RSSGIAS
Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme)
6.8/10The scheme aims to promote Research Studies, Seminars, and Travel Grants Assistance in official statistics. It provides financial assistance and data support to eligible research institutions/organizations and Central Government officials to bridge data gaps.
States / UT: All India
Ministry / nodal: Ministry Of Statistics and Programme Implementation
Scheme for: Individual
Scheme profile
DBT (direct benefit transfer): No
Categories: Education & Learning
Sub-categories: Resources for schools, Universities and higher education
Target beneficiaries: University / Institution, Individual
Tags: Institution, Research, Grant, Seminar, Travel
Details
“Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme)” has been launched by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI), Government of India. The scheme aims to promote Research Studies and Seminars in official statistics by way of providing financial assistance and data support under the Grant-in-Aid component of the Scheme Capacity Development. The scheme is implemented by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India. The applications for this scheme are accepted by submission to the Additional Director General, Training Division, Central Statistical Organisation.
Benefits
- Financial Assistance
- Financial assistance for Research Studies/Surveys would be up to a maximum of ₹50,00,000/-
- In exceptional cases, the limit for Research Studies/Surveys could be enhanced up to ₹1,00,00,000/- with the approval of the Secretary, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI)
- The quantum of financial assistance for National Seminars/Workshops/Conferences will be maximum ₹10,00,000/-
- The quantum of financial assistance for International Seminars/Workshops/Conferences will be maximum ₹20,00,000/-
- Financial assistance is provided towards the travel cost and related expenditures for presentation of accepted research papers in Theoretical/Applied Statistics in International Conferences/Seminars/Workshops, etc., held outside India. Such assistance includes airfare, registration fee, airport tax, visa fee, and per diem, as per the Government rules in force. Conditions
- Research Studies/Surveys: The assistance will be released in three installments in the proportion of 40:40:20
- Seminars/Workshops/Conferences: The amount will be released in two installments: the First installment of 50% before/during the Seminars/Workshops/Conferences after approval, and the remaining 50% based on actual expenditure as reimbursement
- Travel Grants Assistance: The return air ticket (to and from) of a national carrier, i.e., Air India, will be provided by the shortest air route for the economy class. Financial assistance towards travel cost will cover all expenditures on travel between the place of work or place of residence and the airport in India, and between the airport abroad and the venue of the conference. Release of assistance is linked to specific milestones to be achieved as per the time schedule indicated in the proposal and is aligned to the duration of the project
Financial Assistance
- Financial assistance for Research Studies/Surveys would be up to a maximum of ₹50,00,000/-.
- In exceptional cases, the limit for Research Studies/Surveys could be enhanced up to ₹1,00,00,000/- with the approval of the Secretary, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
- The quantum of financial assistance for National Seminars/Workshops/Conferences will be maximum ₹10,00,000/-.
- The quantum of financial assistance for International Seminars/Workshops/Conferences will be maximum ₹20,00,000/-.
- Financial assistance is provided towards the travel cost and related expenditures for presentation of accepted research papers in Theoretical/Applied Statistics in International Conferences/Seminars/Workshops, etc., held outside India. Such assistance includes airfare, registration fee, airport tax, visa fee, and per diem, as per the Government rules in force.
Conditions
- Research Studies/Surveys: The assistance will be released in three installments in the proportion of 40:40:20.
- Seminars/Workshops/Conferences: The amount will be released in two installments: the First installment of 50% before/during the Seminars/Workshops/Conferences after approval, and the remaining 50% based on actual expenditure as reimbursement.
- Travel Grants Assistance: The return air ticket (to and from) of a national carrier, i.e., Air India, will be provided by the shortest air route for the economy class. Financial assistance towards travel cost will cover all expenditures on travel between the place of work or place of residence and the airport in India, and between the airport abroad and the venue of the conference.
*Release of assistance is linked to specific milestones to be achieved as per the time schedule indicated in the proposal and is aligned to the duration of the project.
Eligibility
For Professional/Research Institutions/Organizations (Grant-in-Aid for Research Studies/Seminars)
- The applicant must be a professional/research institution/organization.
- The applicant must be engaged in the field of official statistics for a minimum period of three (3) years.
- The applicant must possess qualified statisticians, economists, and social scientists.
- The applicant must fall into one of the following categories:
a) Government institutions including Directorates of Economics and Statistics of States/Union Territories.
b) Institutions/organizations receiving annual recurring grants from the Central or State Government Agencies including Indian Statistical Institute, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), University Grants Commission (UGC), etc..
c) Institutions/organizations registered as a society under the Societies Registration Act.
d) Institutions/organizations registered as 'Trusts' under Trusteeship Act.
e) Institutions/organizations incorporated under the Companies Act.
- The applicant institution/organization shall be "not-for-profit" to be eligible for assistance under the Scheme for National and International Seminars/Conferences/Workshops etc. on official statistics.
For Officials (Travel Grants Assistance - TGA)
- The applicant must be an official of the Central Government/Central autonomous institutions/university.
- The applicant's visit must relate to the area of work of the officer.
- The applicant's technical paper should have been submitted through proper official channel in such event and not out of the officer's own volition.
- The applicant must have an official invitation from the host organization to the administrative Ministry/Department/Organization.
- The applicant must have appropriate documentary evidence of acceptance of the paper for presentation by the agencies organizing the international statistical conferences/seminar/workshop, etc..
- The applicant must have obtained all necessary clearances, including political clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) (wherever required).
- The applicant must not have had more than one proposal recommended for travel grants during the financial year for presenting their paper abroad.
Exclusions
- The applicant will not receive financial assistance for proposals relating to pure theoretical research in statistics.
- The applicant will not receive financial assistance for proposals for holding annual meetings of statistical associations/societies.
- The applicant must know that financial assistance is not available for incurring any capital expenditure.
- The applicant must know that the salary of the Project Director/Experts, if he or she is working as a regular employee of the institute, would not be charged from the project cost during the project period.
How useful is this scheme?
A practical look at this scheme for citizens
AI-generated insights showing how useful, accessible, and practical this scheme may be — combining deterministic scoring rules with a public-policy LLM analyst.
- Accessibility6.0
- Financial impact9.5
- Rural utility5.0
- Awareness7.5
- Simplicity7.0
- Inclusivity6.0
What problem does this scheme solve?
The scheme provides significant financial assistance for research studies and seminars, primarily benefiting educational institutions and government officials engaged in official statistics.
Key challenges addressed
- Bridging data gaps in official statistics
- Providing financial support for research and seminars
Most beneficial for
- Research institutions
- University faculty
- Government officials
Likely challenges
- Complex eligibility criteria
- Need for extensive documentation
- Limited awareness among potential beneficiaries
Practical insights for citizens
The scheme's benefits may not reach all eligible applicants due to bureaucratic hurdles.
Rural challenges
- Limited access to online application processes
- Lack of awareness about the scheme
Digital challenges
- High digital dependency for application submission
Implementation bottlenecks
- Complex eligibility and documentation requirements
Awareness challenges
- Low awareness among potential beneficiaries
Application analysis
- Application mode
- Online
- Documents burden
- High
- Verification complexity
- Moderate
- Office dependency
- High
- CSC support
- Limited
- Estimated citizen effort
- High
Estimated beneficiary reach
Benefit analysis
- Benefit type
- Cash
- Benefit frequency
- One-time per project
- Benefit practicality
- High for eligible institutions
- Financial meaningfulness
- High, with maximum assistance up to ₹50,00,000
- Long-term impact
- Potentially significant for improving research quality in official statistics
Plain-language guidance
This scheme offers financial support for research studies and seminars related to official statistics. Eligible institutions can apply for substantial grants to enhance their research capabilities.
- Who should apply
- Research institutions and government officials involved in official statistics.
- Who may struggle
- First-time applicants and those unfamiliar with online processes.
- Best application route
- Apply via the online submission to the Central Statistical Organisation.
This intelligence section is generated by an AI policy analyst combined with rule-based scoring. Scores and narrative are estimates derived from the publicly available scheme information shown on this page; actual experience may vary by state, district, and department. Always confirm details on the official portal before you apply.
Application Process
Online
Step 1: Application Preparation and Proposal Formatting
- The applicant institution/organization seeking financial assistance should take print of the prescribed format.- For research studies, the proposal must contain four distinct parts: a forwarding letter, a profile of the institution (not exceeding two pages), technical details, and financial details.
*The technical details must be furnished concisely, completely, and logically, detailing the objectives, methodology, specific outputs envisaged, and likely potential and value addition to official statistics.
Step 2: Submission of Application and Supporting Documents
- The proposal should be submitted to the Additional Director General, Training Division, Central Statistical Organisation (CSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
- The applications can be sent via email to training-mospi@nic.in (for studies) or training-mospi@gov.in (for Travel Grants Assistance).
Application Deadlines
- For Seminars/Conferences, the proposal must be submitted at least six months in advance from the date of the event.
- For Travel Grants Assistance, the application should reach the Ministry at least six months before the proposed event for consideration.
Clarifications
Additional points from the scheme information published on myScheme (not legal advice).
- If my institution focuses on research related to official statistics, what minimum staffing capability is required regarding statisticians, economists, and social scientists?
The institution must have qualified statisticians, economists, and social scientists on its staff.
- If I have already received assistance for presenting a research paper abroad during this current financial year, can I still submit a separate request for this type of grant?
An applicant official will not be recommended for more than one proposal for Travel Grant Assistance during the current financial year if the purpose is presenting their paper abroad.
- What specific areas of statistical inquiry are ineligible for funding, particularly regarding the theoretical nature of the research work?
The proposals relating strictly to pure theoretical research in statistics are not eligible for financial assistance.
- For an officer seeking travel grants, must the topic of the paper being presented at the international conference be directly related to the specific duties and responsibilities of the officer?
Yes, the purpose of the visit must be directly related to the area of work of the concerned officer.
- What is the minimum operational history required for a professional or research institution working in the field of official statistics to be considered eligible for grant assistance?
The professional or research institution or organization must have been engaged in the field of official statistics for a minimum period of three (3) years.
- When submitting a proposal for travel funds to an international statistical conference, what official proof is required to demonstrate that my paper has been accepted for presentation?
You must provide appropriate documentary evidence confirming the acceptance of the paper for presentation by the agencies organizing the international statistical conference, seminar, or workshop.
- Are all proposals concerning statistics research eligible for funding, or are there specific types of academic activities that are specifically excluded from financial assistance?
Proposals for holding annual meetings of statistical associations or societies will not be eligible for financial assistance.
- If the Project Director or certain experts are regular, salaried employees of the applicant institution, can their existing salaries be covered or charged to the scheme's budget during the project duration?
The salary of the Project Director or Experts, if they are already working as regular employees of the institute, cannot be charged from the project cost during the project period.
- What are the mandatory governmental permissions, such as clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs, that I must secure before submitting my application for travel assistance?
All necessary clearances must have been obtained, including political clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), wherever required.
- If my organization is seeking a Grant-in-Aid specifically for hosting a National or International Seminar, Conference, or Workshop on official statistics, what status must the organization hold?
For the purpose of Grant-in-Aid for National and International Seminars, Conferences, or Workshops, the institution or organization shall be registered as "not-for-profit" to be eligible for assistance under this Scheme.
- When applying for assistance to present a technical paper internationally, is it acceptable if the paper was developed solely through the officer's independent choice or private endeavor?
No, the technical paper must have been submitted through the proper official channel for the event and not solely out of the officer's own volition.
- Since various types of expenses are covered by the scheme, is financial assistance provided for the acquisition of new infrastructure or permanent assets related to the project?
No, financial assistance is explicitly not available for the purpose of incurring any capital expenditure.
- Are there specific government employees or academic personnel who are eligible to seek financial assistance under the Travel Grants Assistance component of the scheme?
Travel Grants Assistance is exclusively available for officials of the Central Government, Central autonomous institutions, or university personnel.
- If an official receives a direct invitation from the host organization to attend an international event, should this invitation be addressed only to the individual officer, or to a higher authority?
An official invitation must be available from the host organization, and it must be addressed to the officer's administrative Ministry, Department, or Organization.
Official links
References
- Guidelines & Application Form
- https://mospi.gov.in/sites/default/files/main_menu/Grant-in-Aid/Grant-in-Aid_Guidelines_2024n.pdf
Apply
Apply nowOpens the official application or programme portal in a new tab. If in doubt, confirm details on the ministry site.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the purpose of Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme)?
- Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme) is a government welfare initiative designed to support Individual, University / Institution, Individual through benefits related to Education & Learning, financial assistance, subsidies, social welfare, healthcare, education, or livelihood support.
- Who can apply for Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme)?
- Eligibility for Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme) may depend on factors such as income category, age, gender, occupation, state of residence, social category, and government-defined beneficiary criteria.
- What benefits are offered under Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme)?
- Benefits under Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme) may include financial assistance, subsidies, scholarships, insurance support, healthcare benefits, pension support, training assistance, or welfare services depending on the scheme guidelines.
- Which department manages Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme)?
- Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme) is managed by Ministry Of Statistics and Programme Implementation and may be implemented through district offices, online portals, CSC centres, banks, or authorised government agencies.
- Can users apply online for Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme)?
- Yes, eligible applicants may be able to apply online for Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme) through official government portals, authorised service centres, or digital application systems depending on the implementation process.
- Is Aadhaar mandatory for Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme)?
- Many government schemes may require Aadhaar verification, identity proof, or linked bank account details for beneficiary validation and direct benefit transfer processing.
- Where can users apply for Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme)?
- Applications for Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme) may be submitted through government departments, official scheme portals, CSC centres, district offices, welfare departments, or authorised service centres.
- What documents may be required for Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme)?
- Applicants may need Aadhaar card, income certificate, residence proof, bank account details, caste certificate, photographs, educational records, or occupation-related documents depending on scheme eligibility requirements.
- Is income certificate required for Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme)?
- Income certificate requirements may vary depending on beneficiary category, subsidy eligibility, and financial assistance criteria defined under Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme).
- Is Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme) a central government scheme?
- Yes, Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme) is a central government welfare initiative that may be implemented across multiple states through authorised departments and agencies.
- Can students apply for Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme)?
- Eligible students studying in recognised institutions may apply for Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme) depending on educational qualification, category, income limit, and academic eligibility.
- Is scholarship amount provided under Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme)?
- Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme) may provide scholarship assistance, tuition support, educational reimbursement, or financial aid for eligible students.
- Can CSC centres help users apply for Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme)?
- Many government schemes may be accessible through nearby CSC centres, authorised digital service centres, or welfare facilitation offices.
- How can users check the latest updates for Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme)?
- Users should verify official notifications, department announcements, application deadlines, and eligibility updates through authorised government portals or implementing agencies.
- Can beneficiaries track application status for Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme)?
- Certain schemes may provide online application tracking, beneficiary verification systems, or status-check facilities through official portals.
- Where can users get help for Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme) in All India?
- Users in All India may seek assistance through CSC centres, district welfare offices, government departments, agriculture offices, social welfare departments, or authorised facilitation centres.
- Which nearby public services may help with Research Study/Seminar (Grant-in-Aid Scheme) applications?
- Depending on the scheme, users may require support from Aadhaar centres, CSC centres, banks, hospitals, post offices, or government welfare offices for document verification and application assistance.