The Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) has launched a new research fellowship program on the theme “Youth and Decolonization”, and is offering grants $3 lakh for 600 projects over eight months to encourage an “India-centric approach” to knowledge and challenge “European frameworks” across disciplines.
The program invites fourth-year undergraduate students to conduct research on topics ranging from reconsidering theories of Indo-Aryan migration and the “post-Macaulay move” in education to re-examining governance and political thought through thinkers such as Kautilya, Mahatma Gandhi and V. D. Savarkar.
The programme, launched under the Yuva Shodh Pratibha Scheme (YSPS), is open to students in the seventh and eighth semesters of the Four-Year Undergraduate Program (FYUP) introduced under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Initially, the ICSSR will support 600 undergraduate research projects under eight sub-themes on decolonization, with a total outlay $18 Crores.
The initiative aims to promote “decolonization of knowledge” and encourage theoretical and critical research in interdisciplinary research areas, said the ICSSR, an autonomous body under the Union Education Ministry. According to the call document, the proposals should draw on Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) and local social realities to “challenge European models of knowledge production and research”.
In the invitation document, the ICSSR called on scholars to submit comprehensive study plans under eight areas, including reconsidering theories of Indo-Aryan migration and “moving beyond Macaulay” in teaching and research methodology; rewriting Indian history and promoting the process of linguistic “de-Englishment”; Development of Indian psychology and AYUSH systems; Striving to achieve economic and financial sovereignty; decolonization of finance, trade and commerce; Rethinking governance, law and political thought through thinkers like Kautilya, Mahatma Gandhi and V D Savarkar; and promoting rural development, environmental sustainability and Indian knowledge systems.
ICSS officials said Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced the plan on May 12, the 58th day of the council’s founding. Applications opened on Saturday (6 June) and will remain open until 6 July. Officials said the initiative seeks to enhance research capabilities among undergraduate students in line with the NEP 2020’s focus on creativity, critical thinking and cognitive development.
ICSSR member secretary Dhananjay Singh said the program seeks to connect classroom learning with societal reality and encourage students to conduct research based on real-life experiences. “Research enables students to think freely and independently,” he said, adding that the aim of this exercise is to encourage young researchers to critically examine established frameworks in disciplines such as history, public policy, economics, sociology, politics, culture and linguistics.
In response to questions on whether the initiative is in line with contemporary political narratives on decolonization, Singh said: “There is nothing political in the reductionist sense about the subject. We are not biased to any point of view, but we want students to criticize and question the frameworks, paradigms and paradigms under which social sciences have been studied.”
Each project will be undertaken under the supervision of a faculty member at the student’s institution, and applicants are required to submit a detailed research proposal. The mentor and organization will be responsible for ensuring that funds are used in accordance with ICSSR guidelines.
At the end of the eight-month period, participants will submit research reports that will be evaluated by the ICSSR. Officials said the results could be shared with the government for their political implications, while students will also be encouraged to publish and circulate their work.
