Research journals to get UGC funds
Move aimed at upgrading activities of subject associations in social sciences
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has decided to sanction funds for bringing out research journals and hosting seminars as presentation of research papers by college teachers will, for the first time, be considered for their promotion.
“Since there may not be sufficient journals in which college teachers could publish their papers and subject associations like History Association or the Economics Association played an important role in bringing together scholars, giving them an opportunity to present papers and publish these in the journals brought out by the associations, the UGC would support these associations in order to help them upgrade their activities,” UGC chairperson Sukhadeo Thorat told Deccan Herald.
“This annual assistance can be to the tune of Rs 10-15 lakh per association or journal,” he said. Similar support could also be provided to good quality journals being published by university departments and other research institutions.
At present, the UGC has no such specific scheme. The commission had earlier taken a decision to support a few umbrella associations such as the Indian Science Congress and the Indian Social Science Congress.
The objective of the scheme will be to support subject associations in social sciences and humanities in organising specified activities in order to encourage teachers and researchers to participate in conferences/seminars/workshops and to present papers leading to publication, wherever possible.
The scheme will be open to all national subject associations which fulfil certain criteria such as minimum membership size, duration of existence and regular audits for at least three years.
A core annual assistance of upto Rs 3 lakh per year will be provided to national-level subject associations for secretariat support, day-to-day office expenses, communication and dissemination of their activities and outputs. It will also provide financial support of upto Rs 7 lakh for holding annual conference of national subject associations and for publication of conference proceedings.
The support under the head “Journals” will be subject to a maximum of Rs 5 lakh for academic association and Rs 3 lakh for university department or 50 per cent of the audited cost of publication, distribution and dissemination of the journal, whichever is less. An assistance of Rs 2 lakh will be available for holding national and regional conferences, seminars as well as workshops for the upgradation of teaching and research.
Associations such as the Indian Science Congress or the Indian Social Science Congress may be provided an assistance of upto Rs 20 lakh annually.
