1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 A basic requirement for high quality research in Social Sciences is the training in the science and art of doing research. While the philosophical basis of Social Science research is common to social sciences generally, different subjects have evolved their own theoretical frameworks and procedures/techniques of research. However, scholars engaging themselves in interdisciplinary or multi-disciplinary research need to familiarize themselves with the research strategies of disciplines other than in which they are trained. Moreover, from the stage of research problem to the ultimate reporting and publication of the findings, there are several aspects in which a good researcher has to refine his skills. Therefore, the ICSSR funds and sponsors Research Methodology and Capacity Building Programmes in Universities and Research Institutes.
The ICSSR-SRC Training and Capacity Programme (TCB) provides grants to the social science faculties for organizing research methodology and capacity building programme for young researchers and junior faculties in various social science disciplines as under:
2. CATEGORIES
The Training & Capacity Building (TCB) Programme is divided into following categories:
(A) Research Methodology Course (RMC) 3 Day / 7 Day
The aim of the course is to enhance the methodological and writing skills of the Ph.D. scholars and develop their potential as future academicians/social science researchers.
(B) Capacity Building Programme (CBP) 3 Day / 7 Day
3. ELIGIBILITY
3.1 Institutions/ Organizations:
The organizing institution, which plans to organize a TCB programme should be an ICSSR Research Institutes/ institutes of national importance as defined by MHRD/UGC recognized Indian university/deemed university and government research institutes having proven research capacity and resources.
3.2 Course Directors
The Course Director for both the programmes should be a serving Professor or an Associate Professor in social science disciplines and must have a good publication record. The Co-Course Director must also be a serving Professor/ Associate/ Assistant Professor and have a good publication record. There shall, however, be a cooling period of one year for an individual applicant from the date of one RMC/CBP and the submission of a new application.
3.3 Participants for RMC/CBP
3.3.1 Under the RMC, the participants should be enrolled for Ph.D. in a UGC recognized university/deemed university/colleges/institutes of national importance and ICSSR Research Institutes and their application should be duly forwarded by the affiliating institution.
3.3.2. Under the CBP, the participants should be young faculty (3 to 5 years of service) working in a UGC recognized university/deemed university/ colleges/ institutes of national importance and ICSSR Research Institutes and their application should be duly forwarded by the affiliating institution.
3.3.3 There should be at least thirty (30) participants from social science disciplines of which ten (10) must be from the city, ten (10) from the state and ten (10) from outside the state. The Course Director may however enroll more than thirty participants but ICSSR-SRC will not provide additional grant for the same.
3.3.4 Under the SC and ST component plan, the requisite participants may belong to these categories. However, in case of non-availability of requisite SC/ST participants, preference may be given to OBC, Women, and Persons with benchmark disability and minorities.
4. HOW TO APPLY
4.1 Applications are received through separate notification
4.2 The applications should be sent as per the deadlines mentioned in the notification before the due date of the RMC/CBP.
4.3 After submitting online application, a hard copy of the same duly forwarded by the affiliating institution, must be sent to: The Honorary Director, Indian Council of Social Science Research, Southern Regional Centre, Hyderabad – 500 007, with following enclosures:
Enclosure –I: A concept note in about 1000 words
Enclosure-II Tentative Programme Schedule
Enclosure-III Brief Academic CV of the Course Director and Co-Course Director (not more than 2-3 pages),
Enclosure-IV List of Resource Persons with their affiliation, designation, specialization, mobile no and email id
Enclosure-V Duly Attested SC/ST/Disability certificate, if applicable
Enclosure-VI Forwarding Letter
Enclosure-VII Application Form
Enclosure-VIII Caste Certificate for reserved categories (if applicable)
Enclosure-IX Budget Estimation
Enclosure-X UGC 12B Certificate
5. PROCEDURE FOR AWARD
5.1 Applications are initially scrutinized by the ICSSR-SRC Secretariat.
5.2 Thereafter Programme Committee would select the meritorious proposals.
5.3 The recommendations of the Programme Committee are then placed before the Chairman for final approval.
6. DURATION, VALUE AND RELEASE OF GRANT
Research Methodology Course (RMC)/ Capacity Building Programme(CBP)
6.1 The duration of the RMC course will be Three (3) / Seven (7) full working days.
6.2. The duration of the CBP programme will be Three (3) / Seven (7) full working days.
6.3 The grant in both the schemes will be released in two instalments. The 1st Instalment of 80% will be released within one month after getting the actual and detail time schedule of the programme. The 2nd and final instalment of 20% will be released upon receipt of final report, An audited statement of account for the expenditure incurred together with the utilization certificate in GFR 12-A Form (copy enclosed) and Income and Expenditure statement of sanctioned amount along with original vouchers. In case of central universities, Utilization Certificate signed by the finance officer is acceptable. For all other institutions/universities, the Utilization Certificate should be countersigned by a chartered accountant.
7. MONITORING
7.1 The ICSSR-SRC may depute an Officer/Observer to oversee the quality of the programme.
7.2 On the final day of the workshop, the Course Director/Co-Course Director is required to conduct a test, preferably in the presence of ICSSR-SRC Observer, for assessing all the participants on the basis of the lectures delivered by the Resource Persons.
7.3 The ICSSR-SRC may directly take feedback from the Resource Persons and the participants on the quality of the course conducted.
8. CONDITIONS
8.1 Once the programme is approved by the ICSSR-SRC, wide publicity with ICSSR logo should be given for attracting sufficient number of applicants. This may be done through advertisement in the newspaper and uploading the information in the institutions website. A copy of the same may be sent to the ICSSR-SRC for uploading it in its website.
8.2 There shall be at least three lectures per day followed by a detailed discussion/interaction with the participants.
8.3 The Course Director will ensure that at least two sessions each are dedicated to the use of data in social science research, research tools, and library & e-library training. If any Course Director proposes any special training such as SPSS, Disaster Management, Health Training, use of ICT in social science research etc, it must be clearly stated in the proposal along with additional budgetary requirements.
8.4 For a course under a Special Component Plan, there should be more than 50% of participants from SC and ST category. However, in case of non- availability of SC and ST participants, priority should be given to OBC, women, Persons with Benchmark Disability and minorities.
8.5 The Resource Persons invited for the course should be from different geographical & social science background preferably Professor/Associate Professor with sufficient expertise in Resource Methodology and publications. While selecting the Resource Persons for RMC, the Course Director should ensure that Resource Persons from outside the state, from the state and from the local area should separately share 1/3 (33%) of total lectures.
8.6 For Travel & stay of the Resource Persons, the host institutions rules will apply.
8.7 No Registration fee would be charged from the participants for attending the Course.
8.8 The Course Director/Co-Course Director is not entitled to draw honorarium for taking sessions in the same Course.
8.9 The travel, lodging and boarding expenses of the ICSSR-SRC Observer will be borne from the approved budget head “travel & stay for outstation resource persons”.
8.10 The institute may re-appropriate expenditure from one sanctioned sub-head to another subject to a maximum of ten per cent. Any re-appropriation beyond ten per cent of the amount sanctioned for any item, shall require the prior approval of the ICSSR-SRC.
8.11 The amount of grant sanctioned is to be utilized within 3 months/same financial year. If the Grantee fails to utilize the grant within the stipulated period, it will be refunded to the ICSSR-SRC with 10% penal interest p.a. from the date of receipt of the amount.
8.12 The Centre reserves the right to reject any application without assigning any reason. It is also not responsible for any postal delays/loss.
8.13 Incomplete applications in any respect shall not be considered.
8.14 The final authority related to the interpretation of the guidelines or any issue left is vested with the ICSSR-SRC.
8.15 ICSSR-SRC follows Government of India Rules & Directives with regard to SC, ST and Persons with Benchmark Disability categories.
9. COMPLETION OF THE COURSE
9.1 Upon completion, the Course Director will submit the following within ONE month:
a. Final report including observations/recommendations by the Resource Persons;
b. Course Outlines
c. One set of Resource Materials
d. Summary of Evaluation by the participants (annexure II & III)
e. suggestions for further improvement and
f. Certificate to the participants with ICSSR-SRC Name and Logo issued by the Organizing institute
g. Head wise audited statement of accounts and Utilization certificate in GFR-12 A form for the entire sanctioned amount duly signed by the Finance Officer/Registrar/ Principal/Director in case the accounts of the Institution are audited by the CAG/AG. Otherwise, they need to be signed both by the competent authority of the affiliating institution along with a chartered accountant.
10. OBLIGATION OF THE AFFILIATING INSTITUTION
10.1 The forwarding institution, where the proposed Course is to be located, has to provide, in the prescribed format duly stamped and signed by the Competent authority, an undertaking to administer and manage the ICSSR-SRC grant and provide logistical support for the Course.
10.2 The Institute hosting the programme should provide overall management and facilities such as logistic help, staff support, lecture venue etc. For this, overhead charge of 10 per cent to the host institute would be paid which will be released after receiving the final report and an Audited Statement of Accounts and Utilization Certificate, (in the prescribed Proforma GFR 12-A).
10.3 The Director of the course shall be responsible for the overall management and timely conduct of all the sessions and active engagement of the participants during the programme. The Co-Course Director, if any, will assist the Director in discharging the overall responsibility of conducting the workshop.
10.4 The host Institute & Course Director are expected to give wide publicity to the programme, clearly mentioning that it is an ICSSR-SRC Sponsored Programme, at least one month in advance.
The Honorary Director
Indian Council of Social Science Research
Southern Regional Centre
(Ministry of Education, Govt. of India)
2nd Floor, New Building, OUCIS Premises
Adjacent to OUCIS
Osmania University Campus, Hyderabad - 500 007
Email: srcicssrprograms@gmail.com