The Innovative Young Biotechnologist Award (IYBA) fellowship pertaining to non-regular Awardees has been revised from ₹40,000 per month to ₹75,000 per month with effect from 1^st April 2015. The other parameters of the scheme remain unaltered. The decision comes after the secretary, DBT, Dr K VijayRaghavan and previous science and technology minsiter, Dr Jitendra Singh had assured the research students that their demands will be met in a phased manner. 

The 'Innovative Young Biotechnologist Award' (IYBA) was instituted by the DBT in the year 2005, as an attractive, career-oriented scheme to identify and nurture outstanding young scientists with innovative ideas and desire to pursue research in frontier areas of biotechnology.

For the year 2014 awards the department had applications from the young investigators upto the age of 35 years. The award generally consists of financial support for a project and Cash Award/fellowship for the awardees.

Awardees having a regular employment also receive a cash award of Rs 1 lakh every year during the course of the project in addition to grants-in-aid of ₹ 50 lakhs for a project. The awardees, those are not in the regular employment earlier used to receive fellowship of ₹ 40,000/- per month with grants-in-aid and now will be receiving ₹ 70,000 after the enhancement.

The awardees are attached to a senior scientist (mentor) in a university, research institute, medical, agriculture, veterinary college or any other institute of repute. They are expected to work independently while the mentor will facilitate their research efforts.