The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has started the application process for its Industry Fellowship Programme. This programme offers internship opportunities to 350 faculty members to strengthen collaboration between academia and industry. Eligible candidates can apply through the official portal at ifp.aicte.gov.in until October 15. Selected faculty will serve as full-time industry fellows for a minimum duration of one year during the 2025–26 academic session.As per the eligibility guidelines mentioned on the official website, applicants must be under 45 years of age and hold a bachelor’s degree from a recognised university or institution.Additionally, they are required to have at least five years of regular teaching experience in AICTE-approved institutions. It is important to note that time spent on doctoral or post-doctoral research, as well as any deputation period, will not be considered towards the required teaching experience, as stated on the official website.Applicants must meet at least one of the following criteria to be eligible: they should have qualified in national or state-level entrance examinations such as GATE, GRE, CAT, MAT, JRF, SRF, NET, or other recognized tests for admission to postgraduate or doctoral programmes; authored a minimum of five research articles published in Scopus or Web of Science (WoS) indexed journals; completed government or agency-funded projects with a cumulative grant of at least Rs 15 lakh; received young scientist or other proficiency awards from central/state governments, universities, or recognized agencies; or secured top academic distinctions—such as 1st, 2nd, or 3rd rank in undergraduate/postgraduate programmes at a university or Centrally Funded Technical Institution (CFTI), or earned honors or a ‘Best Thesis Award’ in a doctoral programme.If any registrant is from any industry, he or she should know the following: To be eligible for participation in the AICTE Industry Fellowship Programme, companies must have a registered office in India and a minimum operational history of five years. They should demonstrate financial stability with an average annual turnover of Rs 100 crore or more over the past three years. Eligible entities include proprietorships, partnerships, limited companies, and public sector undertakings (PSUs). Preference will be given to firms listed on Indian stock exchanges or those with an established overseas presence.AICTE Fellowship 2025: Documents for the applicationTo apply for the AICTE Industry Fellowship Programme, candidates must submit several essential documents, including a recent passport-sized photograph in JPEG format (maximum size 100 KB), Aadhaar card, PAN card, academic certificates and mark sheets for graduation or postgraduation, experience certificates from both current and previous employers, and a No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued by their parent institution. These have to be submitted on the official website. Candidates will need to create an account if they are a fresh registrant.Story continues below this adAICTE Fellowship 2025: Financial supportUnder the AICTE Industry Fellowship Programme, selected faculty members will receive a monthly stipend of Rs 75,000, supplemented by a minimum contribution of Rs 25,000 from participating industries. This financial support will be provided in addition to their existing institutional salaries.AICTE Fellowship 2025: When will the programme start?The selection process is scheduled to run from November 1 to November 15, with the fellowship commencing on December 1, 2025.AICTE Fellowship 2025: In which areas can you work?Participants will gain experience in high-impact sectors such as advanced materials, rare-earth and critical minerals, semiconductors, space and defence, blue economy, sustainability and climate change, advanced computing, supercomputing, AI, and quantum technologies communications, smart cities and mobility, agritech, food processing, and several other emerging domains.The AICTE Industry Fellowship Programme follows a three-stage selection process. In the first stage, applications will be reviewed and documents verified. The second stage involves interviews conducted by industry partners. The final stage consists of a concluding round of document verification by the respective industry to confirm the candidate’s eligibility and readiness for placement.