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    Department of Scientific and Industrial Research

    DSIR-PRISM Phase-I

    PRISM Phase-I — Individual Innovator (Proof of Concept / Prototype & Fabrication)

    Non-dilutive

    Grant up to INR 2L (Category-I, project <=INR 5L) or up to INR 20L (Category-II, project INR 5L-35L), each capped at 90% of approved project cost, plus technical/mentoring/patenting support.

    This programme has 2 parts, and each is applied for separately — with its own eligibility and its own money. They are set out below in order.

    The schemeNon-dilutive

    PRISM Phase-I — Individual Innovator (Proof of Concept / Prototype & Fabrication)

    Grant up to INR 2L (Category-I, project <=INR 5L) or up to INR 20L (Category-II, project INR 5L-35L), each capped at 90% of approved project cost, plus technical/mentoring/patenting support.

    Who qualifies

    Any individual Indian-citizen innovator (a single named applicant, students included) with an innovative idea seeking to translate it into a working prototype/model/process; Phase-I covers projects costing up to ~INR 35 lakh (Category-I up to INR 5L, Category-II INR 5L-35L).

    Instrument
    Grant (non-repayable)
    Issued by
    Department of Scientific and Industrial Research
    Coverage
    All India
    Launched
    2013

    What it is worth

    • 90%% of approved project cost

      Phase-I grant covers up to 90% of the approved project cost (applicant bears the balance); the absolute ceiling depends on Category (see conditional_benefits). 'Whichever is less' of the percentage or the cap applies.

    • Non-cash support bundled with the grant; funds themselves are released to the innovator, not parked at the TOCIC.

    • In certain cases

      Up to ₹2 lakhINR

      Category-I (Proof of Concept / Prototypes / Models): project cost up to INR 5L. Maximum support INR 2L or 90% of approved project cost, whichever is less.

    • In certain cases

      Up to ₹20 lakhINR

      Category-II (Fabrication of working model / process know-how / testing & trial / patenting / technology transfer): project cost INR 5L-35L. Maximum support INR 20L or 90% of total project cost, whichever is less.

    How applying runs

    1. applicationSubmit an individual-innovator proposal (Category-I or Category-II format) to a DSIR TePP Outreach-cum-Cluster Innovation Centre (TOCIC).
    2. screeningTOCIC screens/evaluates and forwards complete proposals to DSIR; the PRISM Advisory and Screening Committee (PASC) recommends sanctions.
    3. sanctionDSIR sanctions approved proposals; the applicant signs Terms & Conditions before grant-in-aid is released in milestone-linked tranches.

    Worth knowing

    • The applicant must be a single named person; for a student team, one lead applicant is named (DSIR Terms & Conditions).
    • Scheme branding names 'Individuals, Start-ups and MSMEs', but DSIR's operative Phase-I T&C specify a single individual applicant. Whether a startup/MSME entity may apply directly under Phase-I is not clearly stated in primary text — Needs verification.
    • On project abandonment, the innovator must refund disbursed funds with 12% interest (clawback) — it remains a grant, not a loan.
    • Long-running scheme (12th Plan era, operative guidelines dated 2013; DSIR awareness events 2021, impact study 2023). Treat as Active but verify the current open call window on the DSIR portal.
    Applied for separatelyNon-dilutive

    PRISM Phase-II — Enterprise Incubation

    Grant up to INR 50L, limited to 50% of total project cost (project cost INR 35L-100L), with commercialization and patenting support.

    Who qualifies

    Indian-citizen PRISM innovators (or innovators who have successfully demonstrated proof of concept with support of a government institution/agency) scaling a technology innovation towards enterprise creation, with project cost between INR 35 lakh and INR 1 crore.

    Instrument
    Grant (non-repayable)
    Issued by
    Department of Scientific and Industrial Research
    Coverage
    All India
    Launched
    2013

    What it is worth

    • Up to ₹50 lakhINR

      Enterprise incubation: up to INR 50L of grant-in-aid.

    • 50%% of total project cost

      Phase-II support is limited to 50% of the total project cost (project cost INR 35L-100L); the INR 50L cap and the 50% rate both apply (whichever is less).

    • Technical/strategic guidance, expert review and commercialization/patenting support towards marketable product/process and enterprise creation.

    How applying runs

    1. applicationA successful PRISM innovator (or a PoC-demonstrated innovator) submits a Phase-II enterprise-incubation proposal via a TOCIC to DSIR.
    2. reviewPASC recommends sanction; releases are milestone-linked and monitored by a Project Review Committee (PRC).

    Worth knowing

    • Eligibility prerequisite 'must be a successful PRISM innovator OR have demonstrated proof of concept with support of a government institution/agency' is a scheme-specific prior-stage gate with no registered fact-field — captured in gap_analysis.unmodelled_conditions.
    • Phase-II is independently applied-for and sanctioned (its own eligibility prerequisite + its own benefit package), so it is modelled as a separate Component node rather than a benefit branch of Phase-I.

    Sources

    Every figure and condition above is traceable to a government document. Scheme terms change — if this page and the source disagree, the source is right, and we want to know.

    Last verified · More grant (non-repayable) programmes

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