Tier II and Tier III cities, encouraging broader geographic participation and inclusion. By mobilizing university labs and pre-incubation facilities, the program places early translational research within reach of young scholars who can contribute to India’s bioeconomy and social welfare through innovative solutions.

Participating E-YUVA Centers for This Call

During this 3rd Call, the initiative is launched for a selected set of E-YUVA Centers that provide pre-incubation space, infrastructure, and mentorship to fellows. Each center acts as an anchor, offering essential facilities for basic research and hands-on experimentation, while coordinating with E-YUVA Knowledge Partners to extend additional resources as needed. A total of 12 centers have been designated for this call, allowing nationwide access while focusing on centers capable of delivering high-quality mentorship and incubation support. Fellows are expected to spend 3–4 weeks at an E-YUVA center or E-YUVA Knowledge Partner during their fellowship, integrating on-site training with ongoing work in their home institutions.

• University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, Rajasthan
• Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore, TN
• University of Agricultural Sciences UAS, Dharwad, Karnataka
• Anna University, Chennai, TN
• GIET University, Gunpur, Odisha
• Career College, Bhopal, MP
• Adamas University, Kolkata, WB
• PSGR Krishnammal College for Women, Coimbatore, TN
• Atmiya University, Rajkot, Gujarat
• University Of Kashmir, Srinagar, J&K
• Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Solapur University, Solapur, Maharashra
• Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab

These centers collectively provide access to infrastructure and mentorship tailored to undergraduate research teams, reinforcing the program’s emphasis on translational outcomes. The geographic spread and institutional diversity among the centers support broad outreach, enabling students from various regions and disciplines to participate in a structured, mentor-led research pathway. It is notable that the call explicitly recognizes and encourages participation from Tier II/III cities, reflecting a strategic intent to broaden the program’s impact beyond major metropolitan hubs.

What E-YUVA Provides: Fellowship, Grants, Incubation, and Mentoring

Central to the E-YUVA opportunity is a multi-faceted support package designed to sustain student-led translational research and entrepreneurial exploration. The scheme offers four complementary pillars of assistance intended to accelerate the journey from concept to application:

• Fellowship — Financial support for undergraduate teams, enabling focused research and development activities while pursuing degree requirements.
• Annual Research Grant — Dedicated funds to advance selected research initiatives, supporting project milestones, materials, and auxiliary activities necessary for translational work.
• Incubation Support by E-YUVA Centers — Access to pre-incubation space and infrastructure through E-YUVA Centers, enabling teams to prototype, test, and iterate their ideas within a supportive ecosystem.
• Mentoring by BioNEST Bioincubators — Guidance from experienced mentors and access to industry-relevant advice through BioNEST-affiliated networks, helping shape research into viable products or societal solutions.

Collectively, these components are designed to foster early-stage translational research among undergraduates by pairing laboratory experience with structured mentorship and incubation pathways. Fellows pursue their research within their home college or university labs, leveraging facilities at E-YUVA Centers and E-YUVA Knowledge Partners as needed. The program also requires fellows to spend a portion of their fellowship period at an E-YUVA center or knowledge partner, ensuring immersion in an integrated ecosystem that can enhance technical development, collaboration, and exposure to entrepreneurial best practices.

Eligibility and Participation: Who Can Apply

The 3rd Call is aimed at BIRAC’s E-YUVA Fellows, specifically undergraduate students forming collaborative teams. Eligibility emphasizes teamwork, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and institutional support to nurture a viable research trajectory. Details for prospective applicants include:

• A team of up to 5 Indian students pursuing undergraduate studies in any discipline.
• Teams can comprise students from one or multiple colleges or institutes; cross-disciplinary teams are encouraged to bring diverse skill sets to address complex translational challenges.
• A designated mentor or guide must support the team throughout the proposal and project execution.
• Application must be submitted through an E-cell of a College/Institute. If team members come from different colleges/institutes, each member’s college/institute must have an E-Cell or Institutional Innovation Council/Incubation center to participate in the program.

In addition to the team composition requirements, the program underscores the national scope of selection. Proposals will be evaluated through a national-level process, with shortlisting conducted in collaboration with E-YUVA Centers and E-YUVA Knowledge Partners. This structure is intended to ensure consistency in assessment criteria while leveraging regional strengths and institutional capacities across participating centers. The inclusion of Tier II/III city emphasis signals a commitment to expanding opportunity and diversity among finalists, aligning with broader national goals to broaden participation in science and entrepreneurship at the undergraduate level.

Application Process: How to Apply and What to Expect

Application submission for the 3rd Call occurs online via the BIRAC website. Prospective teams should prepare to create a user account on the BIRAC platform to initiate the process. The stated sequence involves national-level application and shortlisting, conducted in collaboration with E-YUVA Centers and E-YUVA Knowledge Partners. Once selected, fellows will engage with E-YUVA Centers, access facilities, and participate in required mentorship and incubation activities. The process emphasizes a combination of institutional engagement, collaborative team dynamics, and structured mentorship to maximize translational potential.

• Online submission via BIRAC’s website.
• Creation of a user account on BIRAC’s portal to manage the application and track progress.
• National-level selection with shortlisting in collaboration with E-YUVA Centers and E-YUVA Knowledge Partners.
• Mandatory 3–4 weeks of on-site experience at an E-YUVA center or E-YUVA Knowledge Partner during the fellowship period.
• Focus on teams from Indian Institutes/Colleges with undergraduate programs; collaboration across institutions is supported by the E-Cell/Innovation Council framework.

Applicants should be prepared to articulate the translational intent of their research, potential societal or industry impact, and a clear plan for how fellowships and subsequent incubation support will advance their project. While the document does not outline detailed timelines or evaluation criteria, it emphasizes nationwide reach, collaboration with established centers, and a structured pathway from fellowship through incubation toward measurable translational outcomes. Prospective teams can leverage the E-YUVA ecosystem to gain access to pre-incubation infrastructure, mentorship, and potential funding to propel their undergraduate research toward real-world application.