The programme invites fourth year undergraduate students to undertake research on themes ranging from revisiting Indo-Aryan migration theories and “moving beyond Macaulay” in education to re-examining governance and political thought through thinkers such as Kautilya, Mahatma Gandhi and VD Savarkar.

The programme, launched under the Yuva Shodh Pratibha Scheme (YSPS), is open to students in seventh and eighth semesters of the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) introduced under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. In a first, ICSSR will support 600 undergraduate research projects under eight sub-themes on decolonisation, with a total outlay of ₹18 crore.

ICSSR, an autonomous body under the Union ministry of education, said the initiative aims to promote the “decolonisation of knowledge” and encourage theoretical and critical inquiry in interdisciplinary areas of research. According to the call document, proposals must draw on Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) and local social realities to “challenge Eurocentric models of knowledge production and research”.

In the call document, ICSSR has invited scholars to submit comprehensive study plans under eight domains, including revisiting Indo-Aryan migration theories and “moving beyond Macaulay” in education and research methodology; rewriting Indian history and promoting linguistic “de-anglicisation”; advancing Indian psychology and AYUSH systems; pursuing economic and financial sovereignty; decolonising finance, trade and commerce; re-examining governance, law and political thought through thinkers such as Kautilya, Mahatma Gandhi and VD Savarkar; and promoting rural development, environmental sustainability and Indian knowledge systems.

ICSSR officials said Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced the scheme on May 12, the council’s 58th foundation day. Applications opened on Saturday (June 6) and will remain open till July 6. Officials said the initiative seeks to strengthen research capabilities among undergraduate students in line with the NEP 2020’s emphasis on creativity, critical thinking and cognitive development.

ICSSR member secretary Dhananjay Singh said the programme seeks to connect classroom learning with societal realities and encourage students to undertake research based on real-life experiences. “Research enables students to think freely and independently,” he said, adding that the exercise is intended to encourage young scholars to critically examine established frameworks in disciplines such as history, public policy, economics, sociology, politics, culture and linguistics.

Responding to questions on whether the initiative aligns with contemporary political narratives around decolonisation, Singh said, “There is nothing political in a reductive sense about the theme. We are not prejudiced to any point of view, but want students to critique and interrogate the frameworks, paradigms and models under which social science has been studied.”

Each project will be undertaken under the supervision of a regular faculty member of the students’ institution, with applicants required to submit a detailed research proposal. The mentor and the institution will be responsible for ensuring that funds are utilised in accordance with ICSSR guidelines.

At the end of the eight-month period, participants will submit research reports that will be evaluated by ICSSR. The findings could be shared with the government for their policy implications, while students will also be encouraged to publish and disseminate their work, officials said.