The UGC Schemes and Research Proposals

Ravinder N ANISETTI
Dean, Development and UGC Affairs Osmania University, Hyderabad

UGC

University Grants Commission

Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg New Delhi-110002

UGC

Financial Support UGC 11th Plan Guidelines

Detials of UGC Bureaus dealing with XI Plan Guidelines For University only For College only For both University/Colleges For Department of University For Individual

TYPES OF PROPOSALS

For Colleges
For Universities & Colleges For individual

UGC (For College only)

Special Scheme of Construction of Women's Hostel for Colleges Faculty Development Programme for Colleges Autonomous colleges Organising Conferences/Workshops/Seminars in colleges Development Assistance to Colleges for the Construction of Buildings. Development Grant to Colleges (includes 14 merged schemes) (Revised Guidelines): Rejuvenation of Infrastructure in Old Colleges. Catch-up grant for Young Colleges. Colleges located in Rural/Remote/Border/Hill/Tribal Areas/Backward Areas. Colleges with relatively higher proportion of SC/ST & Minorities. Special grant for enhancement of initiative for Capacity Building in Colleges. Establishment of Day Care Centers in Colleges. Establishment of UGC Network Resource Centre. Equal Opportunity Center in Colleges. Coaching for entry in services/remedial/NET for SC,ST,OBC (non-creamy) & Minorities. Schemes for Persons with Disabilities. Career and Counseling Cell. College with Potential for Excellence (revised guidelines) UGC-Network Resource Center (UGC-NRC) in the Colleges Jubilee, Centenary Grants to Colleges. Instrumentation Maintenance Facility (IMF) in College. Establishment of New Model Degree Colleges in Educationally Backward District Low(GER) Guidelines for providing One-time Catch-up Grant to Uncovered (Non-12B) Colleges.

UGC (For both University/Colleges)

Introduction of Career Oriented Courses in Universities and Colleges Guidelines for Development of Women's Studies in Indian Universities and Colleges. Guidelines for Human Rights and Values in Education. Guidelines for Setting Up of Media Centres / Affilated Media Centres. Guidelines scheme on Lifelong Learning and Extension. Guidelines for UGC-INFONET Digital Library Consortium. Guidelines for Estabilshemnt and Monitoring of the Internal Quality Assurance Cells (IQACs) in Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs). E-Content Development. Developement of Sports Infrastructure and Equipment in Universities and Colleges.

Guidelines for providing additional assistance to Universities and 5500 Colleges already
covered under Section 12(B) of the UGC Act, 1956. Guidelines for Eastablishment of Special Cells for SCs & STs in Universities and Grant-in-aid Institutions & IUCs receiving central assistance. Guidelines for Universities, Research Institute and Colleges for Procurement, Storage, Usage and Disposal of Radioactive and other Hazardous Materials/ Chemicals

UGC (For Individuals)

Research Awards Emeritus Fellowship. Travel Grant Scheme for College Teachers/Librarians/Vice Chancellors/. Revised Guidelines for Post Graduate Indira Gandhi Scholarship Scheme for Single Girl Child Modified Guidelines for PG Merit Scholarship Scheme for University Rank Holders at UG Level Research Fellowship in Sciences for Meritorious Students. Dr. D.S. Kothari Post-Doctoral Fellowships in Sciences, Medical Sciences & Engineering Sciences. Dr.S Radhakrishnan Post Doctoral Fellowship (PDF)in Humanities and special Social Sciences. Research Project for Teachers Major and Minor Capacity Building for Women Managers in Higher Education Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship for SC/ST Candidates. UGC new scheme of providing special honorarium to teachers who are Fellows of at least two of the four Science Academies identified by UGC. UGC Revised Guidelines for the Scheme of Appointment/Honorarium of Guest/Part-Time Teachers. Scheme for Incentivisation of Teachers, Subject /Discipline based Association for Organisation of Various Academic & Research Activities Guidelines for strengthening Social Science And Humanities Teaching And Research Capacity Juniour Research Fellowship (JRF) and Research Associateship (RA) for Foreign Nationals Juniour Research Fellowship in Engineering & Technology Juniour Research Fellowship (JRF) in Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences Post Doctoral Fellowship to Women Candidates Maulana Azad National Fellowship for Minority Students

UGC (Levels of Proposals)

Innovative Programs
Major Project Proposals

Minor Project Proposals

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

Basic Principles

Consistency Clarity
Credibility Confidence

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
Basic Information
Common to all Project Proposals - Covers more than 40%

Creation of Database about the Institution Information about parent Institution Strength of the Institution

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
Table indicating
- Infrastructure - Staff strength - Achievements
Papers published Awards Training Programme Consultancy Grants received from other agencies

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
Preamble
On the proposed subject of the project
History

Definition
Current Scenario Need of the Project

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

Format
Normally the funding agency requires the proposal in the prescribed format
Existing facility
Achievements Grants received during last 5 years

Major projects under taken

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
Existing facility
Resource generated during last 5 years
Current research activities List of equipments costing above 5 lakhs Library facility Computers & Network facilities Details of plan of the organization for next 5 years

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
Objective & Goals of the project
Representation by Schematic Diagrams Conduction of Conferences

Organization of Short-Term Programmes

Fellowships Research plans

Strong Community Team building

Resource sharing with other Institutes IIMs & IISc.

Product Development

ICT4D (Innovative Program)

R&D

Publications

Applications

Free Consultancy

Social Relevance

ICT in Development

Biometrics

Rural Development

Energy

Food & Agriculture

Micro Enterprises

Supply Chain

Fig. Schematic Proposed Project Objective of ICT4D Centre

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
Justification of Proposal
Survey reports Seminars & Workshop Recommendations Studies / Published data Gaps felt and anticipated demand of the Projects

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
Approach, Methodology & Work Plan
Implementation of the Project
-

Planning

- Work Plan and time Schedule - Phase wise, year wise - Advisory Group - Identification and Approval - Charts, Photographs & Clippings

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
Budget
Recurring
- Staff Salaries - Equipment Maintenance - Stationary, Contingencies

Non Recurring
Land Building Equipment Furniture etc.,

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
Out come of the Project
Expected output on implementation Benefit to the public

Annexures

INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS
i. MAJOR RESEARCH PROJECTS ii. MINOR RESEARCH PROJECTS
TWO PARTS PART A: PROFILE (Individual and Institution) PART B: PROJECT DETAILS (Proposed Research)

Proposed Research Work

I Project Details:
(i) Project Title (ii) Introduction

Origin of the Research Problem

Interdisciplinary Relevance Review of Research and Development in the Subject: International status National Status Significance of the study Its potential contribution to knowledge in the field of social relevance or national importance.

(iii) Objectives (iv) Methodology (v) Year wise Plan of work and targets to be achieve. (vi) Details of collaboration, if any intended

II Financial Assistance Required:

Conceiving a Research Proposal

First things first

Decide on your topic.

Make your decision based on the previous course readings. One strategy is to assemble your course materials and decide on your topic at the library, while engaged in the research process.

Strategies

Plan your library trip. Bring all the course readings. You dont want to pursue a topic over which little scholarship has been written, nor do you want a topic if OS holdings are sparse. Begin with a broad sweep.

The Broad Sweep

Choose 3 possible topics. If a course reading has something to do with bison, then brainstorm keywords about the topic and the argument. For example: bison; conservation; buffalo, etc.

More on the broad sweep

Do a search using different keywords and determine how many articles & books are available on the topic.

Repeat this process for all 3 possible topics and make an informed decision on what you will ultimately choose

More on the broad sweep

Once you have made your decision, stick with it. Research is a time-consuming process, and although switching topics is sometimes necessary, it also wastes valuable time. Once youve decided, then its time to pull articles and mine bibliographies.

Mining Bibliographies

The bibliography pages of a book or article is a gold mine of resources. If an article you have pulled speaks to your topic, then chances are that the author cites articles that speak to your topic as well.

More on mining bibliographies

Read the titles of articles on the bibliography page and decide which ones seem relevant to your topic. Search for them and see if they are available. Those articles too have bibliographies. And so onAnd so on

More on mining bibliographies

Also, pay attention to the names of the authors. Are you seeing the same names on the bibliography pages of different articles? If so, you have just discovered who the heavy hitters are.

The Heavy Hitters

The heavy hitters are the scholars who are widely recognized as experts on your topic. What does it say about the level of scholarship and research that you generate if you do not include the most prestigious experts in your field of study? It says that your research is weak.

More on the Heavy hitters

Once you know the heavy hitters, then do a search for articles by that author. Print out that list and search OS availability for those articles. Dont be too heavy-handed about including heavy hitters. One or two articles is enough. You want to make sure your research demonstrates diversity too.

Diversity of Research

Make sure you present opposing arguments. Not all scholars agree, or there would be no debate. Try and include one or two scholars who disagree with you, then refute their argument with your own argument and with the arguments of scholars in your camp.

Bringing it all together

Remember that if you need, for example, 10 sources, then you should start with about 20. Doing so allows you to choose the best articles in terms of the scholarship, and in terms of how well they relate to your own argument. And use current research.

Current Research

The best research demonstrates an awareness of the current conversation among scholars. While a 10 year old article may be very informative, it is also true that since that time the debate has taken new directions. The best procedure is to stay with articles no more than three to five years old.

The Recap

Plan your library trip. Use a broad sweep. Mine bibliographies. Discover the heavy hitters. Diversity of articles. Use current research. Work smart by starting early.