Network for Advanced Study Fellowship 2026-27, Online | Takshashila Institution

Takshashila Institution

The Takshashila Institution is an independent centre for research and education in public policy. It works to build better public policy in India by training people who can think clearly about hard questions of governance, technology, and India's place in the world, and by publishing research that reaches decision-makers and the wider public.

Role

The Network for Advanced Study Fellowship is a one-year programme for people who want to do serious, sustained research and see it published. Fellows choose their own research topic within one of three tracks: Technology (NAST), covering the meeting point of technology and geopolitics from AI and semiconductors to space, cyber, and quantum; China (NASC), covering its political system, economy, foreign policy, military modernisation, and India-China relations; and Pakistan (NASP), covering its military and strategic culture, political economy, federalism, and domestic politics. Each fellow is paired with a Takshashila researcher for the year and works alongside a curated group of Indian and international experts.

Responsibilities

• Produce at least one substantive output during the programme year, such as a journal paper, monograph, book chapter, or policy paper
• Publish a public output every few weeks in your chosen area, such as op-eds, blogs, explainers, or podcast appearances
• Translate your research into more than one format, including policy briefs and data visualisations, to show range as well as depth
• Develop supplementary work where it strengthens the research, such as quantitative models, simulations, trackers, or dashboards
• Submit a first draft by December 2026, a second draft by April 2027, and the final submission by August 2027
• Attend seminars, masterclasses, and cohort meetings online through the year
• Attend two in-person workshops, including guest seminars and peer-review sessions
• Work closely with your assigned Takshashila mentor and take part in peer review of other fellows' work
• Submit all public outputs for organisational review before publication

Requirements

• Indian national, residing in India
• An undergraduate degree in any field
• The 2026-27 cohort runs from October 2026 to September 2027 and takes up about 8 hours a week. Up to 6 fellows are selected per track.
• A clear research proposal in one of the three tracks, submitted by 7 September 2026
• Intellectual seriousness and a genuine commitment to producing sustained, original scholarship
• Able to attend seminars and meetings online, and to travel to the two in-person workshops in Bengaluru or Delhi at your own cost
• Strong written English, with the ability to write both research papers and pieces for a general audience
• Willingness to sign a formal commitment document on joining
• Selected fellows pay a programme fee of ₹45,000 on joining

Benefits

• A cash award of ₹1,00,000 for the top performer in each track at the end of the fellowship
• Dedicated mentorship from a Takshashila researcher for the full year
• Masterclass sessions and ongoing engagement with Indian and international subject-matter experts
• Two in-person workshops in Bengaluru, with guest seminars and peer review
• A small cohort of up to 6 fellows per track, so each person gets real attention
• A published body of work that shows both depth and range, useful for academic and policy careers
• Hybrid, India (two in-person workshops in Bengaluru or Delhi)

Apply

Interested candidates can apply through the below link. Apply >

NB: The fellowship commences on 5 October 2026, and all dates are tentative and subject to revision

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