Govt Opens IITs to Gurukul Students with Fellowships up to ₹65K in 18 Fields

Fast Summary

• The Indian government has launched the ‘Setubandha Vidwan Yojana’, allowing students from traditional gurukuls to join IITs for advanced research without conventional academic degrees.
• Scholars with at least five years of rigorous study in a recognised gurukul and demonstrable excellence in Shastras/traditional knowledge are eligible. Maximum age to apply: 32 years.
• Fellowships offered range between Rs 40,000 – Rs 65,000 per month, with additional annual research grants (Rs 1 lakh – Rs 2 lakh).
• Research areas include ayurveda, cognitive science, mathematics, physics, performing arts, strategic studies, and health sciences across interdisciplinary fields.
• The initiative is implemented by the Indian Knowledge System (IKS) division of Central sanskrit University under the ministry of education and aligns with NEP 2020 objectives.
• It aims to bridge India’s classical learning traditions with modern scientific inquiry amidst growing global interest in indigenous knowledge systems.

!Govt throws open IITs for students from gurukuls; offers fellowships

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Indian Opinion Analysis

The ‘Setubandha Vidwan Yojana’ reflects an evolving approach within India’s education policy that values diverse learning backgrounds beyond formal degree pathways. By integrating scholars skilled in traditional knowledge into premier institutions like IITs through structured fellowships and grants, this program seeks to unify classical systems like gurukul-based learning with modern scientific disciplines.

Institutional recognition such as this could significantly enhance India’s global positioning as a hub for indigenous knowledge systems while encouraging greater innovation rooted in its intellectual heritage. Furthermore, interdisciplinary frameworks fostered under this scheme may benefit emerging fields such as alternative medicine (Ayurveda), computational linguistics (Sanskrit studies), or cognitive sciences derived from Anvikshiki Vidya traditions. However, its success will likely depend on how these scholars adapt their expertise within contemporary academic standards and applications.

Balancing non-traditional qualifications alongside rigorous research expectations will be critical to ensuring the credibility of outcomes without compromising inclusivity-a challenge policymakers must navigate diligently.