AICTE Productization Fellowship (APF) 2026

AICTE Doctoral Fellowship (ADF) 2025-26: Stipend, Eligibility, Timeline and Complete Application Guide

The AICTE Doctoral Fellowship (ADF) is a government-funded research fellowship for full-time Ph.D. scholars in technical fields at AICTE-approved institutions across India. Run by the All India Council for Technical Education, it provides up to 5 years of financial support with a monthly stipend of Rs. 37,000 in the Junior Research Fellow (JRF) stage and Rs. 42,000 in the Senior Research Fellow (SRF) stage, along with HRA and an annual contingency grant.

For the academic year 2025-26, the AICTE ADF portal is now open for applications. If you are a first-year Ph.D. student admitted in an AICTE-approved programme in Engineering and Technology, Management, Design, Planning, Applied Science, Applied Arts Crafts and Design, Hotel Management and Catering Technology, or Computer Application, this fellowship is one of the most substantial doctoral funding options available to you.

But ADF is more than just a stipend. It comes with a structured evaluation framework, mandatory teaching assistantship, a formal JRF-to-SRF upgradation process, and a set of conditions around employment, leave, and transfers that every applicant should understand fully before applying. This guide covers everything in depth, including details from the official revised guidelines that most sources miss entirely.

What Makes ADF Different from Other Ph.D. Fellowships in India

Before getting into the specifics, it helps to understand where ADF sits in the landscape of doctoral fellowships in India and why it matters.

ADF is the AICTE equivalent of the UGC NET JRF, but exclusively for technical and professional fields under AICTE’s purview. It was launched in 2020-21 as a transformation of the older National Doctoral Fellowship (NDF) scheme. The key shift was decentralization: instead of AICTE directly selecting scholars, the process now involves universities registering in the scheme and admitting students through their own procedures, with AICTE’s evaluation committee assessing research proposals before granting financial benefits.

The stipend amount (Rs. 37,000 for JRF and Rs. 42,000 for SRF) is at par with UGC NET JRF and CSIR JRF fellowships. However, ADF accepts multiple qualifying examinations beyond just NET, including GATE, CAT, CMAT, GMAT, and CEED depending on the field, making it accessible to a wider pool of technically qualified candidates.

One thing that distinguishes ADF from many other fellowships is the mandatory teaching assistantship of 6 to 8 hours per week for the entire tenure. This is not optional. Fellows are expected to assist in lab classes, exam invigilation, answer sheet evaluation, and similar duties throughout their fellowship period. While this adds to the workload, it also provides genuine teaching experience that strengthens an academic CV.

The fellowship covers up to 339 positions across approximately 35 to 42 universities in India (based on historical allocation data), so the number of available slots is limited and varies by year.

Stipend and Financial Benefits: Complete Breakdown

The financial package under ADF has multiple components, and understanding each one helps you calculate the actual annual income you can expect.

Monthly Fellowship Amount

The fellowship starts at the JRF level with Rs. 37,000 per month for the first two years. After a successful evaluation at the end of the second year, the fellow is upgraded to SRF with Rs. 42,000 per month for the remaining three years. The total fellowship tenure is a maximum of 5 years (60 months), and there is no provision for extension beyond this under any circumstances.

To put this in perspective, over the full 5-year tenure, the base fellowship amount totals approximately Rs. 24.12 lakh (24 months at Rs. 37,000 plus 36 months at Rs. 42,000), not counting HRA and contingency. If upgradation is delayed by one year (due to unsatisfactory progress), the total is lower since you spend an extra year at the JRF rate.

Payment is made directly to your Aadhaar-seeded savings bank account through the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) in Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode. This means only an Aadhaar-linked active savings bank account is accepted. No-Frill Accounts, Jan Dhan Accounts, joint accounts, and accounts with transaction or credit limits are not permitted. Your bank account must remain active and should not be closed or transferred during the fellowship period.

House Rent Allowance (HRA)

If the institute provides hostel accommodation, HRA is not payable. Where hostel accommodation is not available, HRA is provided as per Central Government norms based on the city classification where the institute is located. The HRA percentage is calculated on the fellowship amount.

Under current Central Government rules, X category cities (metros like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad) attract 24% HRA, Y category cities (state capitals and larger cities like Patna, Lucknow, Jaipur, Bhopal) attract 16%, and Z category cities attract 8%. For a JRF fellow in a Y category city, this translates to approximately Rs. 5,920 per month extra, bringing the effective monthly income to nearly Rs. 43,000. In an X category city, the HRA alone adds Rs. 8,880 per month.

Contingency Grant

ADF fellows receive Rs. 15,000 per year as a contingency grant for research-related miscellaneous expenses. A significant practical advantage here is that fellows are not required to follow the purchase rules of the Institute or AICTE for procurements under this grant, and bills do not need to be submitted to AICTE. This gives you the flexibility to spend on books, stationery, software, or any other research materials as per your own judgment.

Dearness Allowance (DA)

ADF fellows are explicitly not entitled to Dearness Allowance. This is clearly stated in the guidelines and is worth noting because some other central government fellowship schemes do include DA.

Eligibility Criteria in Detail

The eligibility requirements for ADF go beyond basic qualifications. Several conditions are nuanced and frequently cause confusion among applicants. Here is every criterion explained thoroughly.

Programme and Institution Requirement

The candidate must be admitted to a Ph.D. programme in a department that is AICTE-approved to Post Graduate level. The approved fields are Engineering and Technology, Management, Design, Planning, Applied Arts Crafts and Design, Computer Application, and Hotel Management and Catering Technology. Applied Science postgraduate candidates who are admitted or willing to be admitted to a Ph.D. programme at an AICTE-approved institution are also eligible.

A specific condition applies to Hotel Management candidates: they must hold an undergraduate degree in Hotel Management and Catering Technology approved by AICTE, along with a Master’s degree in a relevant or allied field.

The critical point here is that the department where you are pursuing your Ph.D. must have AICTE approval at the PG level. If your university has AICTE approval for B.Tech but not for M.Tech in your specific department, your Ph.D. programme in that department may not qualify. Verify this with your institute before applying.

Educational Qualification

The candidate must have successfully completed an undergraduate or postgraduate degree (or a five-year integrated/dual degree leading to a postgraduate degree) in one of the eligible fields, as prescribed by the admitting university. This is straightforward, but the important nuance is that the qualifying degree must align with the AICTE-approved programme categories listed above.

Qualified Examination: The 5-Year Validity Rule

This is the eligibility condition that trips up the most applicants. Simply having a Ph.D. admission is not enough for ADF. You must have qualified in a specific national-level examination within the last 5 years. The required exam differs by field.

For Engineering and Technology, you need a valid GATE score or SRF qualification. For Management, you need GMAT, CAT, or CMAT. For Design, CEED or NET is required. For Planning, NET or GATE is required. For Applied Arts, Crafts and Design, NET or CEED is required. For Applied Science, GATE, JRF, or SRF is required.

Hotel Management and Catering Technology is the sole exception because there is no national-level PG exam for this field. In this case, AICTE’s Evaluation Committee directly evaluates the candidate’s research proposal.

Pay careful attention to the 5-year validity window. If you qualified GATE in 2019, that score will not be valid for the 2025-26 academic session. You would need a GATE score from 2020 or later.

Age Limit

The candidate must be below 30 years of age. The date at which age is counted depends on your registration category. For Category A (direct registration with NOC from university), age is counted at the time of registration on the ADF portal. For Category B (registration through the university), age is counted at the time of submission of the admission application form to the university.

Age relaxation is available as follows: 5 years for SC, ST, Women, and Persons with Disabilities (PwD), and 3 years for OBC candidates. If a candidate falls in more than one relaxation category (for example, both SC and Woman), the maximum relaxation is still capped at 5 years only. The relaxations are not additive.

No Prior ADF or NET JRF Benefit

The candidate must not have previously availed the benefit of AICTE Doctoral Fellowship (ADF) or NET JRF in any institution. An undertaking to this effect, verified by the Head of Institution, must be submitted. This means that if you are currently receiving UGC NET JRF, you cannot simultaneously apply for or receive ADF. You need to choose one.

Registration and Application Process

ADF has two registration pathways, and the application process involves both the institute and the student completing steps on the AICTE portal within strict deadlines.

Two Registration Categories

Under Category A, the candidate registers directly on the AICTE ADF portal with a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the university. This is for candidates who have already taken Ph.D. admission and want to apply independently.

Under Category B, the university registers for the scheme and admits students through its own procedure while following AICTE’s minimum eligibility criteria. Most applicants come through this route, as universities typically handle the registration and student data upload in bulk.

In both categories, the AICTE Evaluation Committee evaluates the research proposal before any financial benefit is granted. Admission alone does not guarantee fellowship.

Step-by-Step Application Process

The process begins with the AICTE-approved Institute or University creating a student ID for each eligible candidate on the AICTE ADF portal. The system generates a Unique ID, which the institute distributes to the student.

The student then logs in at https://fellowship.aicte.gov.in/login using this Unique ID and fills the online application form. During this process, the student must upload scanned copies of all original documents in JPG, JPEG, or PDF format only. The required documents include a scanned copy of the qualified examination scorecard, the research proposal, a scanned copy of the original Aadhaar card, and a scanned copy of the valid category certificate (for SC/ST, EWS, OBC with Non-Creamy Layer) if applicable. The EWS and OBC-NCL certificates must be recent, not more than one year old, and issued by the Competent Authority.

After the student submits the application, the Institute or University verifies the student data and approves the candidature on the portal. It is critical that personal details, date of admission or joining, and course completion date are correctly filled. No request for changes to these details will be entertained after submission.

Application Timeline for 2025-26

ADF runs two sessions per year aligned with the two Ph.D. admission cycles.

First Session (for July admission cycle)

Application submission runs from 5 January to 20 April. The last date for submission is 20 April. Evaluation takes place from 1 May to 30 May. Selected candidates are announced on 15 June. The fellowship starts from 1 July (from the date of joining). Students admitted in the July semester must apply by 20 April of the respective academic year.

Second Session (for January admission cycle)

Application submission runs from 1 June to 20 October. The last date for submission is 20 October. Evaluation takes place from 1 November to 30 November. Selected candidates are announced on 15 December. The fellowship starts from 1 January (from the date of joining).

Current Immediate Deadline

For the academic year 2025-26, the AICTE notice states that all eligible students must upload their information on the AICTE web portal on or before 10 April 2026. The Institute or University must complete the student data verification and approval for eligibility on or before 20 April 2026. If you are an eligible Ph.D. scholar who has not yet applied, this deadline is imminent and requires immediate action.

Fellowship Progression: The 5-Year Framework

ADF is not a set-it-and-forget-it fellowship. It has a structured progression system with periodic reviews that determine whether your fellowship continues, upgrades, or gets discontinued.

Starting the Fellowship

Candidates can apply for ADF throughout the year after completing the admission process. The institute must upload the detailed student information on the AICTE portal within two months of the date of admission. The fellowship start date is the date of commencement of course work, subject to timely uploading on the portal. This means delays in portal uploading can push back your actual fellowship start date.

Annual Progress Report

Every year, the institute assesses the research progress of the ADF fellow as per its own rules and regulations. The Annual Progress Report with assessment must be uploaded on the AICTE portal within one month of completing each year from the ADF start date. The progress is evaluated as either “Satisfactory” or “Not Satisfactory.”

If the institute evaluates progress on a semester basis (every 6 months), then both semesters must be satisfactory for the fellowship to continue. If one semester is satisfactory and the other is unsatisfactory, the institute must reassess and submit a final verdict.

An unsatisfactory annual progress report results in fellowship discontinuation for the following year. The fellowship can be resumed within 60 months if the student subsequently obtains a satisfactory report.

JRF to SRF Upgradation

This is the most important milestone in the ADF timeline. After completing two years from the start date, JRF fellows become eligible for upgradation to SRF, which increases the monthly stipend from Rs. 37,000 to Rs. 42,000.

The student must submit an application to the Head of Institution along with all required documents within one month of completing two years. The university then constitutes a 3-member assessment committee consisting of the Head of Department, the Supervisor, and one external member who must be at least a Professor in the relevant research area. If the Head of Department is the supervisor, then a senior department faculty member of at least Associate Professor rank replaces the HoD in the committee.

Two mandatory conditions must be fulfilled within the first 2 years for upgradation to be granted. First, the student must have successfully completed all course work. Second, the research plan or proposal must have been approved by the university’s competent authority, whether that is the Student Research Committee (SRC), Departmental Research Committee (DRC), or equivalent body.

The committee’s recommendation, approved by the university’s Competent Authority, must be uploaded on the AICTE portal within one month of the committee meeting in the prescribed format. AICTE grants the upgradation based on this recommendation.

If the research is not found satisfactory at the 2-year mark, the fellow gets one additional year at JRF rate. After 3 years, the work is evaluated again. If improvement is found, the fellow gets the remaining 2 years at SRF rate. This means even in the worst case, the total fellowship period remains 5 years, just with a less favourable JRF-to-SRF split.

Conditions That Can End Your Fellowship

Understanding the discontinuation and cancellation rules is just as important as knowing the benefits. These conditions are strict, and several of them are irreversible.

Discontinuation (Temporary, Potentially Resumable)

The fellowship gets discontinued if the student fails to complete course work and submit an approved research plan within 24 months as per university norms. In this case, the fellowship can be resumed within 36 months after the course work and research plan are completed and approved.

An unsatisfactory Annual Progress Report also leads to discontinuation for the following year. It can be resumed within 60 months if a satisfactory report is subsequently obtained.

Cancellation (Permanent, Not Resumable)

The fellowship is permanently cancelled if the university cancels the student’s admission, or if the student is found guilty of misconduct, or if false information or documents were submitted, or if the student is found ineligible at any later stage.

Employment During Fellowship

This is perhaps the strictest condition. If a student joins any employment during the tenure, they must inform AICTE through the university immediately, mentioning the date of joining. The fellowship is terminated from the date of joining employment. The student may continue their Ph.D. as a full-time or part-time student per university rules, but the ADF will not be resumed at any stage even if the student leaves the job and rejoins the institute. This is permanent and irreversible.

External Financial Assistance

If a student receives financial assistance from any other organisation during the fellowship (with university permission), the ADF is paused for that duration. It resumes after the external funding stops, but the period of external assistance is deducted from the maximum 5-year tenure. This means if you receive a 6-month industry fellowship, you effectively lose 6 months from your ADF tenure.

Medical Leave and Parental Leave

Medical breaks (with institute permission) result in fellowship discontinuation for the break period, with resumption on rejoining for the remaining tenure. Maternity and paternity leave is available as per Government of India norms. However, the total fellowship period cannot be extended beyond 5 years under any circumstances, including parental leave. If your leave takes you past the 5-year mark, the fellowship expires on the last day of the 60th month.

Teaching Assistantship: What It Actually Involves

Every ADF fellow is assigned a teaching assistantship of 6 to 8 hours per week for the entire fellowship tenure, starting from the date of ADF commencement. The assignment is made by the Supervisor or Head of Department based on the supervisor’s recommendation.

The duties may include assisting in tutorial and lab classes, establishment, operation and maintenance of laboratories, invigilation during examinations, and evaluation of answer sheets. However, no independent teaching load can be assigned to an ADF fellow as a substitute for any regular teacher. This is an important protection. You are an assistant, not a replacement for faculty.

While this adds to your weekly workload, it serves a practical purpose. Teaching experience is increasingly valued in academic hiring, and the assistantship provides documented evidence of teaching capability that strengthens your CV for faculty positions after completing your Ph.D.

Reservation Policy

ADF follows the Government of India reservation policy. The current category-wise allocation is SC at 15%, ST at 7.5%, OBC at 27%, and General including EWS (maximum 10%) at 50.5%.

Applicants claiming reservation must upload a valid category certificate issued by the Competent Authority. EWS and OBC with Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) certificates must be recently issued, not older than one year. This is a common reason for application rejection, so make sure your certificate is current before uploading.

Research Thrust Areas

While ADF is open to all AICTE-approved fields, the scheme guidelines identify several broad research areas that are particularly encouraged, though the list is explicitly stated as not exhaustive.

In Engineering and Technology, the highlighted areas include Green Technologies, Big Data, Machine Learning and Data Sciences, Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, Energy Production and Storage, Electronics and Photonics, Nuclear Engineering, Robotics and Mechatronics, Augmented and Virtual Reality, Renewable and Sustainable Energy, Green Hydrogen, Electric and Hybrid Mobility, Smart Cities, Internet of Things (IoT), 3D Printing, Quantum Computing, Smart Technologies for Agriculture, Water Management, Cyber Security, Waste Management, Defence Technology, and Climate Change.

In Management, the focus areas include Technology Management, Business Analytics, Six Sigma, Engineering Management, Innovation Management, Supply Chain Resilience, Heritage Management, and Social Enterprise Management among others.

In Design, the areas span Digital Game Design, Graphic Design, Information Design, Interaction Design, Product Design, Textile Design, Transportation Design, Universal Design, and Design Thinking.

Research proposals in any of these areas may receive favourable consideration, though proposals in other legitimate areas within the AICTE framework are also accepted.

Important Rules and Conditions

Several operational conditions affect your day-to-day life as an ADF fellow. Knowing these in advance helps avoid unexpected problems.

The fellowship cannot be transferred to another institution. Once admitted, you must complete your entire Ph.D. at the same institution where ADF was granted.

The nature of candidature as a full-time AICTE-sponsored Doctoral Fellow cannot be changed during the programme. You cannot convert to part-time status.

Fellows are eligible for a maximum of 30 days of leave per year, in addition to public holidays. No other vacation is allowed. Time spent attending conferences, workshops, seminars, or outstation research work with supervisor’s permission is treated as “On Duty” but cannot exceed 30 days per year.

If the research results are commercially exploitable through patents or otherwise, the commercial exploitation and patent rights are shared between the Institute, the student, and the supervisor.

If you leave your seat within the fellowship duration, you are liable to refund the entire fellowship amount received up to the date of leaving. This is covered by an undertaking that you sign at the time of admission to the scheme.

Documents Required for Application

All documents must be uploaded in JPG, JPEG, or PDF format only on the AICTE ADF portal. The complete list of required documents includes a scanned copy of the qualified examination scorecard (GATE, NET, CAT, CMAT, CEED, GMAT, JRF, or SRF as applicable), the research proposal, a scanned copy of the original Aadhaar card in JPG or JPEG format, and for reserved category candidates, a scanned copy of the valid category certificate for SC/ST, EWS, or OBC with Non-Creamy Layer issued by the Competent Authority. The EWS and OBC-NCL certificates must not be more than one year old.

Additionally, the bank account linked to your application must be an Aadhaar-seeded active savings bank account, as payment is released through the Aadhaar Bridge Payment System (ABPS) via PFMS.

How to Apply: Quick Steps

First, collect your Unique ID from your AICTE-approved Institute or University. The institute creates this ID on the AICTE ADF portal. Then, log in at https://fellowship.aicte.gov.in/login using your Unique ID. Fill in the online application form with your personal details, academic information, and date of admission. Upload all required documents in the correct format. Submit the application. After submission, the institute verifies your data and approves your candidature on the portal for eligibility of fellowship disbursement.

Ensure all personal details, date of admission or joining, and course completion date are filled correctly. No changes to these details will be entertained after submission.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply for ADF if I am already receiving UGC NET JRF?

No. The guidelines explicitly state that candidates who have previously availed ADF or NET JRF benefits are not eligible. You must choose one or the other.

What happens if my Annual Progress Report is unsatisfactory?

The fellowship is discontinued for the following year. However, it can be resumed within 60 months from the ADF start date if you subsequently receive a satisfactory progress report. The key risk is that lost months are still counted within your 5-year maximum tenure.

Can I do a part-time job alongside ADF?

No. ADF is a full-time fellowship. You cannot take up any part-time or full-time employment during the tenure. If you join any employment, the fellowship is permanently terminated from the date of joining and cannot be resumed even if you leave the job.

Is GATE mandatory for Engineering Ph.D. applicants?

For Engineering and Technology, GATE or SRF qualification is required. The score must have been obtained within the last 5 years. Without a valid GATE/SRF score, Engineering candidates cannot apply for ADF regardless of their Ph.D. admission.

What is the difference between Category A and Category B registration?

Category A is for candidates who register directly on the AICTE portal with a NOC from their university. Category B is where the university registers in the scheme and nominates students. In both cases, the AICTE Evaluation Committee evaluates the research proposal before granting financial benefits.

Can I transfer my ADF to a different university mid-way?

No. Fellowship transfer is not permitted under any circumstances. You must complete your entire Ph.D. at the institution where ADF was granted.

What is the last date for 2025-26 applications?

For the current cycle, students must upload their information on the AICTE portal by 10 April 2026, and institutes must complete verification and approval by 20 April 2026.

Does the 5-year limit extend for maternity or medical leave?

No. The 5-year (60 month) limit is absolute and cannot be extended under any circumstance, including maternity leave, paternity leave, medical leave, or any period of discontinuation. The fellowship expires on the last day of the 60th month from the ADF start date.

Official Links and Contact

The ADF portal for student login and application is at https://fellowship.aicte.gov.in/login. Detailed scheme guidelines and instructions are available at https://www.aicte.gov.in/schemes/students-development-schemes/ADF-Scheme. For any queries, you can contact AICTE at their office: All India Council for Technical Education, Nelson Mandela Marg, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110070, Phone: 011-29581000, Website: www.aicte-india.org.