ICSSR Post-Doctoral Fellowship 2026: ₹31,000 Monthly Grant & Eligibility
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Quick answer
The ICSSR Post-Doctoral Fellowship provides ₹31,000 per month and an annual contingency grant of ₹20,000 for two years to doctorate holders pursuing full-time social science research. Eligible Indian scholars under 45 years of age affiliated with a public-funded institution can apply online on the official ICSSR website during an open call.
At a glance
| Main benefit | ₹31,000 monthly fellowship for two years |
| Ministry / department | Ministry of Education |
| Level | Central Government |
| Age | Up to 45 years |
| Application mode | Online |
About the scheme
Administered by the Indian Council of Social Science Research under the Ministry of Education, this scheme supports talented researchers in carrying out advanced, evidence-based studies across 26 disciplines in social sciences. Selected fellows work on a full-time basis under the guidance of a senior faculty supervisor at an approved public institution, submitting periodic progress reports and publishing research articles to enrich national academic scholarship.
Benefits
- Fellowship stipend of ₹31,000 per month for a duration of two years.
- Contingency grant of ₹20,000 per year for research-related expenses such as books, fieldwork, and stationery.
- Academic Performance Indicator (API) points as per applicable University Grants Commission guidelines.
- Institutional overhead grant of 7.5% provided to the hosting institution.
Who can apply (eligibility)
- Applicant must be an Indian citizen.
- Applicant must be under 45 years of age, with a relaxation of up to 5 years for SC, ST, and PwD candidates.
- Must hold a Ph.D. degree in a social science discipline at the time of application.
- Must possess demonstrated research competence through prior publications.
- Must be affiliated with a public-funded Indian university or institution recognised by the Ministry of Education or UGC and approved for Ph.D. programmes.
- Research must be supervised by a regular faculty member holding the rank of Associate Professor or above at the host institution.
- Applicant must not be a defaulter of any previous ICSSR fellowship, project, or grant.
Who cannot apply
- Applicants who do not meet the prescribed eligibility criteria.
- Scholars affiliated with private universities or non-public funded institutions.
- Applicants proposing research identical to their Ph.D. thesis topic.
- Individuals who are not prepared to conduct research on a full-time basis or who hold other jobs during the fellowship.
Documents required
- Required documents are specified in the official application form when the call for proposals is announced by ICSSR.
How to apply
- 1Visit the official ICSSR portal at www.icssr.org and open the Fellowships section.
- 2Select the Post-Doctoral Fellowship Scheme link.
- 3Register for a new user account or log in with your credentials on the ICSSR portal.
- 4Fill in the online application form with the required academic, supervisor, and project details.
- 5Upload the necessary documents as requested in the call and submit the application online.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fellowship amount provided under this scheme?+
The fellowship provides ₹31,000 per month along with an annual contingency grant of ₹20,000 for two years.
What is the upper age limit for applying?+
Applicants must be under 45 years of age, though candidates from SC, ST, and PwD categories receive an age relaxation of up to 5 years.
Can candidates from private universities apply?+
No, candidates must be affiliated with an approved public-funded Indian university or institution.
Can I propose the same topic as my Ph.D. thesis?+
No, the research must be an original and distinct study from your Ph.D. work.
Is part-time research allowed under this fellowship?+
No, the fellowship requires full-time research, and candidates cannot hold any other employment or project during this period.
In which language can the fellowship proposal be submitted?+
The proposal can be submitted in either English or Hindi using Unicode 8 or UTF-8 formatting.
Can I submit more than one application?+
No, only one application per candidate is allowed during a single call.
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