Application Process & Review Criteria

Koita Center for Digital Health, IIT-Bombay (KCDH) and Johns Hopkins University

Applications for the Breakthrough Research Grants Program are now closed. Results and award notifications will be announced by June 30, 2026.

Application Process

Applicants at JHU and Koita Center for Digital Health (Ashoka University & IIT Bombay) are encouraged to explore potential partnerships within their domains for the development of joint research proposals.

Prior to submission of Proposals, applicants are required to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) form. EOIs are to be submitted via the InfoReady portal only.

The GKII DSAI EOI page for EOI submission can be accessed here.

EOIs are to be submitted by 13th March 2026. Upon successful submission of EOI form, applicants will receive a confirmation email and will be eligible for final proposal submission. Proposals without EOI submission will not be considered.

All final proposal submissions are to be done via the InfoReady portal. Generally, the JHU researchers have an existing InfoReady account and hence are expected to submit the final proposal on the portal. However, applicants from Koita Center for Digital Health (Ashoka University & IIT Bombay) can also create an account on the InfoReady Portal for submitting the proposals. The deadline for submission of final proposals is 17th April 2026

Link to the InfoReady Portal- (Proposal Submission)

Only one proposal per Principal Investigator is permitted for the breakthrough grants program

Faculty-to-Faculty Matching:
To support collaboration building prior to submission, GKII and Koita Center for Digital Health (Ashoka University & IIT Bombay) will:

  • Develop a list of eligible faculty members at both institutions.
  • Organize information webinars to introduce the program and priority domains.
  • Conduct outreach through institutional channels and social media.
  • Facilitate one-on-one matching sessions between interested faculty members to encourage joint proposal development.

For more details- Please contact: Dr. Meghashish Sharma, Senior Program Manager, Gupta-Klinsky India Institute ([email protected])

Koita Center for Digital Health (Ashoka University): Dr. Aradhita Baral Deputy Director, Koita Centre for Digital Health, Ashoka University [email protected] 

Koita Center for Digital Health (IIT Bombay): Dr. Raghavendran Lakshminarayanan, Senior Programme Officer, Koita Center for Digital Health, IIT Bombay [email protected]   

Review Criteria, Project Impact & Success Metrics

Projects are selected via competitive review, co-led by GKII and Koita Center for Digital Health (Ashoka University & IIT Bombay) Applicants are expected to note the following review criteria which have significant weightage in terms of the final decision of selection.

Each application will be scored on a 1–5 scale for each criterion, with 5 = Excellent and 1 = Poor. Reviewers will provide both numerical scores and qualitative feedback.

Criteria Weight Score (1–5) Description
Scientific Approach 25% 1–5 Rigor, clarity, and innovation of the research design and methodology.
Multi-disciplinary Collaboration 15% 1–5 Strength and complementarity of JHU–India partnership; evidence of meaningful engagement across disciplines.
Significance & Impact 20% 1–5 1.     Significance of the research question to address the real-world problem.

2.     Potential to advance knowledge and improve health outcomes.

3.     Engagement with stakeholders such as government, private sector, academic and third-party stakeholders who would undertake real-world implementation of the empirical results,

4.     Potential use of findings in practice,

5.     Existing government approvals, access to relevant databases.
Feasibility 15% 1–5 Realism of achieving objectives within 24 months, given available expertise, resources, and infrastructure.
Potential for Future Funding 15% 1–5 Likelihood of leveraging results for larger external funding or sustained collaborations.
Cost Effectiveness 10% 1–5 Appropriateness of budget, value for money, and alignment with project objectives.

 

Overall Score: Weighted sum of individual criteria (out of 100).

  • Excellent (85–100): Outstanding proposal, highly recommended for funding.
  • Good (70–84): Strong proposal, may require minor revisions or clarifications.
  • Fair (55–69): Adequate but with significant weaknesses; funding not a priority.
  • Poor (<55): Serious weaknesses; not recommended for funding.

Successful proposals will be also expected to demonstrate measurable outcomes in their proposals, including but not limited to:

  • Direct impact on population or community of interest through improved health outcomes, enhanced process efficiencies or practices.
  • Joint publications in peer-reviewed journals.
  • Development of a proof of concept or prototype with potential for larger grant applications.
  • Evidence of sustained JHU–India collaboration (e.g., follow-on funding, new joint proposals, exchange visits).
  • Training and mentorship outcomes for students and junior researchers.
  • Dissemination of results to relevant stakeholders in academia, policy, and practice.