National Argumentative Essay Writing Competition for Young Scholars

• Topic: Simultaneous Elections in India: One Nation, One Election

Cash Prizes for winners

The Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) is committed to promoting social science research in the country. The research schemes and initiatives of the ICSSR have played a key role in enlarging the country’s social science research base.

The National Education Policy 2020 asserts that nurturing a culture of outstanding research is fundamental to the development of a robust education system in the country. The policy envisions overhauling the higher education system by bringing in frameworks to “actively seed research in universities and colleges”. The ICSSR, in its consistent efforts to develop and re-energize the higher education system in the country, aims to inspire critical thinking, methodological and composition skills among young scholars and students.

About the Competition

In consideration of that the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) invites entries for the National Argumentative Essay Writing Competition for Young Scholars on “Simultaneous Elections in India: One Nation, One Election” in three categories:

• Undergraduate Student
• Postgraduate Student
• PhD Scholar

The competition serves as a capacity-building measure for the development of the process of doing research among young scholars and future researchers. It institutionalizes research skills and strengthens their aptitude in undertaking high- quality research. It also seeks to promote social science research and its utilization in the country.

• Entries must be submitted via the online entry form only
• No entries will be considered if submitted after this date.

Important Dates

• Opening date: 24 September 2024
• Closing date: 8 October 2024
• Evaluation by the 3rd/4th Week of October 2024 Result by the 4th Week of October 2024

Prizes for Each Category

• First prize – Rs 15, 000
• Second prize – Rs 10, 000
• Third prize – Rs 7, 500
• The top 50 entries from each of the categories will be compiled in a book format and published by the ICSSR.

Eligibility and Entry Rules

• The participant must be a full-time bona fide student at the affiliating university/ institution on the day of submission.
• The affiliating institution in which the participant is enrolled must be an Institute of National Importance as defined by the Ministry of Education (MoE) or a UGC Recognized Indian University/Deemed University/Institution/College under (2) F / 12(B).
• Entries for argumentative essays will be accepted in English with a 1,500- word limit.
• Submissions will undergo three stages of blind evaluation.
• Participants must not mention their names on the write-up or in the file. Any revelation of participants’ identity will warrant disqualification.
• Entries must be submitted in PDF formats. Please use MLA 9 formatting, standard margins, 12-point font, and double spacing.
• The entry must be an original work of the author and should not have been published in part or full anywhere. In case, any use of AI, ChatGPT, or plagiarised material is found, the entry will be summarily disqualified.
• Only one entry per participant may be submitted for the National Essay Writing Competition. Co-authored entries will not be allowed.
• The deadline for submission is 8 October 2024.
• No queries regarding the prizes will be entertained by the ICSSR secretariat until the final declaration of results, which will be placed on the ICSSR website.
• The final authority for the interpretation of the guidelines or any such issue is vested with the ICSSR.

Submission of Entry

Online form is available at ICSSR Application Dashboard [Form given under Grant category]

Visit Here to Submit

File attachment:  Format of forwarding letter from affiliating Institution

For Official Notification: Visit Here