The NFCH grants financial assistance to undertake research studies for promotion of communal harmony and/ or applied study of comparative religions for promotion of communal harmony.
Objectives:
The research studies are intended to help administrators, policy makers, planners and others in formulation of policies, programmes/schemes, etc. for containing and preventing communal and other societal conflicts, promotion of communal harmony, inter-community dialogue, and national unity and integration. It will help in implementing various programmes/schemes for welfare and development of vulnerable sections (women, children, etc.), who have been affected by violence; and also for the improvement of various existing programmes/schemes of the central/state governments.
Grant is extended for undertaking research studies to cover expenditure on remuneration and allowances, travel, consultancy, printing, tools and equipment, books, tabulation cost, contingency and overhead charges as per requirements assessed.
Eligibility and procedure:
Agencies, individuals desirous to undertake research and having sufficient research experience in the relevant fields are eligible for consideration of the grant. these include universities, research organisations, schools of social work, autonomous colleges/ organisations, media personnel, individuals and renowned institutions, etc. working in the field and having the capacity to undertake research studies.
Faculty members in the universities/colleges may send proposals (along with bio-data of the project director/in-charge) through the registrar of the universities at any time. Other eligible organisations, institutions, individuals may directly send proposals to the Foundation. Three copies of the proposal need to be sent to:
The Secretary
National Foundation for Communal Harmony
9th Floor ‘C’ Wing, Lok Nayak Bhawan
Khan Market, New Delhi 110 003
Research proposals from the non-academic organisations/institutions should accompany the following documents:
1. Copy of the registration
2. Annual Report (latest)
3. Audited statements of accounts for the last three years (receipt, payment statement and balance sheet)
4. Articles of memorandum of association
5. Details about the office bearers
6. Brief account of work done in the relevant field
7. Bio-data of the project director/in-charge, indicating research experience
Proposals should be
self-contained and cover emerging areas where adequate information and analysis
is not available. It should include theme of research, statement on the problem,
hypothesis to be tested, brief review of literature highlighting necessity for
research on the theme, relevance of research for policy formulation and
advocacy, research methodology including sampling, research tools, data
collection, etc., bio-data of researcher(s) involved, time frame, etc. and also
cost estimate of the study.
The procedure for seeking assistance for undertaking research project(s) include submission of PRE-PROPOSAL followed by FINAL PROPOSAL only after clearance of the pre-proposal by NFCH.
FORMAT for Pre-Proposal
(4 pages in length.
Longer proposals will not be entertained)
Please use the following format:
1. Cover Sheet (1 Page)
A. Study Title
B. Name of Principal Investigator, Full contact details (Address, Telephone, e-mail and fax number)
C. Name of co-investigator(s), if any
D. Institutional Affiliation and state
E. Date of Proposal
F. Budget request and duration of project
2. Project Description: not more than 3 single-lined (12-font) pages. Please include the following:
Context and Goals (1 Page)
1. Research Problem. Provide a clear and simple description of your research problem.
2. Policy Context. Describe how your research would inform specific management or policy reforms relevant to achieving communal harmony.
3. Objectives. Identify overall study goals and specific research objectives.
Research Methods (2 Pages)
1. Literature Review. Please restrict your review to literature most pertinent to the study
2. Hypotheses/research questions to be tested or answered
3. Description of the study site, if any
4. Methods for data collection and analyses (1/2-1 page). This section needs follow from and be tied to the identified hypotheses.
5. Budget. Provide your best estimate and include survey costs, honorarium and supplies etc. [Please refer clause (XII) of Final Proposal]
6. Conclusions including expected results and potential policy implications.
FINAL
PROPOSAL
FORMAT for Final Proposal
Please use the following
format:
(I)
Title of the project (in capital letters)
(II) Statement on the problem
Initial paragraph/s of the research proposal should contain the problem (clearly and briefly) that the researcher(s) want(s) to investigate. The key originating/ broad question(s) about the problem in theoretical and applied context of the concerned discipline should be specified. The specific aim(s) of the project, its rationale, including the rationale of the approach adopted for studying the problem should be specifically mentioned.
(III) Review of literature
A note summarizing the current status of researches in the area including main findings may be included in the research proposal. It should highlight research/ information gaps in the area.
(IV) Aims and Objectives of the project
This should indicate in clear and precise terms, the broad aim and the specific objectives of the proposed project.
(V) Conceptual Frame Work
The concept to be used, their relevance and applicability to the study and their operationalization should be indicated.
(VI) Research Questions and Hypothesis
The hypothesis or the research questions of the proposed project be clearly stated.
(VII) Research methodology
On the basis of the objective, full information on (a) universe of study - analytical, descriptive, empirical, historical, etc., (b) sampling techniques and other details on sampling, (c) tools and techniques to be used for data collection, etc. should be given. Proposals not requiring a sample selection should be specifically indicated about the strategy, design and rationale.
Nature of data that are proposed to be collected should be specifically mentioned. The sources for each type of data and the tools and techniques that will be used for collecting different types of data should also be specifically mentioned. For questionnaire and/or interview schedule to be used, the following should be indicated:
a) nature and coverage of the questionnaire or interview schedule to be used for different sections of respondents.
b) number of questions to be asked from each respondent
c) scaling technique proposed to be included, if any
d) projective tests incorporated in the questionnaire/interview schedule, if any
e) coding plan (e.g., whether the questions/ responses/ items will be pre-coded or not; if coding is required, mention whether it is to be done in computer or manually)
f) in case, interview technique is being adopted, please mention about how they are to be conducted, including the particular characteristics of the interviews/ interviewers
g) in case of observation technique, mention type of observation, participants, quasi-participants, non-participants; units of observation; or other techniques, if any.
If the study requires any control groups, these should be specifically mentioned therein.
(VIII) Implications
The proposal should state whether this research would bring forth any implication for policy making either for the region concerned or the country, any methodological innovations or its applied contribution on the subject.
(IX) References
The proposal should indicate a ‘list of references’ mentioned in the text along with other important relevant additions to the literature on the theme. The references should indicate the author, title, publisher and year of publication.
(X) Data processing
Manner in which preliminary data will be processed and coding/ de-coding plan along with tabulation scaling techniques proposed to be used etc. to be clearly indicated.
(XI) Time budgeting
The project proposal should indicate time frame required for completion of each stage, inter alia covering
a) preparatory work, including selection and appointment of staff and their training
b) tool construction
c) pilot study, if any
d) drawing of sample
e) data collection
f) data processing (coding, editing, verification, sorting, computer analysis, etc.)
g) data analysis
h) report writing
(XII) Cost estimate
The cost of the project is to be estimated in terms of total man-months and the facilities needed and calculated under the following headings:
a) Personnel
Position |
No. of persons |
Remuneration (Rs.) |
Period of engagement |
Amount (Rs.) |
|
(i) |
|
|
|
|
|
(ii) |
|
|
|
|
|
(iii) |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
- |
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
|
|
|
|
b) travel/field work
c) data processing (computer and machine tabulation cost etc.)
d) stationery and printing
e) books and periodicals (expenditure not to exceed 5% of the total budget)
f) contingency expenses including postage (expenditure not to exceed 5% of the total budget)
g) any other (specify)
h) overhead charges @ 7.5 % of the cost i.e. of the sum of item a) to g) above,
where applicable)
i) i) Grand total :
While preparing budget estimate for the research proposal, the Project Director/Incharge should take into account the time, funds as well as various steps involved in the conduct of the research proposal. The rationale for the allocation of time and the money for the various items of budget estimates must be furnished.
Approved Emoluments for Project Staff
|
Project Director (Retired Scholar) |
Rs.6,000 p.m. |
Honorarium |
|
Project Director (Employed) |
Rs.3,000 p.m. |
Honorarium |
|
Associate/Joint or Deputy Director |
Rs.8,000 p.m. |
|
|
Research Officer/Research Associate |
Rs.5,000 p.m. |
|
|
Research Assistant / Research Investigator |
Rs.4,000 p.m. |
|
|
Stenographic-Assistant |
Lump sum |
|
|
Typing Assistant/Computer Operator |
Lump sum |
|
The research proposal should be properly signed, with date and official seal, including the name/designation of the institution/researcher, etc.
Important Note
Interested researchers/institutions or organizations are requested to mail one copy of their pre-proposal and CV to the Secretary, National Foundation for Communal Harmony, 9th Floor, Lok Nayak Bhawan, Khan Market, New Delhi. A copy of the same may also be sent through e-mail. The final proposal in the prescribed format is to be submitted only after clearance of the pre-proposal. The guidelines prescribed by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi in respect of ‘Research Project’ are available on the website : http://www.icssr.org/rp_main.htm and may also be observed while submitting the research proposals.