What is the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR)?

Nov 24, 2025, 11:13 IST

The Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) is India’s primary institution for advancing and promoting social science research. From graduate fellowships and significant research grants to international collaborations and state-level research institutes, it is important to empower researchers and enable evidence-based policymaking.

What is the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR)?

If you are interested in pursuing M.Phil or PhD in India, you will most likely come across the name ICSSR (Indian Council of Social Science Research) at some point, perhaps while looking for research funding, applying for fellowships, or seeking dissertation help.

But what exactly is the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR)?

In India, social sciences are frequently overshadowed by STEM subjects, despite their importance in understanding society, policymaking, government, public institutions, behaviour, culture, and economic structures. This is where the Indian Council of Social Science Research becomes a game-changer. It was established in 1969 by the Government of India. ICCSR serves as the national backbone for social science research, including grants, institutional support, fellowships, data access, training, and international collaborations.

Imagine yourself working on tribal studies, gender inequality, political participation, public policy, psychological behaviour, education systems, economic development, or media studies, and having a government-funded body that not only supports your research but also funds your fieldwork, offers fellowships, builds research centres, and connects you with national and international scholars. This is exactly what the ICSSR does.

What is ICSSR (Indian Council of Social Science Research)?

In India, where scientific and technological achievements are frequently at the top of the headlines, the social sciences discreetly create the foundation of government, policymaking, public behaviour, economic planning, and social transformation. However, the academic environment for the social sciences has long faced obstacles.

This is the reason why a national-level apex body such as the Indian Council of Social Science Research is so important. ICSSR is the highest authority on social and human science research. Founded in 1969, and is overseen by the Ministry of Education of the Government of India. It plays an important role in advancing knowledge and understanding of various social issues and challenges, and offering research-based solutions to policymakers and stakeholders in the country’s development through initiatives and schemes such as research projects, doctoral, postdoctoral, senior, and national fellowships etc.

Given below are some of the core functions of the Indian Council of Social Science and Research (ICSSR):-

Why Is ICSSR Important for Students and Researchers?

For a researcher or postgraduate student, the journey of academic research generally involves questions like, where to secure financing for fieldwork, or how I fund research gear and travel for data collection?

This is where the Indian Council of Social Sciences Research (ICSSR) role becomes important. It is one of the few bodies in India that focuses on assisting scholars from the start of their academic careers. Whether you are a first-year PhD student who is striving to find financing, a postgraduate working on a dissertation, or a young faculty member attempting to publish research, ICSSR serves as the link between your ideas and actual scholarly output.

Given below are some of how the Indian Council of Social Science Research helps the researchers:-

Scholars are supported through doctoral and senior fellowships to conduct research in a wide range of social science themes.
They offer grants-in-aid to professional bodies and universities for the publication of research journals, as well as financial subsidies for researchers to publish submissions.
They provide training and capacity-building activities in research methodology.
They provide their network institutions with access to a consortium of e-resources and a database of open-access social science materials, thereby improving digital research infrastructure.
They offer a plagiarism detection program to help researchers preserve their academic integrity and credibility.
Grants are awarded to institutions for hosting national, international, and joint seminars to enhance the exchange of research findings.

What are the Types of Fellowships offered by the ICSSR?

Fellowships are generally the most important part of a researcher’s academic career. They offer the financial basis that enables scholars to focus only on their study without regard for external demands. The ICSSR fellowships ecosystem is unusual in this perspective; it caters to academics at all stages of their research careers, from doctoral students to established scholars with a decade of research experience. These fellowships offer more than simply financial support; they also recognise the significance of your study and award national prominence.

Given below are the types of fellowships and grants that are offered by the ICSSR:-

Types of Fellowships	About
National Fellowships	These are awarded to distinguished retired social scientists who have made great contributions to research in their particular field of disciplines, allowing them to continue their academic work and study.
Senior Fellowships	They are offered to social scientists who are between 45 to 70 years of age and have completed their PhD and have published high-quality research papers in professional journals. Journalists, social workers, and civil servants are also considered based on their academic interests.
Post-Doctoral Fellowships	They are awarded to scholars under the age of 45 who have demonstrated significant competence in research work, have completed their PhD at the time of their application, and wish to work on approved research themes at institutions of excellence under the supervision of senior social scientists.
Doctoral Fellowships	These are available to doctoral students, especially under the age of 40, who have a master’s degree from a recognised university with a first or second class and are pursuing a PhD degree in social sciences.

The Indian Council of Social Science Research continues to impact India’s academic and social research landscape by offering students, researchers, and institutions with financing, training, and collaboration opportunities.

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What is the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR)?

What is ICSSR (Indian Council of Social Science Research)?

Why Is ICSSR Important for Students and Researchers?

What are the Types of Fellowships offered by the ICSSR?

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