SOP (Student Orientation Programme)
By Agri Food Business Incubation Centre (AFBIC), IIT Kharagpur
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Quick Answer
Grant up to ₹4L for West Bengal-based student innovators with agri-ideas.
- Funding amount
- Up to ₹4 Lakhs
- Funding type
- Grant
- Application deadline
- Closed
- Location
- West Bengal
Results & next round
Applications for this round closed on 10 August 2026. The organiser has not published a selection list that we can verify yet.
Selections for this programme are announced by Agri Food Business Incubation Centre (AFBIC), IIT Kharagpur. Official links are listed under Sources below.
We update this page when results are published, and when the next round opens.
About this grant
The Student Orientation Programme (SOP) is run by the Agri-Food Business Incubation Centre (AFBIC) at IIT Kharagpur under the RKVY-RAFTAAR program of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Govt. of India. It backs student innovators working on technology or business ideas in agriculture, food, and allied sectors.
Selected students receive grant-in-aid of up to ₹4 lakh after the AFBIC selection, training, and performance evaluation process. The programme provides technical and business mentoring along with networking opportunities through IIT Kharagpur's Agricultural and Food Engineering department and AFBIC's agripreneur ecosystem.
SOP is open to student founders from West Bengal or to ventures originating from West Bengal. The grant is non-dilutive: AFBIC does not take equity. Cohort 3.0 applications close on 30 May 2026.
Eligibility
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Full eligibility criteria — entity type, stage, sector, founder profile and registration requirements — plus your fit for this program. Sign up to view.
Grant providers
Overview The Agri Food Business Incubation Centre (AFBIC) at IIT Kharagpur is an agri-food incubator hosted within the institute's research ecosystem. Funded under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare's RKVY-RAFTAAR Agri-Business Incubator (R-ABI) programme, the…
Learn moreBenefits & Funding
- Amount
- Up to ₹4 Lakhs
- Fund type
- Grant
- Equity
- Equity-free
- Repayment
- Non-repayable
What You Get
Up to ₹4 lakh in non-dilutive grant-in-aid for student innovators in the agri-food space. Selected students also receive technical and business mentoring along with networking opportunities into AFBIC's agripreneur ecosystem and the IIT Kharagpur faculty network.
- Application fee
- Free
Timelines & Process
Application Fee
Free
How to apply
Four steps from draft to disbursement — one action each.
- 1
Draft your application
Answer the form inside the grant tracker — AI drafts each response using your past answers, so you're not starting from a blank page.
- 2
See the questions before you start
Download every question this programme's application form asks, so you can prepare your answers offline before opening the portal.
- 3
Line up your documents
Keep every document from the checklist ready in one folder. Missing docs are the #1 reason applications get bounced.
- 4
Submit on the official portal
Use the official application link and verify all details before final submission.
- 5
Follow up
Reach out 5–7 days after submitting to confirm receipt and ask about the review timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to apply for SOP?
Student innovators with a technology or business idea in agriculture, food, or allied sectors, where either the student founder is from West Bengal or the idea is originating from West Bengal.
How much funding can a selected student receive?
Up to ₹4 lakh as non-dilutive grant-in-aid, disbursed after the AFBIC selection, training, and performance evaluation process.
Do I need a registered company?
No. SOP is designed for student innovators and supports individuals or student teams without requiring a registered entity at application time.
What support is offered beyond funding?
Technical and business mentoring along with networking opportunities through AFBIC and IIT Kharagpur's Agricultural and Food Engineering department.
What is the application deadline?
30th May 2026 is the last date to apply for AFBIC IIT Kharagpur Cohort 3.0.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
