Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2025 (India)

Science and Technology are essential tools for development of the society. Scientists play a very important role in selflessly driving the systematic quest for truth and development of new knowledge. They are the backbones of the nation who contribute tirelessly for the development of the society. The exemplary and outstanding contributions of scientists need to be recognised so that they can serve as an inspiration to others.

Objective

• The RVP shall be one of the highest recognition in the field of science, technology and innovation in India. Scientists/ technologists / innovators working in government, private sector organizations or individuals working outside any organisation, who have made distinguished contributions in terms of path-breaking research or innovation or discovery in any fields of science, technology or technology- led innovation shall be eligible for the awards. People of Indian origin staying abroad with exceptional contributions benefiting the Indian communities or society shall also be eligible for the awards.

Focus Areas

• The Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar shall be given in the following 13 domains, namely:
  • Agricultural Science
  • Atomic Energy
  • Biological Sciences
  • Chemistry
  • Earth Science
  • Engineering Sciences
  • Environmental Science
  • Mathematics & Computer Science
  • Medicine
  • Physics
  • Space Science and Technology
  • Technology & innovation
  • Others

Award Categories

• The awards shall be given in following four categories:
  • Vigyan Ratna (VR) award: to be awarded to recognize life time achievements & contributions made in any field of science and technology.
  • Vigyan Shri (VS) award: to be awarded to recognize distinguished contributions in any field of science and technology.
  • Vigyan Yuva Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (VY-SSB) award: to be awarded to recognize & encourage young scientists who made an exceptional contribution in any field of science and technology.
  • VigyanTeam (VT) award: to be awarded to a team comprising of three or more scientists/researchers/innovators who have made an exceptional contribution working in a team in any field of science and technology.

Award Information

• In the Award Ceremony, the Awardees shall be presented a Certificate and a Medallion. A commemorative brochure, containing the citation and photograph of the awardees shall also be released on the day of the ceremony.
• In case of posthumous award, the decoration of the award shall be received by the ‘next of kin’ of such awardee.
• The decoration to such persons who are not able to attend the award ceremony due to personal reasons (including indisposition, preoccupation, etc.) the award shall be deemed to have been conferred on such a person. No other person (including the spouse/next of kind) should be allowed to receive the award on behalf of the absentee awards except in posthumous cases.

Eligibility Criteria

• All scientists, technologists and innovators working in any field of science in government or private organizations who have contributed or done pathbreaking research, technology led innovation or discovery in any fields of science or development of innovative technologies/ significant societal impact shall be eligible for the award.
• Scientists, technologists and innovators of Indian origin abroad with exceptional contributions benefitting the Indian communities or society at large shall also be eligible.
• Recipients of Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science & Technology are not eligible for Vigyan Yuva Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar.

Nomination Criteria

• Any individual may nominate from the Government or Private Sector for Vigyan Ratna, Vigyan Shri, Vigyan Yuva – Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar and Vigyan Team:
  • Maximum two numbers of nominations are permitted including self nomination.
• Recipients of Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science & Technology are not eligible for Vigyan Yuva – Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar.
• Any institution may nominate (excluding self nomination) from the Government or Private Sector for Vigyan Ratna, Vigyan Shri, Vigyan Yuva – Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar and Vigyan Team.
• Nominations shall also be invited from State Governments / UT Administrations; Ministries / Departments of the Central Government; Heads of National Science Academies / Laboratories / Institutions / Professional Science and Engineering Societies; Vice Chancellors / Registrars of the Academic Institutions; Heads of Scientific Organizations / S & T based Voluntary Organizations, etc.

Selection Criteria

• All nominations received for the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar awards shall be placed before the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar Committee (RVPC) constituted by the Hon’ble Minister for Science & Technology every year. RVPC inturn will form the specific committees as required. The Chairman of the Committee shall be the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to Government of India. The RVPC shall have the following as members:
  • Secretaries of the six Science Ministries / Departments (DST, DBT, DSIR / CSIR, MoES, DoS and DAE)
  • Upto 4 select Presidents of the Scienceand Engineering Academies
  • Six distinguished scientists and technologists from different fields of Science and Technology.
• The committee shall be constituted every year.
• The RVPC will recommend the names to the Honorable Minister of Science & Technology, Govt. of India.

For more information, visit Government of India.