![\"ICSSR](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-132012436,imgsize-127726,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/icssr-postdoctoral-fellowship-2026.jpg\" "\\"ICSSR")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nICSSR Postdoctoral Fellowship 2026<\/span>: <\/span>The Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) is accepting online applications for its Postdoctoral Fellowship and Senior Fellowship schemes for the financial year 2026\u20132027. Registrations for both fellowships opened on June 22, 2026, and will remain open until July 21, 2026.The application process is being conducted entirely online through the ICSSR website. Candidates are required to submit their forms using the prescribed format available within the application system. No separate research proposal or hard copy submissions will be accepted under either fellowship scheme.Eligibility criteria for applicants<\/span>Applicants must be Indian citizens and should not be more than 45 years of age on the closing date of application. A five-year age relaxation is available for SC, ST and Persons with Benchmark Disability candidates. Candidates must possess a PhD degree at the time of application, and their research capability should be reflected through published work.Applicants must be affiliated with a publicly funded Indian university, deemed university, college with an approved PhD programme, an ICSSR research institute, an institution of national importance approved by the Ministry of Education, or a government research institute. The fellowship will be administered through the affiliating institution under the supervision of a serving senior social scientist not below the rank of Associate Professor, subject to ICSSR approval.Application and selection process<\/span>Only one application can be submitted under the Postdoctoral Fellowship scheme, although candidates may apply separately for other ICSSR schemes. The affiliating institution must forward applications only for candidates meeting the prescribed eligibility conditions.Applications will undergo evaluation and interaction or presentation before panels of subject experts in multiple stages. Final recommendations will be placed before the relevant ICSSR committees. Selected candidates and their affiliating institutions will receive provisional award letters after approval.Senior Fellowship for experienced scholars<\/span>The Senior Fellowship is open to Indian researchers aged between 45 and 70 years who hold a PhD and have made significant contributions to social science research. The scheme is aimed at enabling senior scholars to undertake full-time research on identified themes and contribute to evidence-based understanding of social and policy challenges.Applicants must apply online through the ICSSR portal within the stipulated timeline. Institutions are required to forward applications only for candidates meeting the eligibility criteria defined under ICSSR guidelines.Fellowship duration and research requirements<\/span>The fellowship is a full-time research engagement for two years without provision for extension. Selected fellows will receive Rs.31,000 per month along with a contingency grant of Rs.25,000 annually, in accordance with Ministry of Education directives.During the fellowship, scholars must publish at least two research papers in peer-reviewed journals related to their research theme and acknowledge ICSSR support. At the end of the tenure, fellows must submit a book-length final report, a 3,000 to 4,000-word summary, published research papers and a plagiarism report showing a Similarity Index not exceeding 10 per cent.<\/div>\n