The Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, invites proposals for the "Fund for Improvement of S&T Infrastructure (FIST) Program – 2025". This scheme aims to enhance R&D infrastructure in universities and higher educational institutions. The program supports the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat by making R&D facilities accessible to academic researchers, start-ups, manufacturing industries, and MSMEs, aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP) and national priorities.

Eligibility Criteria

FIST support is considered for a 'Department / School / Center' within a University or Degree-awarding Academic Institution. Eligible applicants include Science, Engineering, and Technology Departments/Centres with strong PG research programs. These institutions must be recognized or regulated by UGC/ AICTE and/or MHRD/ State Education Department.

Educational organizations under other Ministries/Departments/Agencies are excluded. A two-year cool-off period is mandatory for departments that have completed their FIST project tenure before applying for further support. Departments must ensure submission of all relevant documents towards final settlement and closure of the concerned project after completion of the ongoing project tenure and obtain the ‘Project Completion Certificate’.

• For Colleges, support is considered for the 'College as a whole' for post-graduate S&T departments only.
• NITs/ IITs/ Schools/ Centres/ University Constituent Colleges are not eligible to apply under Level ‘A’.

Levels of Support and Funding

The FIST program offers four levels of support, each with specific funding amounts and eligibility criteria. Level A is for PG Colleges, providing up to ₹1.50 Crore for 5 years. Level B supports moderate research activities with up to ₹3.0 Crores for 5 years, targeting State Universities, Central Universities, Private academic institutions, and NITs.

Level C provides up to ₹10.0 Crores for 5 years, aimed at well-established departments in State and Central Universities, including IITs, IISc, IISERs, NITs, and AIIMS. FIST-SHAKTI supports high-end advanced infrastructure at an institutional level, offering up to ₹20.0 Crores for 5 years.

For self-financed Private/ Govt. aided Colleges, support shall be considered on a shared basis - DST share@75% and College/ Institute Management share @25 % of total project cost and/ or actual expenditure within the total project cost (whichever is less).

Key Requirements and Evaluation

Proposals must align with National Missions and the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP). Departments seeking repeat support must meet cooling-off eligibility norms. The number of core faculty members with PhD degrees varies by level, with Level C requiring eight or more, while State Universities / CFIs established within the last 10 years (till Month of application) may qualify with a minimum of 5 PhD-holding core faculty members in its department.

Performance in the last 5 years, including publications in SCI journals, patents, awards, and extramural research grants, is crucial. A projected research plan for the next 5 years is also required. For self-financed private organizations, the Departments of the University/ Institute should have at least 50% PhD students pursuing their PhD as full time Research Scholar and receiving their fellowships either by virtue of NET/GATE qualification or holder of Institute/any other agency fellowship.

The selection process involves a peer review mechanism and potential lab visits. An Advisory Board of Experts assists DST in making the final selections. The "FIST" facilities ought to attract a substantial user base from both within the academic institution or university and from external institutions

FIST-SHAKTI Specifics

FIST-SHAKTI requires participating departments to have received at least two cycles of FIST support at Level ‘C’ and secured ‘Very Good’ or above review grading. Proposals should focus on creating centralized facilities catering to two or more departments. Individual equipment costs should not be less than Rs 100 Lakhs, and evidence of international collaboration with a proven track record is necessary.

Each participating department should have a minimum of ten permanent faculty members with PhD degrees. Faculty recognition at the National/International level is also essential. Participating departments need to provide the Performance of academic and research profile of last 10 years.

Not more than one proposal in SHAKTI Level will be entertained from one organization/institution/university. Participating departments should not apply at Level- B & C, if applying under this level.

Application Process and Deadline

Applications must be submitted online through the DST e-PMS Portal (onlinedst.gov.in). Applicants should carefully review the relevant advertisement and proposal formats available on the DST website (www.dst.gov.in). Download the appropriate proposal format (Word and PDF) file (max. size 5Mb), fill all the information required as per the format and then keep it ready for upload during submission of mandatory documents.

Fill the mandatory information as mentioned in the General Format of the Application. For all other documents/ information you may kindly submit the same as a part of the consolidated proposal along with application format, as appropriate for you. 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.

The deadline for online application submission is 15th MAY 2025. For inquiries, contact Dr. Pravakar Mohanty at pravakar[dot]mohanty[at]gov[dot]in.

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