Tagore National Scholarship for Cultural Research

Honorarium:

The scholarship honorarium will be ₹50,000/- per month. However, if the scholar is from a University, College, Research Institute, or Government set-up in India, he/she would be entitled to the same pay, including grade pay, etc., which he/she would have drawn had he/she continued in his/her parent organization.

Note: Essential or mandatory contribution of the employer to Provident Fund etc. would be paid by the parent organizations had he/she continued in his/her parent organization.

Contingency Grant:

In case of scholars selected as Tagore Scholars under Non-MoC institutions, will also be paid a contingency grant by the Ministry on an ‘actuals basis’ up to a maximum ceiling of ₹10,000 per month and such other allowances/benefits provided in this scheme, and to the extent, as may be specifically decided in each case by the ILSCC/NSC (within the limits applicable in the case of Tagore National Fellows), depending on the nature and the duration of the project subject to the verification of the bills by the Nodal Institutions.

Note: For scholars selected under MoC Institutions, the expenditure in this regard will be borne by the concerned MoC Institution from the grant-in-aid received by them from their administrative Division of the Ministry.

Accommodation:

A Scholar who is not a bona-fide resident of the place of the Participating Institution to which he has proposed to be affiliated and who intends to take up rented accommodation in the city of the desired Institution will be required to indicate this fact at the time of applying for Scholarship.

The selected Scholar will be entitled to receive a House Rent Allowance of up to 30% of the honorarium. However, with respect to Scholars from University, College, Research Institute or Government set up, HRA will be paid by the Parent Organization as per entitlement.

MoC Institutions will bear the expenditure in this regard from the grant-in-aid received by them from their administrative Division of the Ministry.

In respect of Non-MoC Institutions, the Ministry of Culture will reimburse the House Rent Allowance directly to Scholars on submission of rent receipts (in original) to the Participating Institutions who will verify and forward the same to the Ministry for reimbursement.

Settling Allowance:

A Scholar from outstation will be given, if required, a lump sum grant of ₹1.00 lakh as settling allowance for packing/transportation, etc., of his personal belongings from the old station to the new station of his stay during the tenure of the Scholarship, if he moves station or otherwise transports books and academic effects.

Allowance of an equal amount will also be given at the conclusion of the Scholarship for moving out of station. On a case-to-case basis, economy airfare from his/her place/country of residence will be provided/reimbursed upon joining and on the conclusion of the Scholarship.

In this regard, Non-MoC Institutions will bear the expenditure and thereafter seek reimbursement from the Ministry after submission of certified copies of Bills along with justification.

Intimation in advance is also required to be given to the Ministry by the Non-MoC Institutions. MoC Institutions will bear the expenditure in this regard from the grant-in-aid received by them from their administrative Division of the Ministry.

Support to Scholars:

Infrastructural support will be provided by the Nodal Institution to the Scholars to enable them to conduct their research. This may include the provision of a computer with peripherals and connectivity, working space in the institution’s premises, providing a congenial atmosphere to carry out research, etc. Other facilities, like appropriate seating arrangements, library facilities, etc., will also be made available.

One important advantage of this scheme will be the access of the Scholars to national institutions for study and avail original and rare research material. In respect of foreign Scholars engaged under this scheme, necessary political/security clearances from the concerned Ministries/Departments shall be obtained by the Ministry of Culture.

Encouragement and financial support may also be given to enable the Scholars to present papers at conferences hosted by the concerned institution or other related organizations and institutions, which will be met out/reimbursed, on an ‘actuals’ basis, with a ceiling of ₹1.00 lakh per annum, provided adequate academic interaction is arranged.

A scholar with good academic credentials at least one publication, either a book or a research paper in reputed journals, and 2 years of research/teaching experience will be eligible to apply for the Tagore National Scholarships.

This scheme also gives opportunities to young artists/performers to apply for the scholarship.

The scholars also need to identify a nodal institution from the list given in Appendix B according to their preferences/expertise to conduct original research preferably by using the sources of the same institution. The research work may also include the identification and cataloging of sources available with the institution or the archiving and creation of new sources that the institution should have. (Guidelines for preparing research proposal are given in Appendix A)

Areas of Research and Eligible Projects:

The selected Scholars will normally work on a project that benefits the Nodal Institution in terms of unraveling its resources. The subject of research should be one that can be usefully pursued with the resources and facilities of the Nodal Institution awarding the Scholarship, though he/she will be free to draw on the resources and facilities of other institutions, as well.

If the subject of research extends to more than one institution or the Scholar otherwise needs to draw upon the resources and facilities of other institution(s), the Nodal Institution awarding the Scholarship would recommend the Scholars to such other institution(s). In rare cases, where two institutions appear to be of almost equal importance to the Scholars, the second institution may be deemed to be the ‘Co-institution’ and the two may sign a Tripartite MoU regarding Intellectual Property, Publication, Credit sharing, facilities, etc. but accounting shall be with the Nodal Institution.

Since the Scheme is focused on unraveling the cultural resources of the Nodal Institution, the project must be driven in that direction, that is, to use substantially the resources of the Nodal Institution. The inputs required for the project should have a very strong linkage with the resources available with the Nodal Institution and (in rare cases) the Co-institution.

At the end of it, the project outcome must be beneficial for the Nodal Institution or co-institution, if any, and must add to the existing knowledge of the institution/subject.

Offline

Application Process:

Step 01: The Ministry of Culture and/or the concerned institution will widely advertise the Scholarship in the leading national/regional newspapers and on its website (which should give all details) and also disseminate the scheme through professional associations/forums in the relevant fields, so that maximum publicity is accorded to the Scheme.

Step 02: Eligible Scholars who can spare time of about two years to do a project based on the resources of any of the participating institutions can only apply during the prescribed timeline mentioned in the advertisement.

Step 03: The candidates may submit their application form, prepared according to the prescribed guidelines of the Scheme, to any one of the Nodal Institutions of his/her choice depending upon the area of research proposed to be undertaken.

Step 04: Candidates may submit their application form along with a biocatalyst of publications and other relevant documents including a write-up on the proposed work (guidelines are in Appendix A), the applicant should enclose a declaration stating that if selected for the Scholarship, he/she will complete the tenure of the Scholarship.

Note: The list of nodal institutions along with the other relevant details of the Scheme and application form is available on the website of the Ministry of Culture and Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) (erstwhile Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) under the Scheme Head of the website.

Process of Selection:

Step 01: The received applications will be examined by the Institution Level Search-cum-Screening Committee (ILSSC) constituted by each participating institution for the purposes of this scheme.

Step 02: The applications found worthy of consideration will be shortlisted by the ILSSC.

Step 03: The selection will be based on the relevance of the study, the benefits of the nodal institution from that particular study, and the credentials and reputation of the scholar. Only such proposals may be selected

that seek to (a) engage Scholars who have achieved national or international recognition and proven acceptance of their work in national/ international circles; (b) bring out resources that are not yet fully out in the public domain; and (c) publish the work for the benefit of the concerned institution. The selection will be done in two stages.

Step 04: The first stage will be of shortlisting of projects and candidates by the ILSSC, according to the criteria broadly specified as part of the Search-cum-Screening process. Apart from considering the applications received, the ILSSC is also expected to adopt a proactive approach to identify relevant projects and search for reputed Scholars in that field, contact such Scholars, and encourage them to submit their proposals. If the received proposals are not worthy of consideration, the ILSSC need not feel compelled to recommend any proposals for consideration by the NSC.

Step 05: At the second stage, applications/names of short-listed candidates will be considered by the NSC for each institution.

Contact Details:

(i) Director, Nehru Memorial Museum & Library, Teen Murti Bhawan, New Delhi-1100011.

@ Ph. No.011-23013152 or through E-mail: aroresearch.nmml@gov.in

(ii) Section Officer (S & F, Ministry of Culture), Puratatava Bhawan, 2nd Floor, D-Block, GPO Complex, INA, New Delhi-110023, Ph. No. 011-24642133 Between 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM or through e-mail @scholar-culture@nic.in

Note: Correspondences (In relation to queries/submission of six monthly progress reports only) through e-mail to the Ministry of Culture and Nehru Memorial Museum and Library would be considered as an approved mode of communication regarding the scheme.

Identity proof i.e. Aadhaar Card

Passport-size Photograph

Qualifications certificates

Caste certificate, if applicable

Disability certificate, if applicable

Details of Publications, if any (including publication presentation of papers, performances, awards, recognitions, etc., if separately)

A write-up/synopsis of proposed research work

A short write-up along with application - How the proposed research project is going to be beneficial to the Nodal Institution.

NoC, if a regular Central/State Government Employee

Any other document, as required