“Star Faculty Repatriation Scheme” Launches: India Rolls Out Red Carpet for STEM Diaspora

By Santosh Sinha | Education & Policy Desk Date: November 29, 2025

New Delhi: In its most aggressive bid yet to reverse the decades-old “Brain Drain,” the Government of India has officially launched the Star Faculty Repatriation Scheme.

Moving beyond the limited scope of previous fellowships like VAJRA, this new flagship initiative is designed with a singular, high-stakes goal: to bring top-tier Indian-origin STEM faculty from the US and EU back to Indian labs—permanently.

The scheme comes at a strategic moment. With geopolitical shifts creating uncertainty for academic tenure in the West (specifically the US), India is seizing the window to turn “Brain Drain” into “Brain Gain.”

The Offer: “Aggressive” Grants & Autonomy

Unlike earlier attempts that offered meager stipends, the Star Faculty Scheme is built on “Capital, Not Just Salary.”

Recognizing that a professor at MIT or Stanford won’t move for a paycheck alone, the scheme focuses on Research Infrastructure.

• Massive Set-Up Grants: Returnees are eligible for substantial, one-time “Lab Establishment Grants” that allow them to replicate their US/EU research environments in India without waiting for bureaucratic approvals.
• The “Red Carpet” Protocol: The scheme promises a “Single-Window Clearance” for procuring high-end equipment-a notorious pain point that previously deterred returning scientists.

“We aren’t just hiring teachers; we are hiring Principal Investigators. The mandate is clear: Come to IIT Bombay or IISc, and we will build the lab around you,” stated a senior official from the Principal Scientific Adviser’s (PSA) office.

Target: The “STEM Super-Specialist”

The recruitment drive is highly specific. It is not a general open call but a targeted headhunt for specialists in 12-14 Critical Technologies, including:

• Quantum Computing
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Robotics
• Bio-Technology & Synthetic Biology
• Advanced Materials (Semiconductors)

This aligns with the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) objectives. The government realizes that to become a Deep-Tech superpower, it cannot wait to train a new generation; it must import the generation that is already leading the world.

Why Now? The “Push and Pull”

The timing is widely seen as a response to the changing academic climate in the West.

• The Push: Rising scrutiny of foreign-born researchers in US strategic sectors and tightening visa norms have created a sense of “career insecurity” for the Indian diaspora.
• The Pull: India’s R&D ecosystem is maturing. With the recent operationalization of the ₹1 Lakh Crore R&D Fund, returning faculty now have access to a domestic capital pool that rivals mid-tier US universities.

Institutional Homes: IITs and IISc Lead

The primary hosts for this repatriation drive will be the Institutes of Eminence (IoEs)-specifically the older IITs (Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Kanpur) and IISc Bengaluru.

These institutions have been granted special autonomy to offer “Variable Pay” structures and “Endowed Chair” positions, allowing them to bridge the salary gap between Indian and Global standards.

The Outlook

If successful, the Star Faculty Repatriation Scheme could be the turning point for Indian science. It signals that India is done being the “exporter” of intellect and is ready to become the “destination” for innovation.