KVPY, which stands for “Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana,” is a scholarship program in India that aims to encourage students to pursue a career in research and development in the basic sciences. The program is funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and is administered by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru.
The program is open to students of Indian nationality who are currently studying in classes XI, XII, B.Sc./B.S./B.Stat./B.Math./Integrated M.Sc./M.S. in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology, and who have a strong aptitude for scientific research.
The scholarship program is divided into three categories:
SA: Students studying in class XI are eligible for the SA stream of the scholarship. The scholarship is awarded for a period of five years, provided the student continues to meet the academic performance criteria.
SX: Students studying in class XII are eligible for the SX stream of the scholarship. The scholarship is awarded for a period of four years, provided the student continues to meet the academic performance criteria.
SB: Students studying in the undergraduate level in Basic Sciences (B.Sc./B.S./B.Stat./B.Math./Integrated M.Sc./M.S.) are eligible for the SB stream of the scholarship. The scholarship is awarded for a period of three years, provided the student continues to meet the academic performance criteria.
The scholarship provides a monthly stipend of INR 5000 during the 1st to 3rd years of undergraduate studies and INR 7000 during the 4th year of undergraduate studies. The selected students will also receive a contingency grant of INR 20,000 per annum for the purchase of books, instruments, etc.
The selection process for the scholarship includes a written aptitude test and an interview. The aptitude test is held annually in November and the interview is held in the following January. The scholarship is awarded to the top-scoring students based on their performance in the aptitude test and interview.
Overall, KVPY is a prestigious scholarship program in India that aims to encourage young students to pursue a career in research and development in basic sciences. It provides financial assistance, mentorship, and support to students who have a strong aptitude for scientific research.