The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has invited applications for the AICTE Doctoral Fellowship (ADF) Scheme for the Academic Year 2025–26.
This fellowship is open to first-year PhD students who are admitted to AICTE-approved institutions or universities across India.
The Fellowship scheme aims to promote high-quality doctoral research in technical and professional disciplines by providing financial assistance. Eligible researchers can submit their applications online by 10th April 2026.
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About AICTE Doctoral Fellowship (ADF)
The AICTE Doctoral Fellowship (ADF) supports Scholars pursuing full-time PhD in AICTE-approved institutes in the following disciplines:
- Engineering and Technology
- Management
- Design
- Planning
- Applied Science
- Applied Arts, Crafts, and Design
- Hotel Management and Catering Technology
- Computer Applications
Application Procedure
- All the AICTE-approved Institutes/Universities shall create the student ID of the eligible candidates on the AICTE ADF portal.
- Distribute the student’s Unique ID generated by the system to all the ADF students admitted to their Institution in the respective academic year.
- Students should fill out the online application form through the student id provided by the Institute/University on the AICTE ADF portal.
Important Documents Required
Applicants must upload the following documents:
- Qualified examination scorecard
- Research proposal
- Aadhaar card
- Category Certificate (if any)
Application Timeline (ADF 2025–26)
First Session (July Admission)
| Stage | Activity | Date |
|---|---|---|
| I | Submission of Application | 05 Jan – 20 Apr |
| II | Last Date to Apply | 20 April |
| III | Evaluation | 01 May – 30 May |
| IV | Announcement of Results | 15 June |
| V | Fellowship Start | 01 July |
Students admitted in the July semester must apply by 20 April.
Second Session (January Admission)
| Stage | Activity | Date |
|---|---|---|
| I | Submission of Application | 01 Jun – 20 Oct |
| II | Last Date to Apply | 20 October |
| III | Evaluation | 01 Nov – 30 Nov |
| IV | Announcement of Results | 15 December |
| V | Fellowship Start | 01 January |
Students admitted in the January semester must apply by 20 October.
Download Official Notification