The Government of Haryana’s HSCST Fellowship Programme gives a monthly fellowship to students who have completed M.Sc. and qualified the CSIR-UGC NET/JRF, so they can pursue a full-time Ph.D. at any university or institute in Haryana. JRF-NET qualified candidates receive ₹31,000 (JRF) to ₹35,000 (SRF) per month, and LS-NET qualified candidates receive ₹18,000 (JRF) to ₹21,000 (SRF) per month, along with an annual contingency grant of ₹20,000 paid to the institution. The fellowship is offered by the Haryana State Council for Science, Innovation & Technology (HSCSIT), and applications are submitted online through the Har-Chhatravratti portal. Please note: applications for the 2026-27 cycle closed on 3 September 2026 — no new application can be submitted right now. The next cycle (2027-28) has not been announced yet. This guide covers eligibility, benefits, documents, the complete application process, selection and helpline — and wherever information could not be confirmed from official sources, that is stated clearly.
Scheme at a Glance
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scheme name | HSCST Fellowship Programme (HSCSTFP) |
| State / level | Haryana / State scheme |
| Implementing agency | Haryana State Council for Science, Innovation & Technology (HSCSIT) |
| Nodal department | Higher Education Department (as per myScheme); the Council works under the Department of Science & Technology |
| Benefit | JRF-NET: ₹31,000–₹35,000/month; LS-NET: ₹18,000–₹21,000/month; contingency ₹20,000/year (to the institution) |
| Tenure | 3 years, extendable to the 4th and 5th year; total tenure maximum 5 years |
| Who can apply | M.Sc. (minimum 55%) + CSIR-UGC JRF-NET/LS-NET qualified, permanent residents of Haryana |
| Age limit | Maximum 28 years for JRF (5-year relaxation for SC/ST/Women/PH/OBC) |
| How to apply | Online — Har-Chhatravratti portal (harchhatravratti.highereduhry.ac.in/fellowship) |
| Application fee | Not stated in any source — see ‘Fee and Timeline’ below |
| Current status | 2026-27 cycle closed (last date 3 September 2026); next cycle not yet announced |
| DBT | No (myScheme: dbtScheme — No) |
Is the Application Open Right Now?
No — applications are currently closed. The last date for the 2026-27 cycle was 3 September 2026 (Buddy4Study, updated 15 July 2026) — that date has passed as of today, 9 November 2026, so no application can be submitted now. The previous 2025 cycle closed on 30 June 2025. Different websites show different 2026 last dates (29 May 2026, 30 June 2026) — these appear to be dates of different cycles or pages; the latest cycle (2026-27) date of 3 September 2026 is used here. When the next cycle (2027-28) will open has not been announced yet — watch the press advertisement, the Har-Chhatravratti portal and the News and Events section of dst.highereduhry.ac.in.
Preparing for the next cycle: the next cycle will accept only the NET examination named in its advertisement — for the 2026-27 cycle, the Joint CSIR-UGC Test held on 25, 26 and 27 July 2024 was valid. Do not guess the next exam date; the advertisement is final.
What Benefit Will You Get?
The fellowship amount depends on which examination you have qualified — JRF-NET or LS-NET:
| Category | JRF (first 2 years) | SRF (after that) |
|---|---|---|
| JRF-NET (CSIR/UGC) qualified | ₹31,000 per month | ₹35,000 per month |
| LS-NET qualified | ₹18,000 per month | ₹21,000 per month |
In addition, the fellowship carries an annual contingency grant of ₹20,000, paid to the University/Institution (for research-related expenses). JRF-NET candidates receive this fellowship only if they are not availing a CSIR/UGC fellowship for some valid reason — in other words, it is meant for NET-qualified students who missed out on the central fellowship.
Tenure: the fellowship runs for 3 years, extendable to the 4th and 5th year as per the programme’s terms & conditions. The total tenure as JRF plus SRF will not exceed five years.
Leave: leave with stipend of up to 45 days for each completed year of tenure may be allowed by the Guide after the request has been communicated to HSCSIT. The leave is treated as part of the Fellow’s tenure. Leave due can be carried over to the next year, but not more than 90 days can be accumulated at any time.
Temporary job: with HSCSIT’s permission, a Research Fellow may take up a temporary paid lectureship/research job in a recognised R&D Institution/University/College, or PDF (post-doctoral fellowship) studies in India & abroad, for a period not exceeding 1 year during the entire tenure of the Fellowship (JRF & SRF together).
About HRA: myScheme does not mention HRA. One blog writes “₹31,000 + HRA (as per norms)”, but this is not confirmed — check the advertisement for whether HRA is paid.
Who Can Apply — Eligibility
These are the eligibility conditions given on myScheme — all of them must be met together:
- The candidate should be a permanent resident of Haryana.
- The candidate should hold an M.Sc. or an equivalent degree with a minimum of 55% marks.
- The candidate should have qualified JRF-NET (CSIR/UGC) & LS-NET in the Joint CSIR-UGC Test for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and eligibility for lectureship (NET).
- The candidate should be interested in pursuing full-time research leading to a Ph.D. degree — at any Institute/University in Haryana.
- Candidates receiving a fellowship or financial assistance from any other source are not eligible.
- Age limit: the upper age limit for JRF is 28 years, with a relaxation of up to 5 years for candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Women, Physically Handicapped (PH) and Other Backward Classes (OBC).
Conditions specific to the 2026-27 cycle (as per Buddy4Study): that cycle required the Joint CSIR-UGC Test held on 25, 26 and 27 July 2024, and the age limit was counted as on 1 January 2024 (28 years, with relaxation). The exam date and the age cut-off date may change in the next cycle — the advertisement is final.
Subjects in Which You Can Do a Ph.D.
As per myScheme, the fellowship is for full-time Ph.D. research in these subject areas:
- Life Sciences
- Physical Sciences
- Chemical Sciences
- Mathematical Sciences
- Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean & Planetary Sciences
Please note: myScheme’s search listing also mentions Medical Sciences, but the detailed eligibility conditions name only these five subject areas — for medical subjects, the advertisement’s conditions will apply.
Documents Required
myScheme does not give a document list. As per Buddy4Study, these documents were asked for in the 2026-27 cycle — do verify the current list from the portal or the advertisement before applying:
- 10th standard certificate (for age proof)
- Photograph (passport size)
- NET certificate (proof of JRF-NET/LS-NET qualification)
- M.Sc. final year certificate
- Caste certificate (if applicable)
- Proof in case of physically handicapped (if applicable)
Since permanent residence in Haryana is an eligibility condition, the portal may also ask for a domicile/residence certificate — although it is not in the list above. The document list shown on the portal at the time of applying is final. Keep all documents scanned clearly — in PDF or JPG format for upload on the portal.
How to Apply Online — Har-Chhatravratti Portal
Applications are accepted online only, through the Har-Chhatravratti portal. The process given on myScheme is:
Step 1: Visit the official Har-Chhatravratti portal website, harchhatravratti.highereduhry.ac.in.
Step 2: Click the “Apply Now” button — the fellowship application page (harchhatravratti.highereduhry.ac.in/fellowship) will open.
Step 3: From the dropdown menu on the portal, select the correct advertisement number relevant to the fellowship.
Step 4: Provide the required personal details, including your name, email ID and phone number, and then click the “Generate OTP” button.
Step 5: Enter the required details and click the “Generate OTP” button.
Step 6: Enter the OTP sent to your mobile number and upload the necessary documents as requested.
Step 7: Complete the remaining details and click the “Submit” button to submit your application.
Application rules (as per myScheme): online applications are invited through press advertisement as well as on the office website in the prescribed application form. Use your own valid and functional email address and mobile number. Submit only one application — incomplete or duplicate applications will be summarily rejected. Ensure all details are accurate before submission — applications with incorrect details or missing essential documents will also be rejected, and claims for incomplete or non-submitted applications will not be entertained.
Offline application: no offline application process for this fellowship is given in any source — only online applications are accepted.
How Selection Happens
Candidates are selected based on their performance in the Joint CSIR-UGC National Eligibility Test (NET), conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). The fellowship is awarded to meritorious candidates who have qualified both JRF-NET (CSIR/UGC) and Lectureship (LS)-NET in the Joint CSIR-UGC NET exam. Whether selection involves an interview is not stated in any source — the advertisement’s conditions will apply.
Some conditions continue to apply after the fellowship is awarded (as per Buddy4Study): a Fellow cannot take up any assignment other than the approved research programme, paid or unpaid — doing so may lead to being asked to pay back the entire fellowship amount, in addition to disciplinary action. Before appearing for a competitive examination, the Fellow must seek the Guide’s permission and inform HSCSIT. To discontinue the fellowship midway, the Fellow must submit resignation to HSCSIT through the Guide one month in advance. HSCSIT’s support must be acknowledged in research publications, and one copy of every published research paper must be sent to HSCSIT.
Fee and Timeline
Application fee: no application fee is stated in any source — neither on myScheme nor in the 2026-27 cycle information. No fee amount is invented here; whatever the portal shows at the time of applying will apply. This is not a SARAL service, so SARAL fees/RTS timelines do not apply to it.
| Cycle | Last date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 cycle | 30 June 2025 | Closed |
| 2026-27 cycle | 3 September 2026 | Closed |
| 2027-28 cycle | Not announced yet | Wait for the advertisement |
How long before the fellowship starts: the fellowship begins after selection and admission to Ph.D. at the university — no timeline for this is stated in any source.
How to Check Your Application Status
No SMS-based status tracking system like SARAL is given for this fellowship in any source. Ways to check status:
- On the portal: log in to the Har-Chhatravratti portal (harchhatravratti.highereduhry.ac.in/fellowship) and check your application status.
- On the department website: fellowship-related notices and selection lists can be seen under News and Events on dst.highereduhry.ac.in (as per Buddy4Study).
- At the office: contact the HSCST office at the address below.
Helpline
- HSCST office: Haryana State Council for Science, Innovation & Technology, Bays No. 35-38, Sector 2, Panchkula – 134109
- Phone: 0172-2560339 (taken from an old tender document — please verify before visiting or calling)
- Application portal: https://harchhatravratti.highereduhry.ac.in/fellowship
- Department website: https://dst.highereduhry.ac.in (fellowship notices under News and Events)
- myScheme page: https://www.myscheme.gov.in/schemes/hscstfp
No separate helpline number for the fellowship was found in current sources. The SARAL helpline (0172-3968400) is for technical help on the SARAL portal, not for this fellowship — do not treat it as the fellowship helpline.
Please Note — Points That Could Not Be Confirmed
Every figure in this guide is taken from an official source (myScheme) or published information on the 2026-27 cycle. However, some important points could not be confirmed — they are not invented here; please confirm them in writing from the advertisement or the HSCST office before applying:
- Fellowship amount vs central rates: myScheme and the 2026-27 advertisement quote JRF ₹31,000 and SRF ₹35,000, but DST/UGC raised the central JRF/SRF rates to ₹37,000/₹42,000 with effect from 1 January 2023 (DST office memorandum dated 26 June 2023). So the “at par with CSIR/UGC” claim no longer holds literally — whether HSCST has revised its rates will only be confirmed from the advertisement.
- Conflicting last dates: the 2026-27 cycle’s last date is taken as 3 September 2026 (Buddy4Study, updated 15 July 2026), but other websites also show 29 May 2026 and 30 June 2026 — these may be dates of different cycles or pages. All dates have now passed, so the current status (applications closed) is unaffected.
- HRA not confirmed: one blog writes “₹31,000 + HRA (as per norms)”, but myScheme and Buddy4Study do not mention HRA — check the advertisement for whether HRA is paid.
- NET exam date: the 2026-27 cycle accepted the Joint CSIR-UGC Test held on 25–27 July 2024 (Buddy4Study); myScheme names no date. Which test the next cycle will accept will be stated in its advertisement.
- Age cut-off date: in the 2026-27 cycle, age was counted as on 1 January 2024; myScheme states only the 28-year limit, with no date.
- Document list: this list is taken from Buddy4Study (an aggregator), not myScheme. Domicile proof is not in that list, although Haryana residence is an eligibility condition — the portal may ask for more documents.
- No fee found: no application fee is stated in any source — no amount has been invented.
- Two names for the nodal department: myScheme names the “Higher Education Department” as the nodal department, while the Council works under the Department of Science & Technology — both are stated in this guide. The application portal (Har-Chhatravratti) belongs to the Higher Education Department.
- Two forms of the name: HSCST and HSCSIT (Haryana State Council for Science, Innovation & Technology) are two forms of the same body’s name.
- Medical Sciences: myScheme’s search listing also mentions Medical Sciences, but the detailed eligibility conditions name only five science subject areas — for medical subjects, the advertisement will apply.
- Interview in selection: selection is based on NET performance; whether an interview is held is not stated in any source.
- Contact details may be old: the office address is from the 2022 fellowship call and the phone number from an old tender document — verify before visiting or calling.
- Portal check: the Har-Chhatravratti fellowship page did open at the time of our research (HTTP 200) — the “Fill HSCST Fellowship Application Form” form was visible, but the advertisement-number list is populated by JavaScript, so the current list of advertisements could not be read. dstharyana.gov.in did not open from our setup (timed out) — so information inside the department’s site could not be read.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money does the HSCST Fellowship pay?
JRF-NET qualified candidates receive ₹31,000 as JRF and ₹35,000 as SRF per month. LS-NET qualified candidates receive ₹18,000 as JRF and ₹21,000 as SRF per month. The institution also receives an annual contingency grant of ₹20,000. Please note: central JRF/SRF rates rose to ₹37,000/₹42,000 in January 2023 — check the advertisement for HSCST’s rates.
What is the difference between JRF-NET and LS-NET?
In the Joint CSIR-UGC Test, JRF-NET means qualified for Junior Research Fellowship, while LS-NET means eligible for lectureship (NET). The HSCST Fellowship is open to both, but the amount differs — JRF-NET candidates get more (₹31,000/₹35,000) and LS-NET candidates get less (₹18,000/₹21,000).
Can I apply if I am already receiving a CSIR/UGC fellowship?
No. A condition of this scheme is that the applicant must not be receiving a fellowship or financial assistance from any other source. JRF-NET candidates receive this fellowship only when they are not availing the CSIR/UGC fellowship for some valid reason.
How long is the fellowship?
3 years, extendable to the 4th and 5th year. The total tenure as JRF plus SRF will not exceed five years.
Can I apply right now?
No. The 2026-27 cycle’s last date was 3 September 2026 — it has passed. The next cycle (2027-28) has not been announced yet. Watch the press advertisement, the Har-Chhatravratti portal and dst.highereduhry.ac.in.
What is the age limit?
The upper age limit for JRF is 28 years. SC, ST, Women, Physically Handicapped (PH) and OBC applicants get a relaxation of up to 5 years. In the 2026-27 cycle, age was counted as on 1 January 2024.
Where do I apply?
Online only — on the Har-Chhatravratti portal: harchhatravratti.highereduhry.ac.in/fellowship. You have to select the advertisement number, verify with OTP and upload documents. Offline applications are not accepted.
Is HRA also paid?
Not confirmed. myScheme does not mention HRA; one blog writes “₹31,000 + HRA (as per norms)”. Check the advertisement for whether HRA is paid.
Official Links
- myScheme — HSCST Fellowship Programme: https://www.myscheme.gov.in/schemes/hscstfp
- Har-Chhatravratti — fellowship application page: https://harchhatravratti.highereduhry.ac.in/fellowship
- Har-Chhatravratti portal: https://harchhatravratti.highereduhry.ac.in/
- Department of Science & Technology, Haryana: https://dst.highereduhry.ac.in
- Buddy4Study — HSCST Fellowship Programme 2026-27: https://www.buddy4study.com/article/hscst-fellowship-programme
Disclaimer: This information is prepared on 9 November 2026 from myScheme (myscheme.gov.in) and published information on the 2026-27 cycle. The 2026-27 cycle has closed; the next cycle’s dates, fellowship amount and conditions may change in the advertisement — please confirm them in writing from the advertisement or the HSCST office before applying. If the rules change, the Council/Department’s notice will apply.
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