Photo: Frederick Noronha, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The Central Government’s ICSSR Doctoral Fellowship is for students doing a PhD in social sciences. It is given by the ICSSR, which works under the Ministry of Education. It pays ₹20,000 a month and a ₹20,000 yearly contingency grant. The full-term fellowship lasts 2 years. It is for students doing a PhD in subjects like economics, sociology, political science, geography and public administration. There is also a short-term fellowship (6 months) and a one-time contingency grant of ₹62,500. The 2026-27 application window closed on 4 August 2026 — check the next cycle dates on icssr.org.
How much money is given
The ICSSR Doctoral Fellowship has three parts. The Full-Term Doctoral Fellowship pays ₹20,000 a month and a ₹20,000 yearly contingency grant. It lasts 2 years, and the maximum total support is ₹5,20,000. The contingency grant can be spent on books, stationery, computer consumables and field work. The Short-Term Doctoral Fellowship is for students in the advanced stage of their PhD — it also pays ₹20,000 a month, but only for 6 months or until the thesis is submitted. The third part is the Contingency Grant scheme — a one-time grant of ₹62,500. Note: students who already hold or have held a major fellowship like UGC-JRF, RGNF, MANF, ICSSR or CSIR are not eligible.
Who can apply
For the ICSSR Fellowship, the applicant must be a full-time bona fide PhD student at a UGC-recognised university, a deemed university, an Institute of National Importance, an ICSSR Research Institute or a college with an approved PhD programme. The applicant must not be more than 40 years of age on the last date — SC/ST/OBC-NCL and PwD candidates get a 5-year relaxation. The applicant must have secured at least 55% marks in post-graduation in a social science discipline — reserved categories get a 5% relaxation. The PhD registration must be confirmed and the research topic must be approved by the Departmental Research Committee (DRC) or an authorised body by the deadline. UGC-NET qualification is mandatory — though up to 10% of fellowships can go to exceptional non-NET candidates. The applicant must be an Indian research scholar.
How to apply
Applications are made on the ICSSR portal, app.icssr.org. Register and upload the PhD registration proof, PG marksheet, UGC-NET certificate, research proposal and DRC approval. The 2026-27 window opened on 15 June 2026 and closed on 4 August 2026 after extensions — this cycle is now closed. Check the next cycle dates on icssr.org. Never pay anyone for applying; selection is on the academic record and the research proposal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How much money is given under the ICSSR Doctoral Fellowship? A: ₹20,000 a month and a ₹20,000 yearly contingency grant; the full-term fellowship lasts 2 years.
Q2: What is the short-term fellowship? A: A 6-month fellowship of ₹20,000 a month for PhD students in the advanced stage — or until the thesis is submitted.
Q3: Who can apply? A: Full-time PhD students in social sciences with 55% in PG, age up to 40, and a UGC-NET qualification.
Q4: Where do I apply? A: Online on the ICSSR portal app.icssr.org; the 2026-27 cycle closed on 4 August 2026.
Useful links
- ICSSR Official Website: https://icssr.org/
- ICSSR Application Portal: https://app.icssr.org/
- ICSSR Fellowship on MyScheme: https://www.myscheme.gov.in/schemes/doctoral-fellowship
- Also see the DST INSPIRE Fellowship: https://www.viksitharyana.com/english/central-government-inspire-fellowship-haryana/
- Next Action: see all 726 Central Government schemes — https://www.viksitharyana.com/english/kendra-sarkar-ki-yojnayen-2/
