Training and Capacity Building

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 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:

1. Economics
2. Management
3. Commerce
4. Sociology
5. Social Work
6. Social Anthropology
7. Cultural Studies
8. Socio-Sanskrit Studies
9. Socio-Philosophical Studies
10. Social Linguistics
11. Gender Studies
12. Health Studies
13. Political Science
14. International Studies
15. Public Administration
16. Diaspora Studies
17. National Security and Strategic Studies
18. Education
19. Social Psychology
20. Legal Studies
21. Social Geography
22. Environmental Studies
23. Modern Social History
24. Media Studies
25. Library Science
26. Language Studies

2. CATEGORIES

The Training & Capacity Building Programme is divided into following two categories:

(A) Research Methodology Course (RMC)
The aim of the course is to enhance the methodological and writing skills of the M Phil/Ph D/PDF scholars and develop their potential as future academicians/social science researchers.

(B) Capacity Building Programme (CBP)
The aim of this programme is to give an exposure to in service faculty preferably Lecturers/Assistant Professors in Social Science disciplines to the latest advances in their subjects, technological spin off etc. and/or to enhance their general methodological and writing skills.

3. ELIGIBILITY

3.1 Institutions/ Organizations:
The organizing institution, which plans to organize a TCB programme should be an ICSSR Regional Centres, ICSSR Research Institutes, ICSSR Recognised Institutes, Institutes of National Importance as defined by the Ministry of Education (MoE), UGC Recognized Indian Universities/Deemed Universities/Institutions under (2) F / 12(B) having proven research capacity, infrastructure 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. In case a Co-Course Director is required, the person must also be a serving Professor/Associate/Assistant Professor and have a good publication record. There shall, however, be a cooling period of two year for individual applicants from the date of one RMC/CBP and the submission of a new application.

3.3 Participants

3.3.1 Under the RMC, the participants should be enrolled for M.Phil/Ph.D./PDF in a UGC recognized university/deemed university/colleges/institutes of national importance and ICSSR Research Institutes/ Recognised Institutes and their application should be duly forwarded by the affiliating institution.

3.3.2 Under the CBP, the participants should be a Lecturer/ Assistant Professor in a UGC recognized Indian university/deemed university/College/institutes of national importance and ICSSR Research Institutes/ Recognised Institutes and their application should be duly forwarded by the parent 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 enrol more than thirty participants but ICSSR 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 online throughout the year

4.2 The applications should be sent at least three months 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: In-charge, TCB Division, Indian Council of Social Science Research, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, with following enclosures:

Enclosure –I: A concept note in about 1000 words that may be either in English or Hindi

Enclosure-II Tentative Programme Schedule

Enclosure-III Brief Academic CV of the Course Director and Co-Director (not more than 2-3 pages),

Enclosure-IV List of Resource Persons with their affiliation, designation, specialisation, mobile no and email id

Enclosure-V Duly Attested SC/ST/Disability certificate, if applicable

5. PROCEDURE FOR AWARD

5.1 Applications are initially scrutinised by the ICSSR Secretariat.

5.2 Thereafter an Expert Committee would select the meritorious proposals.

5.3 The recommendations of the Expert Committee are then placed before the Research Committee/Council for its final approval.

6. DURATION, VALUE AND RELEASE OF GRANT

Research Methodology Course (RMC)

6.1 The duration of the course will be ten (10) full working days.

6.2 The maximum limit of grant is Rs. 5.50 lakh.

6.3 Budget may be prepared as per the table given below:

The duration of each session is one and half hour (90 Minutes). Number of sessions 30**. The total Resource Persons from outside the state can be 5, from the state can be 5 & local Resource Persons can be 5 to 8. Resource Persons form outside the state and from the state will be assigned two (2) sessions each, while local Resource Persons may be assigned 1 to 2 session/s subject to a maximum limit of 10 lectures in all the three categories.

Capacity Building Programme (CBP)

6.4 The duration of the course will be twelve (12) full working days.

6.5 The maximum limit of grant is Rs. 8 lakh.

No. of resource persons 18 (6 Local, 6 within the state and 6 outside the state). The duration of each session is one and half hour (90 Minutes). Total sessions 36. ** The total Resource Persons from outside the state can be 6, from the state can be 6 & local Resource Persons can be 6 to 8. Resource Persons form outside the state and from the state will be assigned two (2) sessions each, while local Resource Persons may be assigned 1 to 2 session/s subject to a maximum limit of 12 lectures in all the three categories.

6.7 The grant in both the schemes will be released in two instalments. The 1st Instalment of 75 percent will be released within one month after getting the actual and detail time schedule of the programme. The 2nd and final instalment of 25 percent will be released upon receipt of final report, audited statement and utilization certificate in GFR 12 A form. In case of central universities, AC/UC signed by the finance officer is acceptable. For all other institutions/universities, the AC/UC should be countersigned by a chartered accountant.

7 MONITORING

7.1 The ICSSR 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-Director is required to conduct a test, preferably in the presence of ICSSR Observer, for assessing all the participants on the basis of the lectures delivered by the Resource Persons.

7.3 The ICSSR 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, 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 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 both RMC/CBP, 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-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 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.

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 with 10% penal interest p.a. from the date of receipt of the amount.

8.12 The Council 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.

8.15 ICSSR 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 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 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 as mentioned in the budget, given above, will be paid to the host institute 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-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 Sponsored Programme, at least one month in advance.

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