Guide / Health Research / 2026-27
DHR & ICMR Human Resource Development schemes, in plain English.
The Department of Health Research (DHR) and ICMR fund people in health research - studentships, fellowships, thesis grants and travel support. This page explains each scheme, who it is for, and where to apply, then lists every open call we are currently tracking. Apply through the official portal: schemes.dhr.gov.in.
Open DHR / ICMR calls we are tracking
Pulled live from the GrantSetu database. Each links to the full detail page with eligibility, budget and the official apply link.
DHR Human Resource Development Scheme - Call for Research Proposals 2026–27
DBT BIRAC Joint Call for Proposals on Bio-AI for establishing Mulankur hubs under BioE3 Policy for Biomanufacturing
BRICS STI Framework Programme 2026 - 7th Coordinated Call for Multilateral R&D Projects
MAHA Water Program
Call for Proposals: Development of Next-Generation Vaccines, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics — Livestock and Animal Biotechnology & Aquaculture
DBT, ICMR & SNSF Joint Research Projects: Call for Proposals 2026
Development of Aspirational Nutrient-Dense Food Products for Adolescent Girls and Women of Reproductive Age (WRA) to Prevent Anaemia
Special Call for Proposals for Establishment of ICMR Centre for Advanced Research (CAR) for the Development of Priority Medical Devices and Diagnostic Technologies
Special Call for Proposals for Establishment of ICMR Centre for Advanced Research (CAR) for the Development of Priority Medical Devices and Diagnostic Technologies
Call for Follow-on Research Grant under ICMR- Intramural Research Program-2026
The schemes, one by one
A quick map of what sits under DHR HRD and ICMR. Amounts, age limits and dates change every cycle - always confirm against the current official notice.
ICMR Short-Term Studentship (STS)
Who: MBBS / BDS undergraduate medical & dental students
A short (typically 2-month) supervised research project with a stipend, designed to give undergraduates a first taste of biomedical research. Applications open once a year through the ICMR portal.
Women Scientist Fellowship (Health Research)
Who: Women scientists with a break in career looking to return to health research
A fellowship that supports women researchers re-entering the health-research workforce, usually as a time-bound project grant with a consolidated fellowship amount and contingency.
MD / MS / MDS / DM / MCh Thesis Grant
Who: Postgraduate medical & dental students doing their thesis
A small grant that helps PG students meet the consumable / investigation costs of their dissertation work. Applied for through the institution and the DHR/ICMR portal.
Long-Term / Short-Term Training Fellowships
Who: Faculty, scientists and research staff in health-research institutions
Fellowships to train at advanced laboratories in India or abroad in priority and emerging areas of health research, covering travel, stipend and bench fees for the training period.
International Travel Grant Support
Who: Scientists & researchers presenting at conferences abroad
Partial support towards airfare / registration for presenting accepted work at international scientific meetings. Both ICMR and non-ICMR scientists are eligible under the relevant windows.
Start-up Grant for Induction into Biomedical & Health Research
Who: Early-career researchers building their first independent project
Seed funding to help new investigators set up and run a first independent line of biomedical / health research before they compete for larger extramural grants.
How to apply, step by step
- 01Find the live call - on this page above, or on /grants filtered to ICMR. Confirm it is the current year's notice.
- 02Open the official notice and the schemes.dhr.gov.in portal. Read the eligibility, age relaxation and required documents in full.
- 03Register / log in on the portal, get your institution's forwarding and No-Objection where required.
- 04Build your budget in the prescribed format - our free ICMR ePMS budget builder matches the submission annexure.
- 05Submit before the deadline and keep your acknowledgement. Late or wrongly-formatted submissions are routinely rejected.
Frequently asked
What is the DHR Human Resource Development (HRD) scheme?
It is a Department of Health Research (DHR, under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare) umbrella scheme that funds people - not infrastructure - in health research. It covers training fellowships (in India and abroad), the Women Scientist Fellowship, MD/MS thesis grants, short-term studentships and travel support, several of which are implemented through ICMR.
Where do I apply for DHR and ICMR HRD schemes?
Most DHR HRD calls are submitted through the official portal at schemes.dhr.gov.in. ICMR-run components (such as STS) are applied for through the relevant ICMR portal linked from the call. Always start from the official call notice - GrantSetu links you straight to it.
When does ICMR-STS open in 2026?
ICMR Short-Term Studentship opens once a year, usually mid-year, and closes within a few weeks. Exact 2026 dates are set in the official STS notice. We track the live call on GrantSetu and link to the registration page the moment it is announced.
Who is eligible for the DHR Women Scientist Fellowship?
It is aimed at women scientists - typically those with a break in their research career - who want to return to health research. Eligibility (qualifications, age relaxation, project type) is defined in the current call; confirm the specifics against the latest notice before applying.
Is the GrantSetu listing the official source?
No. GrantSetu is a discovery layer that aggregates and links to the official DHR / ICMR notices. Always verify amounts, eligibility and deadlines on the official portal (schemes.dhr.gov.in) before you apply.
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