Details
This scheme is open to Indian citizens under the age of 45 who hold a Ph.D. and have demonstrated research ability through earlier publications. All candidates must be affiliated with a Ministry of Education or UGC-recognized public-funded Indian university, and a senior faculty member (not less than an Associate Professor) from the same institution must supervise their study. The fellowship offers a ₹31,000 monthly grant and ₹20,000 annual contingency grant for a period of two years. The applications for the fellowship are invited through advertising on the ICSSR website and social media platforms. The scheme covers a wide range of disciplines under the discipline of social sciences, with 26 major areas including priority research topics. In addition to conducting full-time research, fellows are expected to provide progress updates on a regular basis and publish at least two research publications in reputable journals. The final submission includes published articles, audited financial data, summaries, and a book-length report. Given India’s social science ecosystem, it seeks to promote research excellence, evidence-based research, and scholarship that is also relevant to policymakers.

Benefits
1) Monthly Fellowship amount @ Rs.31,000 per month
2) Contingency Grant @ Rs.20,000 per annum
3) API points as per the UGC Guidelines in force at the point of time
4) Institutional overhead (7.5%) – supports the hosting institution.

Eligibility
1) The applicant must be an Indian citizen.
2) Must be under 45 years of age (5-year relaxation for SC/ST/PwD).
3) Must possess a Ph.D. in a social science discipline.
4) Must have demonstrable research competence via publications.
5) Must affiliate with a public-funded Indian institution approved for Ph.D.
6) Must have a supervisor who is a serving faculty (Associate Professor or above).
7) Applicant must not be a defaulter of any ICSSR grant/project/fellowship.

Exclusion
1) Those who are not fulfilling the edibility criteria.

Application Process
https://www.myscheme.gov.in/schemes/post-doctoral-fellowship
Online

Step 01: Visit ICSSR website – www.icssr.org – and navigate to Fellowships section.
Step 02: Click on Post-Doctoral Fellowship Scheme.
Step 03: Register/Login to the ICSSR portal.
Step 04: Fill the online application form.
Step 05: Upload documents and submit.

Documents Required
The list of documents required will be given in the Application Form when the Call is announced.