Guidelines for Applicants

---

ICSSR - Southern Regional Centre

SEMINAR / CONFERENCE GUIDELINES

1. INTRODUCTION

The ICSSR – SRC provides grants to academicians and researchers to organise seminars/ conferences in Southern Region as a prominent strategy to advance research in various social science disciplines. Seminars/Conferences enable researchers, academicians, policy-makers, industry partners and other stakeholders with an opportunity to exchange research findings as well as domain-specific ideas. Seminars/Conferences also generate significant academic output and research literature on contemporary issues while anticipating the challenges of the future.

ICSSR – SRC considers National seminars/conferences proposals for funding. Through its National seminars/conferences, the ICSSR – SRC encourages evidence-based and solution-oriented research that addresses the concerns and questions on policy- relevant issues. Seminars/ Conferences in thrust areas identified by ICSSR-SRC help in developing research deliverables which may be translatable as baseline policies or policy recommendations.

1.1 National seminars/ conferences grants will be awarded in the following areas of Social Sciences which shall be updated periodically by the ICSSR-SRC:

The proposals should be well-conceived on themes of significant social science concerns inviting broad, interdisciplinary and national-level participation. National Seminar/Conference should involve the participation of scholars from within India. Preference will be given to the proposals falling in the priority areas of the ICSSR – SRC on themes having policy implications.

2.ELIGIBILITY

2.1 Seminar/Conference grants shall be given to the organizing institutions that may be ICSSR Research Institutes, ICSSR Recognised Institutes, Government Institutes engaged in research work of strategic importance, Institutes of National Importance as defined by the Ministry of Education (MoE), UGC Recognized Indian Universities/Deemed Universities/ Institutions/ Colleges under 2 (F) / 12(B) etc.

2.2 Regular faculty members of the institutions mentioned in para 2.1 having a Ph.D. degree can apply as the Convener/Co-convener of the seminar/conference. Ph.D/PDF scholars are not eligible to apply as Convener/Co-Convener. However, they can be permitted to be part of the organizing committee.

2.3 An individual applicant who has been given a grant to organize National Seminars/Conferences can apply only after a gap of one financial year from the date of the seminar/conference and the submission of a new application.

3. HOW TO APPLY

Link - https://www.srcicssr.org/Onsite_Seminars.php

3.1 Applications are received online throughout the year (Rolling Mode).

3.2 The applications should be submitted at least three months before the due date of the Seminar/Conference.

3.3 The applicants need to submit an online application along with the seminar proposal, annexures, and other required documents in the prescribed format, duly forwarded by the Competent Authorities of the affiliating university/college/institute. After submitting the online application, a hard copy of the same, along with all enclosures listed in 3.4, must be sent to the following address:

     

    3.4 Annexure/Checklists (in the given order)

1. Print out of the Online Filled in Application Form as Annexure - I
2. Forwarding letter from the Head of the Affiliating Institution, duly stamped and signed on the letterhead (Download the format from Section No. 11) as Annexure - II
3. Concept Note with Sub-themes (up to 1000 words) (Download the format from Section No. 11) as Annexure - III
4. Abstract of Seminar Proposal (about 300 words) as Annexure - IV
5. Tentative date-wise and session-wise programme including prospective national paper presenters with their respective affiliations as Annexure - V
6. Plan for coverage/publicity (200 words) as Annexure - VI
7. Budget Allocation of the Programme (Download the format from Section No. 11) as Annexure - VII
8. Brief CV of the Seminar Convener (2-3 pages) as Annexure - VIII
9. Employment Certificate of the Seminar/Conference Convenor as Annexure - IX
10. Self-attested copy of the PhD Certificate as Annexure - X
11. Duly attested SC/ST/PWD certificate as Annexure -XI
12. UGC 12B/2F Status Certificate as Annexure - XII

3.4 Seminar proposals and the final proceedings should be English in the prescribed formats only

3.5 Additionally, Special Call seminars dealing with specific themes and issues as decided by the ICSSR - SRC will also be invited from time to time through an advertisement which shall be published on the ICSSR-SRC website, social media platforms of ICSSR and if required, in print media.

4. PROCEDURE FOR AWARD

1. All applications submitted to the ICSSR-SRC will be screened by the SRC Office regarding the submission of complete documents by the applicants.
2. The proposals shall be evaluated by the Expert Committee and seminar grants will be awarded on the basis of recommendations of the committee.
3. The recommendations of the Expert Committee are then sent to the ICSSR, New Delhi for the concurrence and final approval of the Competent Authority.
4. Only selected applicants shall be intimated after completion of the due process.

5. VALUE

5.1 National Seminar/Conference: Maximum up to Rs.1.5 lakhs

5.2 The actual sanctioned amount will, however, depend on the quality of the proposal, importance of the theme, potential to generate academic discussion, seminar/ conference location and number of participants as decided by the Expert Committee.

5.3 Financial Allocation

The seminar/conference organizers should send budget estimates under the following permissible heads:

S. No.	Heads	SRC Percentages
1.	Domestic Travel	15%
2.	Accommodation	15%
3.	Food Expenses	30%
4.	Honorarium to keynote Speakers in Inaugural & Valedictory and Chairs of the Technical Sessions	25%
5.	Organizational Expensed (Including Stationery, Xeroxing, Secretarial Assistance, Contingency and Miscellaneous expenses)	15%
	Total	100%

Note:
1. Momentums, Shawls, Bouquets, Garlands and Printing of Souvenir / Publications are not permissible.
2. The amount need to be booked against the percentages mentioned above.

6. RELEASE OF GRANT

The grant will be released in two instalments. The 1st Instalment of 75% will be released after the award of the proposal and on the receipt of Grant-in-aid Bill, Bank Details Form and Brochure duly stamped and signed by the Director of the Programme and the Registrar/Principal/ Director of the University/ College/Institution 20 days before the programme dates. The 2nd and final instalment of 25% will be released upon receipt of seminar/conference proceedings (2 hardbound copies and soft copies), audited Statement of Accounts and Utilization Certificate in GFR 12 A form and with mandatory documents as mentioned in 9.1 below.

7. MONITORING

The ICSSR-SRC may depute an Officer/Observer to oversee the quality of the seminar/ conference.

8. CONDITIONS

8.1 The organizer should exhibit clear interest that they intend to publish proceedings of the seminar/conference in the form of a book/edited volume papers in journals with due acknowledgement to ICSSR-SRC.

8.2 The theme of the seminar/conference must be within the purview of broad domains of social sciences as defined in 1.1 above and should be focused, coherent and realistic in their coverage and scope.

8.3 The academic background of the convener and paper presenters must be in conformity with the theme of the proposed seminar/conference.

8.4 The names of the resource persons and the topics of the presentation to be made in the seminar/conference should be clearly defined.

8.5 The Concept Note must specify (a) the sub-themes (b) the research questions being addressed, and (c) the possible contribution/outcome of the seminar/conference to the existing body of social science research.

8.6 The application should highlight the impact of the seminar on the society and seminar/conference contribution to policy-making in 500 words each.

8.7 The ICSSR-SRC may send an observer/Resource Person to the seminar/conference to get an impression report about the event. The travel, lodging and boarding expenses of the ICSSR-SRC Observer, if any, will be borne from the Travel and Food Expenses budget heads.

8.8 The seminar/conference requests for financial assistance of Rs.1.5 lakh and above should be sent to the ICSSR, New Delhi.

8.9 The applicant/institution should inform the SRC about any other financial assistance received for the seminar/conference.

8.10 Any request for an additional grant in excess of the sanctioned budget will not be considered.

8.11 The grantee organization shall be liable to refund the entire grant amount together with the penal interest @ 10% from the date of encashment of the cheque in case the event did not take place within the stipulated period or the financial year for which the grant had been released.

8.12 The institute may appropriate expenditure from one sanctioned sub-head to another subject to a maximum of 10% in either case at the time of submission of audited statement of accounts. Any re-appropriation beyond ten per cent shall require the prior approval of the ICSSR-SRC.

8.13 The SRC reserves the right to reject any application without assigning any reason. It is also not responsible for any postal delays/loss.

8.14 Incomplete applications in any respect shall not be considered.

8.15 The seminar/conference coordinator who does not submit the statement of accounts and utilization certificate in the proper format along with the proceedings will be debarred from applying for the grant.

8.16 The final authority related to the interpretation of the guidelines or any issue left is vested with the ICSSR-SRC.

8.17 ICSSR-SRC follows Government of India Rules & Directives concerning SC, ST and Persons with Benchmark Disability categories.

8.18 The cheque will be issued in the name of the Registrar/ Principal/ Finance Officer/ Director of the University/ College/ Institution.

9. COMPLETION OF THE EVENT

1. On completion of the event, the scholar should submit the following:

• Two complete sets of Reports (hard bound copies & soft copy) of the Seminar/Conference that should necessarily constitute of the following:

• The List of the Actual Participants of the seminar/conference (soft copy & hard copy)
• Detailed Report on day wise Proceedings as presented in the seminar/conference.  (soft copy in Word Format & hard copy)
• A note on the contribution of the seminar/conference (soft copy in Word Format & hard copy)
• Photographs (10 important photos) taken during the seminar/conference (soft copy in JPEG Format & hard copy)
• Final programme sheet (Day wise & Session wise) of the seminar/conference including the names of the Chairs, Paper Presenters & Topics covered (Soft Copy & Hard Copy).
• Abstracts of Papers / Souvenir presented in the seminar/conference (Hard bound copy and Soft Copy).
• The Convener shall acknowledge support of ICSSR-SRC in all publications resulting from the seminar/conference outcome (Book, Articles, Reports etc) and should submit a copy of the same to the ICSSR-SRC after the completion. (soft copy & hard copy)
• The audited head-wise statement of accounts and utilization certificate in GFR (form 12A) (copy enclosed) for the entire expenditure incurred from the sanctioned amount. Both these needs to be duly certified by the Convener, Registrar/Principal and the Finance Officer in case of the Central University or the Chartered Accountant in case of other Institutions.
• Kindly ensure that the Utilization Certificate and the Statement of Expenditure must be duly verified and properly stamped by the Principal/Registrar/ Director/Head of the Institution and the Finance Officer/Chartered Accountant (Name of the CA with UDIN No. & Stamp) as the case may be. Audited Statement of accounts with Utilization Certificate in GFR-12A form is for the entire seminar/conference grant approved by the ICSSR-SRC.
• The seminar/conference convenor will be responsible for collecting and compiling revised papers/transcription of speeches within two months of completion of the seminar/conference and sending it to ICSSR-SRC in publishable format along with group photographs and a copy of the banner and certificate.

10. OBLIGATION OF THE AFFILIATING INSTITUTION

10.1 The forwarding institution, through which the ICSSR-SRC grant will be administered, has to provide, an undertaking to administer and manage the grant, as per the ICSSR-SRC terms and conditions and provide logistical support for the execution of the grant under the format given in the approval/sanction letter.

10.2 The institution should ensure that the convener of the seminar/conference submits a detailed report within sixty days (60 days) after the Seminar/Conference.

11. DOWNLOAD FORMATS (Click the corresponding buttons below to download the files/apply)