Guidelines for Utilization of Mentorship Grant of INSPIRE

The main objective of INSPIRE/SHE program is to encourage young students to pursue Research
as a career. In order to inculcate scientific values and develop scientific temper, the scholars are
required to enroll in a research project in the vacations of every year. Students at IISER Pune will
also have to do a project in the 5th year.
1. INSPIRE scholars are required to do a research project/internship during summer vacations
every year.
2. The duration of the project/internship should be at least 2 months
3. Each student will have ` 20,000 as mentorship grant every year
4. Unutilized mentorship grant from one year can be accumulated till the end of the BS MS course.
5. However, if during any summer the student does not do a project/internship, that years
mentorship grant shall be stand surrendered.
6. At the end of the research project/internship the student is expected to submit a report of the
project duly signed by the supervisor and submit to the academic section by August 15 every
year.
7. Purchase of laptop is not permitted. However, charges for replacement of hard disk, and battery
or recovery of data will be reimbursed.
Project in India:
1. For Students doing a project in India, the expenses related to travel, accommodation and
consumable expenses are reimbursed to the student. Please note that no food expenses are
covered by this grant, since the students receive scholarship during this period.
2. For reimbursement of travel expenses, the student has to submit a travel claim form along with
the copies of the tickets. The reimbursement will be restricted to 2nd/3rd AC sleeper class or
actual expenditure incurred whichever is less. A valid proof of payment of accommodation
charges is required for reimbursement of accommodation charges. If consumables or any other
item is purchased for the project work, proper invoice for the same should be submitted duly
certified by the supervisor.
3. If the Institute in which the student is doing the project has the requirement of payment of
bench fees or any other type of charges, the money will be transferred to the Institute. If the
Institute is providing accommodation on payment basis, the same can be directly paid to the
Institute.
4. If the student is paid any type of financial assistance during the internship, he will not be
entitled to draw the scholarship during the period. Student has to give a declaration to that
effect. Submission of wrong declaration will attract disciplinary action.
Project abroad:

1. Students carrying out research project in any Institute/ University/ Laboratory abroad may use
the mentorship grant for air fare, visa charges and local transport. The reimbursement will be
restricted to the extent of balance available in the mentorship grant of the student.
2.

If the sponsoring institute pays any stipend or travel grant, only the difference between the
support received from all sources put together and actual expenditure, will be reimbursed from
the Mentorship Grant.

3. There is no provision for gifting the unutilized grant to the student.