AICTE launches Industry Fellowship Programme 2026 with ₹1 lakh monthly support for faculty

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has invited applications for its Industry Fellowship Programme (IFP) 2026, an initiative aimed at strengthening industry-academia collaboration by providing faculty members with direct exposure to industrial environments.

Under the programme, selected faculty members will spend one year working with industry partners while receiving financial support of ₹1 lakh per month. The fellowship is scheduled to begin on July 20, 2026, and applications will remain open until June 25.

According to AICTE, the monthly fellowship amount will be shared between the council and participating industries. AICTE will contribute ₹75,000 per month, while the partnering industry will provide a minimum stipend of ₹25,000 per month. Parent institutions will continue to pay salaries and other applicable benefits to selected faculty members during the fellowship period.

The programme has been designed to bridge the gap between classroom teaching and evolving industry requirements. Faculty members selected under the fellowship will gain hands-on experience in real industrial settings, exposure to current technologies, and insights into emerging workforce needs.

AICTE Chairman Prof. Yogesh Singh said the initiative aims to enhance faculty expertise through practical industry exposure and help align technical education with contemporary industry demands.

The programme is expected to strengthen innovation, research and industry-oriented teaching practices in higher education institutions.

The fellowship will cover several emerging sectors, including Artificial Intelligence, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, Industry 4.0, smart mobility, space and defence technologies, sustainability, healthcare technologies, advanced materials, communication systems and agrotech.

For the 2026 cycle, companies including Tata Consumer Products, Hero MotoCorp and Volvo have partnered with AICTE and collectively offered 134 fellowship positions.

To be eligible, applicants must be 50 years of age or younger as of May 26, 2026, and should have at least five years of full-time teaching experience in an AICTE-approved institution.

Only regular faculty members are eligible to apply, while part-time, contractual, temporary and visiting faculty members are excluded from the programme.

Candidates must also satisfy at least one additional criterion, such as qualifying national-level examinations including GATE, NET or JRF, publishing research papers in recognised journals, leading government-funded research projects, or receiving recognised academic or scientific awards.

Education experts say the initiative reflects growing efforts to make technical education more industry-responsive by ensuring that faculty members remain familiar with changing technologies, workplace practices and skill requirements.

The programme is also expected to help institutions improve curriculum delivery and enhance student employability through stronger industry-linked teaching.