Scheme of Grants-in-Aid for supporting professional associations/ organisations of social scientists, companies and trusts duly registered under the Companies Act for their development
The ICSSR Grants-in-Aid scheme provides annual funding of up to ₹8 lakh to registered national-level associations, organisations, companies, and trusts of social scientists to support their day-to-day operations and development. The grant covers office running costs, books, journals, equipment, and furniture, and can be renewed for up to five years. Applications are accepted year-round through ICSSR's online portal.
About This Scheme
The ICSSR Grants-in-Aid scheme provides annual funding of up to ₹8 lakh to registered national-level associations, organisations, companies, and trusts of social scientists to support their day-to-day operations and development. The grant covers office running costs, books, journals, equipment, and furniture, and can be renewed for up to five years. Applications are accepted year-round through ICSSR's online portal.
Full official description
The Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), under the Ministry of Education, Government of India, provides Grants-in-Aid for supporting professional associations/ organisations of social scientists, companies and trusts for their development. The grant sanctioned for supporting the association/organisation, companies and trusts duly registered under the Companies Act should only be used to incur expenditure for running of office i.e electricity,rent, telephone and other related expenditure and purchase of books/journals for library,postage,computer,furniture,office stationery etc. The amount of ad-hoc grant shall ordinarily not exceed Rs. 8,00,000/- annually. The ICSSR may also consider providing grant-in-aid to professional associations/organisations of social scientists of national importance for their development or for any other innovative idea which may help the social science community in general in their development. Ten percent (10%) of total grant-in-aid is paid as the last instalment at the end of the year after the Audited Statement of Accounts and Utilization Certificate in respect of the entire amount of the sanctioned grant are received.
Benefits
- Annual grant-in-aid of up to ₹8,00,000
- Covers office running costs: electricity, rent, telephone, stationery
- Covers purchase of books, journals, computers, and furniture
- Disbursed in two instalments: 90% upfront, 10% on submission of audited accounts
- Renewable annually for up to 5 years based on performance review
Who Can Apply (Eligibility)
- Must be a national-level association, organisation, company, or trust of social scientists
- Must be registered (under the Societies Registration Act or Companies Act)
- Must have been active in socio-economic research for at least 2 years
- Must have at least 200 members across India
- Must be able to submit annual reports and audited accounts for the past 3 years
- Must be engaged in academic social science activities — welfare/extension-only organisations are not eligible
Exclusions
- Organisations not engaged in academic activities in social sciences.
- Associations working only in extension/welfare work..
How to Apply
S. No.StepActionDocuments Required1.** Application ReceiptPRS Division accepts applications throughout the year.Prescribed Application Form (with signature & seal), Annexure-I: Organisation Information, Annexure-II: Audited Accounts & Annual Reports (last 3 years), Annexure-III: Details of Funding Sources (last 3 years), Annexure-IV: SC/ST Certificate (if applicable), List of Members (minimum 200 nationwide), Registration Certificate (if private body)2. Preliminary Scrutiny by PRS DivisionVerification of eligibility and document completeness.All submitted documents as per Step 1**3. Proposal to Member SecretaryPRS Division seeks approval to hold an Expert Committee Meeting.Summary of Eligible Applications4. Expert Committee Meeting for EvaluationEvaluation of academic contribution, objectives, and viability.Proposal file with complete documentation5. Approval of RecommendationsMinutes approved by Member Secretary and ICSSR Council.Minutes of Expert Committee Meeting
6. Communication of AwardSelected organisations are issued award letters.. Request for GIB and PFMS details.Award Letter, Grant-in-Aid Bill (GIB), PFMS Details7. Sanction Order – First InstallmentPRS processes and sends sanction orders to Audit and Finance.Sanction Order, GIB, Bank Details8. Submission of Utilisation ReportsAudited expenditure details for release of balance funds.Audited Statement of Accounts, Utilisation Certificate (UC), Updated GIB9. Sanction Order – Second InstallmentSecond installment for audit and finance clearance.Final Sanction Order, Verified Audit and UC
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum annual grant that can be received?
Rs. 8,00,000 depending on membership strength.
What expenses are covered under this grant?
Office rent, electricity, stationery, computer, furniture, library materials, etc.
Can SC/ST-specific activities be funded?
Yes, special consideration is given to SC/ST-related development activities.
How many years can an organisation receive the grant?
Up to five years, renewable annually based on performance.
Should the organisation be registered?
Yes, under Societies Registration Act, 1860 if privately funded.
Can a welfare NGO apply?
No, organisations engaged primarily in welfare work are not eligible.
Is prior experience required?
Yes, at least two years of functioning.
Is the application process online?
Both Online as well as offline.
Where should the application be sent?
PRS Division, ICSSR, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi-110067.
Can applications be submitted anytime?
Yes, applications are open throughout the year.
Ready to apply?
Visit the official government portal to apply for this scheme.
Apply on myScheme.gov.in