The aim of this programme is to assist invited social science scholars to make substantial contributions to international seminars/conferences of significant importance. By doing this, it promotes academic links amongst the social scientists in India and abroad, provides opportunity to develop new insights and to enlarge their research perspective and contribute to the advancement and dissemination of knowledge in social science subjects. Under this scheme, the financial assistance is provided to Indian scholars, who have been invited to contribute and present papers at International Conference abroad.

Eligibility

• Serving Indian faculty in ICSSR research institutes/ICSSR recognized institutes/institutions of national importance as defined by the Ministry of Education/universities/deemed universities/colleges recognized by the UGC and having 12b status with Ph.D degree are eligible to apply.
• Ph.D/PDF Indian scholars in the advanced stage of their research are eligible.
• Independent scholars having sufficient research experience and demonstrable publication record can also apply.
• The application will be considered only when the paper for oral presentation is accepted by the organizer of the Conference.
• If the paper is co-authored, priority will be given to the first author. But a No Objection Certificate (s) from the second author(s) may be attached with the application.
• Scholars, who have been invited for poster presentation or chair a session or chosen as conveners/rapporteurs or invited to attend a workshop/training/refresher/summer/winter course are not eligible.

Duration And Value

• Faculties will be eligible for financial assistance upto 50% of the total cost of visit under this scheme which include air travel, visa fee, travel insurance, local conveyance, maintenance costs for the period of stay abroad (not exceeding the actual days of conference/seminar plus travel dates), and registration fee upto US$200. However, the scholars are encouraged to apply for exemption from registration fee which may be available to scholars especially from developing countries.
• The scholars belonging to SC/ST, Persons with Benchmark Disability and Doctoral/Post-Doctoral scholars (without pay protection) may be considered for full financial assistance by the expert committee if they have not received any financial assistance from other sources. However, faculties from ICSSR Research Institutes/ICSSR recognized institutes may be considered for 100% of the total cost of the visit on the recommendation of the Expert Committee.

Application Procedure

• Applications are received online throughout the year.
• The applications should be sent at least three months before the due date of the Seminar/Conference.
• After submitting online application, a hard copy of the same, along with all enclosures, must be sent to: In-charge, IC Division, Indian Council of Social Science Research, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067.

Important Points

Instalment details

The expenditure will be reimbursed on submission of the statement of expenditure indicating air tickets costs, Visa fees, Insurance Charges, Hotel Bills, Purchase of Foreign Currency Bill, local airport transfers, along with photocopy of passport, immigration stamped paper, participation certificate, original boarding pass, a brief report on the Seminar/Conference/ Workshop/Proceedings and final full length paper presented.

Monitoring

The ICSSR may ask for a copy of the tickets booked and visa obtained before departure.

Research outcome

The ICSSR expects that its supported papers presented in international seminars etc. be published in high valued journals/edited books/impactful reports with due acknowledgement to ICSSR and the commitment about the same from the publisher/organizers should be submitted along with the Utilization Certificate. The ICSSR also reserves the right to publish such papers presented abroad in its own journals such as Indian Social Science Review, ICSSR Journal of Abstracts and Reviews, etc.