ICSSR launches ‘Yuva Shodh Pratibha’ for FYUP students under NEP 2020

The Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) has launched a new research initiative titled ‘Yuva Shodh Pratibha’ for students enrolled in Four-Year Undergraduate Programmes (FYUP) under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The initiative aims to promote Indian-centric and interdisciplinary studies by encouraging original research among young scholars.

ICSSR said the programme seeks to create a strong research culture among undergraduate students and encourage inquiry-based learning. The initiative also focuses on “decolonising knowledge” by challenging Eurocentric approaches to research and promoting Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) and local social realities.

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Grants up to Rs 3 lakh

ICSSR will support at least 600 research projects across India. Each selected project will receive financial assistance of up to Rs 3 lakh, while the total research support under the programme is Rs 18 crore. Selected students will be given a deadline of eight months to complete their projects from the date of the award. The programme has been introduced to empower the next generation of researchers and encourage innovative and original thinking among undergraduate students.

Research themes

ICSSR has identified eight major themes under the research call:

• Decolonising Narratives: Indo-Aryan Theories
• Decolonising Education and Research Methodology, Beyond Macaulay
• Decolonising History, Culture and Language
• Health, Mental Well-being
• Economic and Financial Sovereignty
• Decolonising Finance, Trade and Commerce
• Decolonising Governance, Law and Political Thought
• Rural Development, Environment and Indian Knowledge Systems

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Eligibility criteria and application details

Applications have been invited from students currently studying in the third or fourth year, specifically semester six and seven, of Four-Year Undergraduate Programmes at recognised higher educational institutions. Students will be required to submit a detailed research proposal as part of the application process. They will also have to work in teams comprising two or three members from the same institution. Each team will have one Lead Student Researcher along with Student Researcher-1 and Student Researcher-2.

Focus on Indian-centric research

According to ICSSR, all proposals submitted under the initiative must adopt an Indian-centric perspective. The council said the research should draw from Indian Knowledge Systems and local realities while questioning Eurocentric frameworks across disciplines. “ICSSR invites students to submit comprehensive research proposals or detailed study plans that apply this decolonial orientation to their primary field of study,” the official statement said. The council also encouraged interdisciplinary collaboration and teamwork among students.