Collaborative Research Scheme (CRS)

About this scheme

The Collaborative Research Scheme (CRS) is a flagship program designed to foster collaborative research partnerships and strengthen the research ecosystem in India. The scheme encourages researchers from different institutions and sectors to work together on interdisciplinary research projects that have practical applications and address societal challenges. It provides substantial financial support ranging from ₹10 lakhs to ₹3 crores depending on project scope, duration, and complexity. The scheme emphasizes outcome-oriented research with tangible deliverables, capacity building, and technology transfer. It supports research in STEM domains including physical sciences, biological sciences, engineering, and allied disciplines. The scheme facilitates knowledge exchange, infrastructure sharing, and mentor-mentee relationships between experienced and early-career researchers. Projects can span 2-5 years with flexible implementation timelines.

Eligibility

• Researcher Status: Postdoctoral researcher, early-career scientist, faculty member, or research scientist with PhD in relevant discipline
• Institutional Affiliation: Associated with recognized academic institution, government laboratory, or CSIR center; co-PI from industry or another institute
• Research Experience: Minimum 3-5 years postdoctoral research experience or 2-3 years faculty experience; demonstrated research productivity
• Project Specification: Collaborative research project with clear objectives, deliverables, and inter-institutional/sector partnership; addressing national priority areas
• Financial Clearance: Host institution must be a government-recognized university, national laboratory, or research institute with financial audit compliance
• Previous Funding: No restriction on previous grants; new proposals encouraged; no simultaneous funding for identical project from other schemes
• Documentation Compliance: All applicants must submit complete documentation including institutional clearance, conflict-of-interest statement, and collaborative agreement

Benefits

• Research Grant — ₹10,00,000 - ₹3,00,00,000 based on project scope (typically ₹25,00,000 for 3-year projects)
• Consumables and Materials — ₹15,00,000 - ₹60,00,000 for research materials, chemicals, and consumable supplies over project period
• Equipment Procurement — Up to 40% of project cost for major equipment (₹40,00,000 - ₹1,20,00,000) with approval; equipment becomes institutional asset
• Travel and Conference Support — ₹1,50,000 - ₹4,00,000 annually for national and international conference participation and collaborative visits
• Personnel Support — ₹10,00,000 - ₹25,00,000 annually for 2-3 research fellows, JRF, or SRF salary support as per DST norms
• Contingency Fund — 5% of project cost (₹50,00,000 - ₹15,00,000) for unforeseen research expenses and administrative costs
• Publication and Dissemination — ₹10,00,000 - ₹30,00,000 for research publication, open-access fees, seminar organization, and knowledge dissemination
• Mentorship and Training — Support for organizing workshops, training programs, and capacity-building activities for junior researchers and students
• Infrastructure Access — Access to national research facilities, high-performance computing centers, and laboratory infrastructure at partner institutions
• International Collaboration Support — ₹5,00,000 - ₹15,00,000 for international researcher visits, collaborative field studies, and research exchange programs
• Patent and IP Protection — Institutional support for patent filing, intellectual property protection, and technology commercialization assistance
• Extension Opportunity — Possibility of project extension for 1-2 years based on performance and pending milestones
• Networking and Collaboration Platform — Access to national collaborative research network, research data repository, and inter-institutional knowledge-sharing platform

Required documents

• Detailed Project ProposalMinimum 30-40 pages including objectives, methodology, expected outcomes, timelines, and budget details in prescribed format
• CV of Principal InvestigatorLatest 3-page CV with publication list, research grants, and collaborative projects
• CV of Co-Investigator(s)CVs from all co-PIs and collaborating researchers from partner institutions
• Collaborative Research AgreementSigned MOU between participating institutions outlining roles, responsibilities, funding distribution, and IP sharing
• Institutional Clearance CertificateAuthorization from host institution head/registrar approving the research proposal and researcher details
• Conflict of Interest DeclarationSigned document disclosing any conflicts of interest, dual affiliations, or external funding relationships
• Detailed Budget JustificationItem-wise budget breakdown with cost analysis for equipment, consumables, personnel, travel, and overhead
• Feasibility ReportTechnical feasibility assessment of project with risk analysis and mitigation strategies
• Previous Research Publications(optional)3-5 representative published papers or preprints demonstrating research competence in the proposed domain
• Letters of Support from Partner Institutions(optional)Letters confirming collaborative commitment, resource availability, and institutional support from all partner organizations
• Institutional Financial Compliance Certificate(optional)Audit report or financial certificate confirming institutional compliance with government norms
• Data Management and Sharing Plan(optional)Plan describing how research data will be managed, stored, shared, and archived for public access
• Ethics Clearance (if applicable)(optional)IRB approval or ethics committee certificate for research involving human subjects or animals

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