ICSSR Grants to Social Science Associations: Statistics by Year
· 1 min read · 2 official sources
ICSSR gave development grants of Rs 58.50 lakh to 15 professional associations of social scientists in 2024-25, and Rs 71.65 lakh to 67 organisations for 71 research journals, according to its Annual Report 2024-25. It has funded 442 associations since 1969. Year-wise counts since 2010-11 are below.
Scheme of Grants-in-Aid for Supporting Professional Associations/Organisations of Social Scientists: key numbers
Infographic
ICSSR grants to associations and journals, 2010-11 to 2024-25
Number of development grants to professional associations and organisations, and publication grants for research journals, given by ICSSR in each year, from Table 2.11 of its Annual Report 2024-25.
| Year | Development grants to associations | Journal publication grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2010-11 | 5 | 45 |
| 2011-12 | 7 | 47 |
| 2012-13 | 13 | 61 |
| 2013-14 | 11 | 66 |
| 2014-15 | 8 | 64 |
| 2015-16 | 8 | 51 |
| 2016-17 | 8 | 47 |
| 2017-18 | 3 | 40 |
| 2018-19 | 5 | 32 |
| 2019-20 | 7 | 32 |
| 2020-21 | 7 | 33 |
| 2021-22 | 15 | 35 |
| 2022-23 | 16 | 32 |
| 2023-24 | 15 | 34 |
| 2024-25 | 15 | 71 |
Source: icssr.org, as on 31 March 2025
How an association gets an ICSSR grant
What the numbers show
The Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) gives ad hoc annual grants to professional associations of social scientists to help with office, library and development costs. Its Annual Report 2024-25 shows 15 associations and organisations funded in 2024-25, with grants totalling Rs 58.50 lakh. Since 1969, ICSSR has given such grants to 442 associations and organisations.
The trend since 2010-11
The number of development grants was small through the 2010s, between 3 and 13 a year, with a low of 3 in 2017-18. It rose to 15 in 2021-22 and has stayed at 15 or 16 a year since then. The scheme remains a small one: in most years fewer than 20 associations are funded across the country.
Journal grants
ICSSR also funds associations, universities, colleges and research institutes to publish social science research journals. In 2024-25, 67 organisations received Rs 71.65 lakh for 71 journals, more than double the 34 journals funded in 2023-24. Over the whole period since 1969, ICSSR has supported 1,212 journals in this way.
Who got grants in 2024-25
The annual report lists each grantee. Development grants in 2024-25 ranged from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, and went to bodies in states including Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttarakhand and Delhi. Journal grants ranged from Rs 50,000 to Rs 3 lakh per journal, most often Rs 1 lakh or Rs 50,000.
What the figures do not tell you
The year-wise table gives counts only, not money, for years before 2024-25. It does not show how many applications were received or turned down, or how long each association has been funded. The count for 1969 to March 1990 and for 1990 to 2010 is given only as a block total.
Where to check
ICSSR publishes its annual reports, with full lists of grantees, on icssr.org. Applications go to the Publication and Research Survey Division of ICSSR.
Frequently asked questions
How many associations does ICSSR fund each year?
ICSSR gave development grants to 15 professional associations and organisations of social scientists in 2024-25, according to its Annual Report 2024-25. The number was 15 in 2023-24 and 16 in 2022-23.
How much money did ICSSR give associations in 2024-25?
15 organisations received Rs 58.50 lakh for maintenance and development in 2024-25. Separately, 67 organisations received Rs 71.65 lakh to publish 71 research journals.
How many associations has ICSSR supported in total?
ICSSR has given ad hoc grants to 442 associations and organisations for maintenance and development since 1969, and has supported 1,212 journals through publication grants.
Why did journal grants jump in 2024-25?
ICSSR funded 71 journals in 2024-25, up from 34 in 2023-24. The annual report gives the numbers but does not explain the rise.
What is the largest single development grant?
In the 2024-25 list in the annual report, the largest grants to individual associations were Rs 5 lakh each. The scheme allows up to Rs 8 lakh a year.
Eligibility, documents and how to apply: Scheme of Grants-in-Aid for Supporting Professional Associations/Organisations of Social Scientists full guide
Charts, data files and the infographic are free to download, share and embed with a link back to this page.
Sources
This guide was checked against these official pages: