Application Invited for NCERT DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is an autonomous organization set up by the Government of India to advise and assist the Ministry of Human Resource Development at the center, and Education Departments of States/Union Territories in formulation and implementation of their policies and major programmes in the field of education, particularly for qualitative improvement of school education. The major constituent units of the NCERT are: (1) National Institute of Education (NIE), New Delhi, (2) Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET), New Delhi, (3) Pandit Sunderlal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational Education (PSSCIVE), Bhopal, (4) Regional Institute of Education (RIE), Ajmer, (5) Regional Institute of Education, Bhopal, (6) Regional Institute of Education, Bhubaneswar, (7) Regional Institute of Education, Mysore, and (8) North-East Regional Institute of Education (NERIE), Shillong. Among several activities, the NCERT and its constituent units undertake, aid, promote and coordinate research in areas related to school education.

In view of National Education Policy 2020, a new set of priority areas for NCERT Doctoral Fellowships have been identified. The Research Proposals related to these priority areas will receive priority for Doctoral Fellowships.

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Objectives of the Scheme

(a) To provide opportunities to young scholars to conduct research in the field of education from different disciplinary perspectives.
(b) To build the knowledge base of education in the contemporary context.

Scope of the Scheme

The NCERT Doctoral Fellowships are intended to enable young scholars to pursue Doctoral research in education and other related disciplines. Doctoral Fellows can pursue their work in a recognized university/research institution of their choice. The NCERT encourages original thinking in conceptualization of the problem and use of innovative methodology in conduct of the research related to school education.

Priority Areas :

1. Early Childhood Care and Education

Achieving physical and motor, cognitive, socio-emotional-ethical, cultural/artistic development as well as development of communication and early language, literacy and numeracy.
Approaches, content and methodology of offering ECCE.
Studies related to anganwadis and pre-primary schools collated with primary schools, and standalone pre-primary schools.
Studies concerning “Preparatory class” or “Balavatika”.
Toy-based pedagogy.
Teacher training concerning ECCE.

2. Foundational Learning

Reading, writing, speaking and numeracy skills at the foundational level.
Implementation of NIPUN Bharat.
Approaches and methodology of developing literacy and numeracy skills.
Nutrition, mental health and well-being of children.

3. Curtailing dropouts and ensuring Universal Access to Education at All Levels

Interventions to reduce dropouts and enhance universal access.
Schools infrastructure.
Teachers’ and community participation.
Learning levels of students, particularly those belonging to Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Groups.
Implementation of Samagra Shiksha and Right to Education Act.
Schools safety.
Alternative ways of schooling and learning

4. Curriculum and Pedagogy in Schools

New curriculum and pedagogy structure of 5+3+3+4.
Ensuring holistic development of learners.
Studies concerning core competencies.
Implementation of experiential learning (hands-on learning, arts-integrated and sports-integrated education, story-telling based pedagogy, etc)
Competency-based teaching and learning.
Flexibility in choices of courses.
Multilingualism and mother-tongue education.
Integration of subjects, skills and capacities.
Inclusion of Indian knowledge, culture and traditions in the teaching-learning process.
Textbook research should focus on identifying deficiencies and removing the deficiencies.
Value education focusing on holistic and integral development of learners.
Holistic, 360 degree multidimensional assessment.
Education of gifted children.

5. Teachers and Teacher Education

Teacher autonomy, accountability and functioning.
Continuous Professional Development of Teachers and strategies to nurture 21 st century skills.
Improving the Teacher preparation programs to gear up to the expectations of the NEP-2020 and to prepare them for post pandemic classrooms.
Teacher preparation considering multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary settings for various stages of school education.
Improving the quality of In-service programs.
National Professional Standards for Teachers.
Role and functions of Special Educators.
Implementation and effectiveness of integrated teacher education programs.
Structures and functioning of SCERTs, DIETs, and BITEs.
Pedagogical Approaches for Teaching: Documentation of pedagogical practices followed in innovative schools needs to be a priority area.
Study of teacher selection examination in terms of content and pedagogy with respect to need and aspiration of teacher education as per NEP 2020.
Transfer and deployment policies of teachers in various (central and state run) schooling systems

6. Equitable and Inclusive Education: Learning for All

Education of socio-economically disadvantaged children (such as females and transgender persons, SC/ST/OBC/Minorities, migrants, rural and urban poor, etc.)
Children with disabilities or divyang.

7. School Complexes/ Clusters

Implementation and effectiveness of school complexes
Accreditation system

8. Vocational Education: Preferences for vocations, vertical mobility of students from the vocational education stream to mainstream education, vocational exposure, skill labs, mobility across vocational and general education.

9. Integration of Information and Communication Technology in Education: ICT integration in school and teacher education, implementation of new technologies, technology and professional development of teachers, use of e-content in teaching-learning, disruptive technologies in school education

10. Adult Education including life-long earning, critical life skills, vocational skills development, basic education, continuing education, volunteerism, community involvement, etc.

11. Financial literacy and intellectual property rights

Eligibility

Good Academic record with at least 60% marks at both Graduate and Post Graduate Levels.
Candidates should not be more than 35 years of age as on the last date of receipt of applications.
Candidates registered for Ph.D. degree in a recognized university/ or working toward their Ph.D. registration are eligible to apply.

Other conditions:

Four out of 10 fellowships are reserved for 4 Regional Institutes of Education (RIEs) one each for Ajmer, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar and Mysore. However, if no candidate from RIEs is found suitable, the fellowship will be offered to other suitable candidates.
The fellowships will be limited to extremely deserving candidates only. If suitable candidates are not available, Council may not select all 10 Fellows
Candidate applying for Doctoral Fellowship should have either completed predoctoral research methodology course or enrolled/selected for such course for appropriate duration as approved by UGC. The fellowship will start after completion of the course and confirmed registration with the University for Ph.D. work
Each Doctoral Fellow will be required to present a seminar at the end of each semester.
The NCERT Doctoral Fellow will be required to contribute to the RIE teaching programme, field research and/or the curriculum development and textbook development programmes of NCERT for 30 days in a year. The Fellow will be provided III AC fare for the travel, and accommodation in the RIE hostel
The Doctoral Fellow will be under obligation to present public lecture on larger issues of public interest relevant to his/her doctoral research work, if so invited. The seminar may be held at RIEs or NCERT headquarter and the fellows will be given the III AC fare for travel for the same.
The candidate will submit with their applications, the CV of the research supervisor which should clearly indicate the research work done by them in the last five years. NCERT reserves the right to advise the candidate to chose a new research supervisor if needed. The candidate may select a supervisor/research guide approved by NCERT. The fellowship of the last three months and contingency of the third year will be released only after receipt of the thesis.

NCERT Doctoral Fellowships 2022 – English || Hindi

Selection Procedure

The procedure for short listing of applicants will be designed by NCERT. Shortlisted candidates will be required to appear for an interview, which may also include presentation of the proposals. Candidates will be paid second (sleeper) class train fare by the shortest route for attending the interview-cum-seminar.

Reservation of Seats

The statutory provisions for reservation of seats will be applicable to the candidates belonging to different categories.

Fellowship Amount

NCERT Doctoral Fellows will receive a fellowship of Rs.23,000/- per month (for Non-NET) and Rs.25,000/- per month (in case of NET qualified candidates) for a maximum period of three years from the date of permanent Ph.D. registration and/or date of selection in NCERT. They will also receive a contingency grant of Rs.10,000/- per annum during this period. The
fellowship will commence from the date of joining by the candidate after furnishing the documents of permanent Ph.D. registration in NCERT and will terminate at the end of three years from the date of joining or with the submission of the doctoral thesis whichever is earlier

Disbursement of Fellowship

The NCERT will credit the monthly fellowship to the savings bank account of the Fellow in State Bank of India (SBI). For this, each Fellow will be required to submit a ‘Certificate of Attendance and Satisfactory Work Performance’ to NCERT on a quarterly basis. Release of the monthly fellowship from second quarter onwards will be subject to receipt of the said certificate.
Annual contingency grant to the extent of actual expenditure incurred but not more than Rs.10,000/- per annum will be credited to the account of the Fellow after receipt and scrutiny of the bills/vouchers submitted by the fellow duly signed and countersigned by the supervisor and Head of the Department

Monitoring of Work

Doctoral Fellows will be required to submit six monthly progress reports duly forwarded by their supervisors/Head of the Department and Research Advisors to NCERT. A Committee of Experts will review the progress. Also a research colloquium will be held annually where, Fellows will present the progress of their research. If the progress of the research is found unsatisfactory, NCERT reserves the right to terminate the fellowship at any point of time.

Leave Rules

Leave rules as prescribed in case of UGC Junior Research Fellowship will be applicable.
Further, NCERT Doctoral Fellows will not accept any other remunerative assignment during the period of fellowship.

Publication of the Thesis

After the award of Ph.D. degree, the Doctoral Fellows will be required to submit a Hard bound copy of the thesis (along with a CD) to NCERT. NCERT will consider publication of the completed research in an appropriate form. The Fellow can apply for permission to publish his/her work elsewhere.

Application Procedure

Application should be filled in the prescribed format available on the NCERT website (www.ncert.nic.in). Completed application forms should be accompanied by a concept paper of about 1500 words on the theme of the proposed research, which should contain statements about (a) rationale and objectives of the study, (b) conceptual framework, (c) proposed methodology, and (d) potential contribution of the study. Attested copies of all mark sheets/certificates and proof of Ph.D. registration (if already registered) should also be sent with the application at the following address:

NCERT Doctoral Fellowships 2022 – English || Hindi