The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is receiving Research Proposals under the ANVESHAN Extramural Grants and the newly introduced ICMR Follow-on SMALL Extramural Grants.
The ICMR has created a new category of ‘Follow-on Research Grant’ to leverage the transformation of
research-leads generated through its previous grants to the next steps. This funding opportunity supports high-quality, impactful health research aimed at improving health outcomes in India.
Eligible Researchers from Indian medical and research institutions can submit proposals online through the ICMR e-PMS portal before 16th March 2026.
| Organization | Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) |
| Call | Call for Investigator-Initiated Research Proposals for “ICMR Follow-on SMALL Extramural Grants” (“ICMR Follow-on ANVESHAN Extramural Grants”) – 2026 |
| Last Date | 16 March 2026 |
| Duration | 03 years |
| Budget | ₹10 lakhs to ₹2 Crores |
Explore various Call for Research Proposals
ICMR Call for Data Contribution on Gestational Weight Gain in India | Last Date 20 Feb 2026
About the ICMR Extramural Research Programme
ICMR’s Extramural Research Programme provides financial assistance to Indian scientists working outside ICMR institutes in medicine, public health, and allied disciplines. The programme supports investigator-initiated, time-bound, and outcome-oriented research aligned with national health priorities.
ICMR is prioritising proposals aligned with the 4Ds of Research: Discovery, Development, Delivery, and Descriptive.
Research Areas Supported
The following four types of research proposals will be considered for funding:
- Discovery Research
- Development Research
- Delivery (Implementation) Research
- Descriptive Research
The research proposals dealing with the following priority conditions/diseases that align with the above-mentioned 4’ Ds’ of research will receive preference for funding.
Communicable Diseases
- Tuberculosis, malaria, AMR
- HIV/STIs, respiratory infections
- Sepsis, meningitis, hepatitis
Non-Communicable Diseases
- Cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases
- Chronic respiratory, kidney, and neurological disorders
- Mental health and NCD risk factors
RMNCH & Nutrition
- Maternal and neonatal health
- Childhood malnutrition, anaemia
- Adolescent and reproductive health
Cross-Cutting & Overarching Themes
- Vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics
- Climate change & health
- Ageing and elderly health
- Disability, rehabilitation, nursing
- Medical education and oral health
Eligibility
Researchers working in in Indian Medical Institutes/ Research Institutes/ Universities/ Colleges/ Govt. recognized organizations are eligible to apply for this grant.
A contractual/temporary faculty may also apply as Principal Investigator provided that one of the Co-Principal Investigator of the project must be a regular employee of the institute. Further, Institutional undertaking is also required.
Important Dates
| Activity | Date |
|---|---|
| Call Released | 19 December 2025 |
| Submission Opens | 29 December 2025 (10:00 AM IST) |
| Last Date to Apply | 16 March 2026 (5:00 PM IST) |
| Review & Selection | July 2026 |
| Final Approval & Fund Release | October 2026 (tentative) |
Each submitted proposal will be evaluated based on Background & rationale (20), Health impact (20), Innovation/novelty (15), Methodology (30), and Feasibility & implementation plan (15).
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