Women Scientist Scheme-A

Women Scientist Scheme-A (WOS-A) is a research grant by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the Ministry of Science and Technology. It helps women scientists and engineers, especially those returning after a career break of at least two years, restart their professional journey through project-based fellowship support in frontier areas of science and engineering.

WOS-A is still open for applications through the official portal at online-wosa.gov.in. In 2026, DST continues to run the scheme under the WISE-KIRAN division, and the revised fellowship amounts are now in force. The department also keeps disbursing WOS-A fellowships to eligible women scientists across the country.

Women Scientist Scheme-A - Introduction

Women Scientist Scheme-A serves as a research grant from the Ministry of Science and Technology. It helps female candidates take up research within frontier areas of science and engineering. If you have taken a career break of at least two years or currently do not hold regular employment, this scheme gives you a clear path to restart your professional work.

The scheme provides a research grant for a well-defined project proposal for a maximum period of three years. The grant covers your individual fellowship along with costs for small equipment, contingencies, travel, and consumables. Institutional overhead charges are paid separately as per the official rules.

Support is available across five disciplines: i) Physical & Mathematical Sciences (PMS), ii) Chemical Sciences (CS), iii) Life Sciences (LS), iv) Earth & Atmospheric Sciences (EAS), and v) Engineering Technology (ET).

Women Scientist Scheme-A plays a key role in gender mainstreaming by preventing brain drain from the science and technology system. It trains and keeps women in the field, offering chances to work as bench-level scientists while opening doors for permanent positions in the sector.

Key Information

Benefits

The fellowship is awarded based on your highest qualification. The benefits are given for a maximum of three years and are paid directly through DBT. DST revised the fellowship amounts with effect from 1 January 2023, and these revised rates are the ones now in force.

Beyond the fellowship, the grant covers research needs such as small equipment, contingencies, travel, and consumables. Institutional overheads are processed as extra support as per the official rules. House Rent Allowance is paid as per government norms.

Eligibility

To apply for Women Scientist Scheme-A, you should meet the following criteria:

• You must be a female citizen of India.
• You should either be unemployed or hold a position that is not regular or permanent. For example, a temporary research assistant role counts as a break in your career.
• Your age must be between 27 and 57 years. A relaxation of 5 years applies for SC/ST/OBC and physically challenged candidates.
• You must hold one of these minimum essential qualifications: a Post Graduate degree such as M.Sc. in Basic or Applied Sciences, B.Tech, MBBS, or an equivalent professional qualification; an M.Phil, M.Tech, M.Pharm, M.VSc, or equivalent; or a Ph.D. in Basic or Applied Sciences.

Exclusions

Women already in a regular or permanent employment position are not eligible to apply for this grant.

Application Process

You should complete the online application process to apply for this scheme. The whole process is free of cost and no hard copies are needed.

STEP 1 - Visit the official portal at online-wosa.gov.in and register using your active email ID. You will receive an email with your login credentials and a link to set your password.

STEP 2 - Log in to the WOS-A portal and fill in your detailed Project Proposal. You must upload all required documents in the specified formats.

STEP 3 - Review your proposal carefully before final submission, as the system does not allow edits once you submit it.

STEP 4 - Click the Final Submit button. You may save your progress in the system and print a copy for your records. You do not need to send any hard copies to the Department of Science and Technology.

Documents

Keep digital copies of the following documents ready for your application. All documents should be in PDF format and each file should not exceed 2MB.

• Project Proposal Document
• Signed Biodata of the Principal Investigator (PI)
• Signed Biodata of the Mentor
• Caste Certificate, if applicable for SC/ST/OBC/PH
• Date of Birth proof such as the 10th standard certificate
• Photograph and signature of the PI
• Highest educational degree certificate
• House Rent Allowance (HRA) claim document, if eligible

References

For further details, refer to the official DST WISE-KIRAN page, the fellowship revision order, and the March 2026 disbursement announcement.

FAQ's

Is there a validity to the scheme benefits?

The benefits are provided for a maximum period of three years.

Are contingencies covered under the research grant?

Yes, the grant covers the fellowship of the applicant, small equipment, contingencies, travel, and consumables.

What is the mode of payment?

The scholarship payment is processed directly through DBT.

Are temporary assignments considered as a career break?

Yes, all temporary or contractual assignments in academics or research are considered a break.

Can I apply for this while pursuing a PhD?

Yes, you are permitted to do so.

Is there an application fee?

No, the entire process is free of cost.

Which scientific disciplines are covered?

The scheme covers Physical & Mathematical Sciences (PMS), Chemical Sciences (CS), Life Sciences (LS), Earth & Atmospheric Sciences (EAS), and Engineering Technology (ET).

Is the application process online?

Yes, you must submit your application through the official website at online-wosa.gov.in.

What is the document size limit?

All documents should be in PDF format and each file should not exceed 2MB.

Who can I contact for queries?

You can contact the WISE-KIRAN division of DST at the numbers listed on the official DST website on weekdays.