ICSSR Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru National Fellowship : Indian Council of Social Science Research

Name of the Organisation : Indian Council of Social Science Research (icssr.org)
Name of the Fellowship : Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru National Fellowship
Location : India

Website : http://www.icssr.org/

National Fellowships :
National Fellowships fall into two broad categories :
Specific
Non-Specific

Specific Category :
1. Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship
2. Jawaharlal Nehru National Fellowship
3. B.R. Ambedkar National Fellowship
4. J.P. Naik National Fellowship

Non-Specific Category :
These fellowships (6) are offered to eminent scholars, who have made outstanding contribution to the field of social sciences.

Eligibility :
Social scientists of eminence, who have made outstanding contributions to research in their respective fields and would like to take time off from their pre-occupations to do further research. There is no age bar for this category of fellowship.

Selection Procedure :
The awards are made by the Council on its own initiative after following a prescribed selection procedure. However, direct applications for National Fellowships are not accepted. Nominations are invited from vice-chancellors of universities; directors of the research institutes/regional centres funded by the Council and also from all present and former members of the Council and erstwhile National Fellows of ICSSR. Not more than two nominations may be forwarded by an individual authority as mentioned above. All nominations are to be accompanied by a curriculum vitae of the scholar in a standardised Proforma.

The nominations received are initially shortlisted by a Committee duly constituted by the Chairman/Council. The shortlisted scholars are requested to submit a brief 1500 words resume about the theme on which they propose to conduct their study. Thereafter, the Selection Committee, after due scrutiny and deliberations, recommends the final list to the Council for consideration and final approval.

Affiliation and Overhead Charges :
National Fellows are requested to affiliate themselves to a reputed institute(funded by central or state govt.) or university/college of their choice with the prior approval of the Council for disbursement and administration of funds. The affiliating institution will provide the requisite research infrastructure to the scholar and maintain proper accounts. For this, the Council shall pay to the institution overhead charges at seven and a half per cent (7.5%) of the total expenditure (fellowship and contingency) incurred. However, this amount shall be paid only after the conclusion of the fellowship and on receipt of Simple Statement of Accounts and Utilization Certificate duly certified by the Director/Competent authorities. Audited Statement of Accounts shall follow in due course.

Value and Duration :
During the period of National Fellowship, the salary and allowances of an employed scholar are protected. The fellow will be entitled to allowances as per the rules admissible at the parent institution. Besides, the Council also pays his/her leave salary and pension contribution/employer’s share of C.P.F contribution.

Retired and unemployed scholars will be paid a fellowship amount of Rs. 25,000 p.m.

In addition, a contingency grant of Rs. 50,000/- p.a. is also admissible to employed/unemployed and superannuated scholars during the entire period of fellowship.

The maximum duration of the fellowship is two years.

Mode of Payment :
The sanction of the fellowship is issued initially for one year, which is effective from the date of joining. The first year’s grant is released in three instalments. The third instalment consists of 10% of the Ist Year’s grant. The remaining amount is divided into two instalments consisting of 60% as first and 40% as second instalment. The third installment is released only on receipt of the annual progress report. The same procedure is followed for the second year on receipt of the final report on completion of fellowship.

Monitoring :
Monitoring of all the National Fellowships is done at ICSSR, New Delhi. During the course of the fellowship, national awardees would be requested to give lectures at an appropriate fora of mutual convenience on the findings of his/ her study with a view to disseminate the scholar’s participation among the professional community at large. These arrangements shall be made in consultation with the National fellow in due course of time.

Final Report and Accounts :
National fellows are expected to submit their Final Report (in triplicate) in publishable form, within six months of the completion of their fellowship.

The affiliating body is also required to submit an Audited Statement of Accounts and Utilisation Certificate, duly certified by a chartered accountant, for the expenditure incurred.

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