NGOGrant guide
ANRF PM ECRG 2026: Prime Minister Early Career Research Grant (up to ₹60 lakh)
ANRF
Deadline: 2 December 2026, 5:00 PM (timezone not stated on the portal; do not assume any particular zone). We will mark this listing closed after the published cutoff once the portal shows the window has ended.
Short answer: The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), Government of India, is inviting proposals under the Prime Minister Early Career Research Grant (PM ECRG). It is a central government research grant for an eligible early-career principal investigator at a recognised academic or R&D institution — not a CSR call and not a general NGO project grant. Support is up to ₹60 lakh plus approved institutional overheads for a three-year project, with up to 700 awards a year subject to expert evaluation. Submit only on anrfonline.in.
What PM ECRG is — and what it is not
PM ECRG is meant to help an early-career researcher start an independent research programme at a new host institution, with a flexible recurring budget and rules aimed at ease of doing research. On the official guideline page, ANRF states that PM ECRG subsumes the erstwhile SERB Start-up Research Grant (SRG).
Read this before you spend time on a proposal: this is not a general NGO development-project grant. NGO Darpan registration alone does not establish eligibility. An independent nonprofit research institution must demonstrate recognised R&D status and employ an eligible PI. Confirm host acceptance with ANRF before preparing a proposal. This call is also distinct from ANRF’s Seminar/Symposia support and from the Inclusivity Research Grant.
At a glance
| Point | What the official ANRF guideline / call states |
|---|---|
| Funder | Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), Government of India |
| Programme | Prime Minister Early Career Research Grant (PM ECRG) |
| Classification on NGOGrant | Central Government · Research and Innovation · Specialist Research Institutions · All India · Open (not CSR) |
| Window | Closes 2 December 2026, 5:00 PM (timezone not stated on the portal) |
| Amount | Up to ₹60 lakh plus approved institutional overheads; three-year project (no extension) |
| Scale | Up to 700 awards a year across subject areas, subject to expert evaluation |
| What it can pay for | Research personnel, equipment, consumables, eligible travel, contingency, and related scientific costs; open-access publication and patent filing charges are permitted under stated conditions; international project-related travel is permitted within the travel head limits |
| Who leads | An eligible early-career principal investigator (Co-PIs are not allowed except for PIO/OCI cases with an Indian Co-PI) |
| How to apply | Online only at www.anrfonline.in (existing SERBONLINE credentials may work for already registered PIs) |
Who is eligible
From the official guideline page, an applicant should normally:
- be an Indian citizen (PIO/OCI may apply as PI with an Indian Co-PI when employed as regular staff in a public-funded, recognised R&D lab/institution in India, subject to ANRF’s PIO/OCI funding guidelines);
- hold a PhD in Science or Engineering, or an MD/MS/MDS/MVSc degree;
- hold a regular academic or research position in a recognised academic institution, national laboratory, or other recognised R&D institution;
- apply ordinarily within two years of joining the institution (check the current call notice for any one-time relaxation printed for this cycle);
- be within the upper age limit of 42 years, with a three-year relaxation for SC/ST/OBC, persons with disabilities, and women candidates.
Not eligible under the guideline text include research associates, postdoctoral fellows, ad-hoc or guest faculty, visiting scientists, consultants, project fellows, and faculty whose contract is renewed every year. An applicant should not already have received YSS, ECR, SRG, CRG (erstwhile EMR), EMEQ, or any other project grant of erstwhile SERB or ANRF. Only one proposal per call is allowed; PM ECRG is a one-time career grant.
Research-nonprofit / NGO hosts: the hard limit
A research-nonprofit route is possible only where the host is a formally recognised nonprofit R&D institution that ANRF accepts, and where an eligible PI is employed there. Darpan registration by itself is not enough. If your organisation is a service-delivery NGO without recognised R&D status, this call is the wrong fit — look instead at open NGO development or CSR listings in our funding opportunities directory.
What the ₹60 lakh covers
ANRF describes a research grant of up to ₹60 lakh plus overheads for three years. The guideline lists flexibility under the recurring head (consumables, research personnel, travel, contingency and related costs), flexibility in manpower recruitment, enhanced travel/contingency/overhead charges, and support for open-access publication and patent filing charges (publication spend needs prior ANRF approval via the portal). International travel for project-related work is permitted within the travel head; the guideline caps travel and contingency expenditure at ₹3 lakh each over a three-year project unless a higher travel amount is explicitly sanctioned (for example for field work). Reappropriation between non-recurring and recurring budgets is not permitted. Equipment changes generally need prior ANRF approval.
How to apply
- Read the guideline on the official PM ECRG page and confirm your PI and host meet the current call’s printed rules.
- Register or log in on anrfonline.in. PIs already on SERBONLINE may use the same credentials.
- Complete the user profile (biodata, photo, institute address and other mandatory fields).
- Enter the proposal fields the portal asks for (title, summary, keywords, objectives, expected outputs, budget heads) and upload the technical document PDF (max 10 MB) plus the required certificates and endorsements listed on the guideline page.
- Submit before the cutoff. Selection is based on Expert Committee recommendations. Sending a proposal does not guarantee an award.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating this as a general NGO project or CSR grant.
- Relying on Darpan alone without recognised R&D host status and an eligible PI.
- Assuming Indian Standard Time for the 5:00 PM cutoff — the portal does not state a timezone.
- Missing the “no prior SERB/ANRF project grant” rule, or proposing a Co-PI when the guideline disallows it (except PIO/OCI).
- Paying anyone who claims they can “get ANRF approval” — NGOGrant does not award grants or charge approval fees, and neither should any intermediary.
What we could not confirm from the public guideline text
- The timezone for the 5:00 PM closing time (not printed on the portal pages we checked).
- Any one-time joining-date or age-as-on-date relaxation text that appears only inside the logged-in call notice — confirm on the portal for this cycle.
- Subject-wise quota splits among the “up to 700” awards.
Where we can help
We can help you organise eligibility checks and proposal documents; we cannot influence ANRF’s decision. For other open calls see NGO funding opportunities and grants for NGOs in India.
NGOGrant.in is not ANRF, SERB, or the Government of India, and is not an official website of any of them. We do not award grants, influence any funder’s decision, or charge any fee to “approve” an application. Any fees are only for documentation or proposal preparation help. Always check details on the official ANRF pages before you act. Nothing here guarantees selection.
Frequently asked questions
Is ANRF PM ECRG a CSR grant or a general NGO project grant?
No. It is a Central Government research grant for an eligible early-career principal investigator at a recognised academic or R&D host. It is not CSR, and NGO Darpan registration alone does not make an organisation eligible.
What is the last date for PM ECRG 2026?
2 December 2026, 5:00 PM. The portal pages we checked do not name a timezone; finish well before the last afternoon.
How much funding is available?
Up to ₹60 lakh plus approved institutional overheads for a three-year project. ANRF states that a maximum of 700 grants would be awarded per year across subject areas, subject to expert evaluation.
Can a nonprofit / NGO host apply?
Only if it is a formally recognised nonprofit R&D institution that ANRF accepts as host, and it employs an eligible PI. Confirm host acceptance with ANRF before preparing a proposal. Ordinary service-delivery NGOs are not the intended applicants.
How do we apply?
Register or log in on anrfonline.in, complete the profile, enter the proposal fields, upload the required PDF documents, and submit online. Existing SERBONLINE users may use the same login.
Important: NGOGrant.in does not award or guarantee grants. Free information and official links are always free. Any fees are only for documentation / proposal preparation help — never for “sanctioning” a grant. Beware anyone who takes money to guarantee funding.
Sources
- ANRF PM ECRG official guideline page (anrfonline.in) (checked 5 Nov 2026)
- ANRF PM ECRG submission / programme page (checked 5 Nov 2026)
- ANRF call notice on the official ANRF website (anrf.gov.in): “now open till 02-December-2026 5 PM” (checked 5 Nov 2026)
Last verified 5 Nov 2026. General information only, not legal or tax advice. Always confirm details on the official ANRF pages.