The Central Government’s National Post Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF) is for young researchers who have finished their PhD and want to work in frontier areas of science and engineering. It is now run by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) — earlier it was run by SERB, but under the ANRF Act, 2023, SERB was merged into ANRF (effective September 2024). So its correct name today is ANRF–National Post Doctoral Fellowship. The 2026 call was open from 15 January to 17 February 2026 and is now closed — watch for the next call.
How much money and for how long
Those who have been awarded a PhD, MD or MS degree get ₹80,000 a month + House Rent Allowance (HRA). Those who have submitted their thesis but have not yet been awarded the degree get ₹50,000 a month + HRA. In addition, fellows get a research grant of ₹2,00,000 a year and overheads of ₹1,00,000 a year. The research grant covers minor equipment, consumables, contingencies and domestic travel. The fellowship lasts 2 years and is tenable only in India, at any recognised academic institution, national laboratory or recognised R&D institution.
Who can apply
The applicant must be an Indian citizen with a PhD, MD or MS from a recognised university (thesis-submitted candidates can also apply). At least two papers must be published by the time of application. The upper age limit is 35 years as on the call’s closure date — SC/ST/OBC, physically challenged and women candidates get a 5-year relaxation. You must apply within 5 years of your PhD viva-voce. A person can avail N-PDF only once in a career.
Mentor and institution conditions
The fellow works under a mentor. The mentor must hold a regular academic or research position in a recognised Indian institution and hold a PhD in Science or Engineering. One important condition — the fellow cannot work with their PhD guide or co-guide, nor in the same department or institution where they earned their PhD. A mentor can supervise at most 2 N-PDF fellows at a time.
How to apply
Applications are online only, through ANRF’s portal anrfonline.in. Calls are notified on anrfonline.in and anrf.gov.in. The old SERB portals (serbonline.in / serb.gov.in) are no longer used for this fellowship — do not apply there. Selected candidates must join within 3 months of the result declaration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How much does the N-PDF pay?
A: ₹80,000 a month + HRA for PhD holders and ₹50,000 a month + HRA for thesis-submitted candidates, plus a ₹2 lakh annual research grant.
Q2: How long is the fellowship?
A: 2 years, tenable only in India at a recognised institution.
Q3: What is the age limit?
A: Maximum 35 years on the call’s closure date; 5-year relaxation for SC/ST/OBC, physically challenged and women candidates.
Q4: When will the next call open?
A: The 2026 call (15 January–17 February 2026) is closed. Watch anrfonline.in for the next call announcement.
Useful links
- ANRF N-PDF official page: https://anrfonline.in/ANRF/npdf
- ANRF online portal: https://anrfonline.in/
- National Post Doctoral Fellowship on MyScheme: https://www.myscheme.gov.in/schemes/n-pdf
- Next Action: see all 726 Central Government schemes — /english/kendra-sarkar-ki-yojnayen-2/
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