Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has been established through an Act of Parliament (ANRF Act 2023) to undertake initiatives including seeding, growing and facilitating research at academic and research institutions.The ANRF Governing Board in its First Meeting Chaired by Hon’ble Prime Minister discussed several areas of strategic interventions that include global positioning of India in key sectors, aligning R&D with national priorities, promoting inclusive growth, and capacity building. ANRF in its endeavour to facilitate equal participation of researchers from all sectors of society, has initiated the scheme Inclusivity Research Grant (IRG). IRG scheme will provide funding support to researchers belonging to the Scheduled Caste /​Scheduled Tribe to undertake research in frontier areas of science and engineering. It aims to provide a platform for researchers to further their capacity and move on to mainstream research programs.

IRG subsumes the Empowerment and Equity Opportunities for Excellence in Science (EMEQ) scheme of erstwhile SERB. IRG will provide enhanced support with flexible norms.

• The applicant should be an Indian National.
• The applicant should be an active researcher belonging to the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe category working on a regular basis in an academic institution/​national lab or any other recognized R&D institution in the field of Science and Engineering.
• The applicant should hold a PhD degree in Science or Engineering or MD/MS/MDS degree.
• The applicant should have at least four years of service remaining before superannuation as of the date of submission of the proposal.
• Researchers/​scientists who have ongoing projects under the IRG / erstwhile EMEQ scheme as of the date of submission of the proposal are not eligible to apply.
• Co-investigators are not allowed in the scheme.
• An investigator will be allowed to avail IRG project for a maximum of three times in their career this includes EMEQ projects of erstwhile SERB

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