CM Research Fellowship for Minorities 2025-26 – Overview
Students eligible for the CM Research Fellowship for Minorities Kerala must submit their application form to the Directorate of Minority Welfare Office in Thiruvananthapuram. Complete details regarding the submission is given below. Take a look –
CM Research Fellowship for Minorities 2025-26 – Important Details
| Particulars | Details |
| Application deadline | January 15, 2026 |
| Submit to | Directorate of Minority Welfare |
| Where to submit? | Directorate of Minority Welfare, 4th floor, Vikas Bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram – 695033 |
| How to submit? | Through post and email (scholarship.mwd@gmail.com) |
CM Research Fellowship for Minorities 2025-26 – Eligibility Criteria
Students must ensure that they fulfil the following eligibility criteria listed below.
- The applicant must be a permanent resident of Kerala (Non-Resident Keralites are not eligible).
- Must be pursuing a regular, full-time Ph.D. programme in a recognized government or government-aided institution in India.
- Preference will be given to students belonging to the BPL (Below Poverty Line) category.
- In the absence of BPL applicants, APL (Above Poverty Line) students with income below the government limit will be considered.
- Only one member per family can apply for this fellowship.
- The applicant must be below 40 years of age as on October 1, 2025. (Relaxation in the upper age limit to be received for candidates belonging to specific categories, such as persons with Disabilities (PwD) and women.)
- A scholar is eligible to receive only one fellowship at a time. The scholar shall declare that he/she will not accept/receive any other monetary benefit/scholarship/fellowship from any other source.
- A scholar who does not complete his/her research work during the tenure of Ph.D. programme in their concerned institution shall not be eligible to apply again under this scheme.
Also Read: Snehapoorvam Scheme 2025-26 – Eligibility, Benefits and Application Process
CM Research Fellowship for Minorities 2025-26 – How to Apply?
Here’s a step-by-step guide for applying for the CM Research Fellowship for Minorities.
Step 1 – Visit the official scholarship portal of the Directorate of Minority Welfare Department (minoritywelfare.kerala.gov.in).
Step 2 – Download the application form by clicking on the “Guideline and Application For for C.M. Research Fellowship for Minorities 2025-26” in the News & Updates Section.
Step 3 – Fill out the application form with accurate and complete information.
Also Read: Kerala Scholarships: Eligibility Criteria, Benefits and Application Process
CM Research Fellowship for Minorities 2025-26 – Benefits
The eligible students will receive a fellowship amount of ₹2.40 lakh per year. The student will be eligible to receive the fellowship up to 3 times (Maximum up to 5 years i.e., 3 times during the course period of 5 years), depending on satisfactory progress. In short, the students will receive a consolidated amount of ₹20,000 per month, every year.
CM Research Fellowship for Minorities 2025-26 – Documents Required
Students applying for this fellowship must submit the following documents along with the application form –
- Printout of application registration form
- Copies of mark sheets of Class 10, Class 12, graduation, and postgraduation
- Copy of the first page of the bank passbook in the applicant’s name (showing name, account number, branch code, and branch address)
- Copy of Aadhaar card
- Copy of nativity certificate
- Copy of community certificate or minority certificate
- Original income certificate from the village office
- Copy of ration card
- PwD certificate (if applicable)
- Admission/registration letter for Ph.D.
- Certificate of confirmation signed by the research guide/research supervisor/head of department
Also Read: Mother Teresa Scholarship 2025-26 – Important Dates, Eligibility, and Benefits
CM Research Fellowship for Minorities 2025-26 – Selection Guidelines
Selection of students will be made by a Departmental Selection Committee. The selection committee includes the Additional/Joint/Deputy Secretary from the Secretariat, Director, Dept. of Minority welfare, Administrative Officer/Finance Officer, Dept. of Minority welfare, Representatives from any of the prominent government universities in Kerala, and Project Officer, Dept. of Minority welfare. The role of the aforementioned personnel is to ensure that –
- Students are selected based on BPL status and annual family income, subject to meeting all other eligibility criteria.
- 30% of fellowships are reserved for women students. If sufficient women applicants are not available, the remaining slots may be given to male applicants.
- 5% of fellowships are reserved for Persons with Disabilities (PwD) students. If sufficient PwD applicants are not available, the remaining slots may be given to the open category.
- Selection is done based on the eligibility verification, income level, and minority community proportion amongst the Kerala Population.
CM Research Fellowship for Minorities 2025-26 – Fellowship Duration
Eligible students can only receive the fellowship three times during the tenure of their Ph.D. Here’s a detailed breakdown for the same.
CM Research Fellowship for Minorities – Fellowship Duration Overview
| Phase | Criteria to be fulfilled |
| 1st Year | Joining report/ registration for Ph.D., BPL category, income limit, UGC CSIR NET score/percentile (excluding JRF), PhD only scores etc. |
| 2nd Year | Research Advisory Committee (RAC) Report, course work completion report from supervisor/ guide /HoD. |
| 3rd Year | Promotion to SRF Report (on the basis of recommendation by a panel of three-guide, HoD and an external expert as in the case of UGC JRF to SRF assessment). |
| 4th / 5th Year | Research Advisory Committee (RAC) Report, paper publishing in peer-reviewed or Scopus-indexed journals. |
Please note – If a student qualifies for the fellowship in 1st year but not in the 2nd year, then to apply for 3rd year, they must satisfy the conditions for both 2nd year and 3rd year. The same follows for other years as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to apply for the CM Research Fellowship for Minorities?
Students belonging to notified minority communities such as Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Parsis who are enrolled in full-time PhD programmes at recognised universities are eligible to apply for the Kerala CM Research Fellowship for Minorities.
Can students receiving other fellowships apply for the CM Research Fellowship for Minorities?
No, a scholar who is awarded fellowship under this scheme shall not accept any other fellowship/scholarship. In case, a scholar is already in receipt of any scholarship/fellowship, he/she will have to relinquish either the previous scholarship/fellowship/any other monetary benefit or to forgo the selection under this scheme.
Is there any age limit for the CM Research Fellowship for Minorities?
Yes. The applying candidate must be below 40 years of age as on October 1, 2025. However, relaxation in the upper age limit is applicable for candidates belonging to specific categories, such as women and Persons with Disabilities (PwD), as per government norms.
How many times will a scholar receive the fellowship amount under this scheme?
The student shall receive the fellowship up to 3 times (Maximum up to 5 years i.e., 3 times during the course period of 5 years) only upon satisfactory academic performance. Moreover, a confirmatory certificate from the research guide or research supervisor or institution or the Research Advisory Committee (RAC) is also required.
Is there any reservation under the CM Research Fellowship for Minorities?
Yes. A total of 30% of fellowships are reserved for women students and 5% of fellowships are reserved for Persons with Disabilities (PwD) students. If sufficient women and PwD applicants are not available, the remaining slots may be given to male applicants and open category students respectively.