ICSSR – Post Doctoral Fellowship – Application Process as to how these applications needs to be filled in and what all documents are to be attached etc.
3. How to apply
3.1 Applications will be invited through advertisements in leading newspapers, Economic and Political Weekly and Association of Indian University (AIU) Newsletter and on the Website of the ICSSR in April and will be received till 31st July each year.
3.2 All applications for Post-Doctoral fellowship have to be made on the prescribed Application Form, as attached with these guidelines, along with all the following annexures and enclosures:-
Annexure-I Abstract of the Proposal on the Prescribed Format.
Annexure-II Brief Academic CV of applicant, along with two passport size photos
Annexure-III Two copies of Summary of Research Proposal in about 750 words
Annexure-IV Two copies of Detailed Research Proposal in about 3000 words [Please use the Guidelines for Research Proposal provided in this document.
Annexure-V Institutional Profile of the forwarding institution.
Annexure-VI Salary certificate and no-objection from the employer, if applying under salary protection scheme
Annexure-VII Forwarding letter from the affiliating institution
Annexure VIII Consent letter from the supervisor and his/her brief bio-data
Annexure-IX Duly attested SC/ST certificate, if applicable.
3.3 All application forms have to be submitted in soft copy either through e-mail <rfsdivisionicssr@gmail.com> or online as the case may be before 31st July each year. Subsequently, a hard copy of the application along with two hard copies of the proposal, duly forwarded on the prescribed format with signatures and seal of the Head of the Institution where the fellowship is to be financially administered, should be sent to: RFS Division, Indian Council of Social Science Research, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067.
3.4 Incomplete applications and those not duly forwarded shall not be considered for fellowship.
4. Procedure for Award of Post-Doctoral Fellowship
4.1 All applications are initially short-listed by the ICSSR. The applications are thereafter evaluated by committee of experts, set up by the ICSSR. The Committee and ICSSR may invite the scholars for interaction, if necessary. The recommendations of the Expert Committee are placed before the Research Committee and Council for approval.
5. Conditions of the Fellowship
5.1 The duration of fellowship is 2 years.
5.2 The amount of Fellowship is Rs.28,000/- p.m. (consolidated) for those not currently employed.
5.3 In addition, a contingency grant of Rs.20,000/- p.a. is admissible during the entire period of fellowship to a fellow, irrespective of whether a Fellow is employed or not.
5.4 Under salary protection, a fellow is entitled to salary and allowances admissible at the parent institution. Also, the leave salary and pension contribution/ employer’s share of CPF contribution will be borne by the Council. The allowances and salary protected would not be more than the equivalent UGC scales/allowances.
5.5 Salary protection will be applicable to scholars who fulfill the eligibility criteria laid down in clause 2.2 of these guidelines. The selected awardees shall have further, however, put in at least two years continuous service in the institution before they apply and the institution shall certify that it will maintain their lien on the post during the period of fellowship and allow them to return to it after the period of fellowship is over.
5.6 The sanction of the fellowship is issued initially for one year effective from the date of joining. Each year’s grant is released in three installments of 40%, 40% and 20%. The third installment is released only on receipt of the annual progress report and the duly audited Statement of Accounts. The same procedure is followed for the second year.
5.7 The last installment is released on receipt of the final satisfactory report, a Summary of the report (2000 to 5000 words), and Audited Statement of Accounts and Utilization Certificate in the prescribed GFR-19-A format.
5.8 The final report submitted by the scholar will be considered satisfactory only after its evaluation by the ICSSR.
6. Monitoring of Fellowships
6.1 Research undertaken by a fellow will be reviewed periodically and the fellowship may be discontinued if research undertaken by the fellow is found unsatisfactory.
6.2 All fellows are required to submit a six monthly progress report and simple statement of accounts duly signed by the Registrar/Director of the affiliating Institution. Non-receipt of periodic progress report may lead to termination of the fellowship
6.3 Post-Doctoral fellows are expected to submit the following within six months of the completion of their fellowship:
• A revised final Report in a publishable form along-with a Summary of the report (2000-5000 words) within six months of the completion of their fellowship.
• Both documents should be submitted in hard format (two copies each) and a soft copy.
7. Obligation of the Affiliating Institution
7.1 Post-Doctoral Fellows are expected to affiliate themselves to a public funded university or academic / research institution or ICSSR funded / recognized institution of their choice with the approval of the Council. Funds are disbursed by the ICSSR through the affiliating institution and administered by it.
7.2 The affiliating institution is required to provide the requisite research infrastructure to the scholar and maintain proper accounts including deduction of income tax as may be required under the rules. For this, the Council shall pay to the institution, overhead charges of seven and a half percent (7.5%) of the total Fellowship (fellowship amount plus contingency).
7.3 The affiliating institution where the proposed fellowship research is to be undertaken is required to give an undertaking in the prescribed format contained in the Application Form to administer and manage the ICSSR grant and provide logistical support for conducting the study.
7.4 Every six months the affiliating institution is required to submit a simple statement of accounts to the Council so that the next instalment of funds may be released.
7.5 The affiliating institution will be under obligation to ensure submission of the final report and an Audited Statement of Accounts and Utilization Certificate, (in the prescribed Performa GFR 19-A) duly certified by the Director/Competent authorities. The report must be in form and content acceptable to the ICSSR. The overhead charges shall be paid only after the completion of the fellowship and on receipt of the final Statement of Accounts.
Guidelines for Research Proposal