Fellowship

1. Background

Chatterjee National CSR Fellowship for practitioners and researchers is being introduced during the financial year 2026-27 to provide research and development opportunities for identifying problems, suggesting solutions, and contributing in a meaningful way to shape the future of CSR in India.

2. Purpose

The objective of the Chatterjee National CSR Fellowship, under the guidance of Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee, IAS (Retd.) and widely acclaimed as ‘Father of CSR in India’, is to promote high-quality research and thought leadership among practitioners and scholars in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility. As CSR continues to grow in scale, investment, and strategic relevance across companies and businesses, there is an urgent need for evidence-based insights that can guide responsible business practices, sustainable development, and social impact.

• CSR expenditure in India has shown a steady upward trajectory since the implementation of the Companies Act, 2013.
• India’s CSR spending has grown to approximately ₹36,000 crores by the end of the financial year 2023-24 (as per the latest available data). This is expected to grow to around ₹60,000 crores in the next five years, indicating growing corporate commitment and expanding opportunities for impactful research.
• With companies moving from philanthropy-driven models to strategic, impact-oriented CSR, there is a heightened need for scholars who can critically study frameworks, community impact, sustainability metrics, and policy implications.

This fellowship supports emerging practitioners and researchers who demonstrate commitment, curiosity and the ability to contribute meaningfully to India’s evolving CSR landscape.

3. Co-Organiser

La-SIYA Socio-Economic Care Foundation (Registration No: 3654), hereinafter referred to as La-SIYA, has been co-opted as nodal partner for implementing the fellowship, receiving application fees, disbursing expenses and remitting fellowship amounts. La-SIYA will also take part in selection of candidates and laying down of procedural guidelines for implementing the fellowship.

4. Who Can Apply

1. Practitioners, former practitioners, research scholars, academicians and former academicians in the domain of Corporate Social Responsibility.
2. The term “Practitioners” includes Members of CSR verticals in private/public sector organizations, foundations, civil society organizations, NGO’s and social entrepreneurs, etc.
3. Applicants must hold at least a Master’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university.
4. Applicants for the research/scholars/academicians category must hold at least a doctorate degree or pursuing their PhD studies from a recognized university.
5. Individuals who are passionate about research and academic work in Corporate Social Responsibility. The research should focus on mandated CSR in India.
6. Joint applications shall not be eligible for the fellowship.

5. How To Apply

1. Applications will be invited on the websites www.bhaskarchatterjee.in / www.lasiya.org.
2. Applicants are required to submit an online application in the prescribed format (Registration Google Form- I) and pay the application fee of ₹ 5,000/- attaching the screenshot of payment. Click on REGISTER HERE at the bottom to fill the form.
3. Once the fee is paid, the applicant will receive an email of confirmation, and they may start preparing their research proposal, which they shall submit by 31st July 2026. 

6. Research Proposal Submission

1. Prepare your research proposal in the same format mentioned at the bottom of this page. Scroll down and click on “Research Proposal Format.”
2. Research proposals and final reports should be in English, Font style “Times New Roman”, Font size 12, with Line Spacing 1.15.
3. Applicants will also be required to submit an Undertaking on Research Integrity in the Prescribed Format. Scroll down and click on “Research Undertaking”.
4. Go to the Research Submission Form– Google Form II. Click to access.
5. Fill up and submit your form by uploading your Research Proposal Document on the Google Form, also upload the Undertaking on Research Integrity on the same form.

7. Promotion & Propagation

1. The invitation for applications will be promoted through social media platforms and word of mouth.
2. The promotion will also include specially curated events/meets/seminars/workshops etc.

8. Application Fee

1. Applicants are required to pay a non-refundable fee of ₹ 5,000/- (Indian Rupees Five Thousand Only/-) for application processing, proposal screening, jury evaluation, and other administrative expenses. Payments are to be made only through digital payment gateways (as provided at the bottom of the registration form). For proof of payment, the screenshot of the fee paid has to be uploaded in the registration form.
2. Payment of the above application fee does not guarantee selection or award of a fellowship.
3. Part payments will be considered as an invalid application.

9. Fellowship Details

• Number of Fellowships: 2 per year (1 for Practitioner, 1 for Academician/Scholar/Researcher).
• Value: ₹1,00,000 (Indian Rupees One Lakh) per fellowship.
• Duration: 1 year.

10. Screening / Selection Process And Declaration Of Result

A. Screening Selection Process

1. All valid applications will be reviewed by an eminent three-member jury comprising of experts in CSR.
2. A short list of meritorious applications will be prepared.
3. Shortlisted applicants will be invited for interaction/presentation on physical/virtual mode.
4. Results will be declared on the website – www.bhaskarchatterjee.in and www.lasiya.org.
5. Selected candidates will also be informed individually via email/WhatsApp.

B. Decision Of Selection

1. The selection shall be based on an independent evaluation process conducted by a duly constituted Jury.
2. The decision of the jury shall be final and binding.
3. The organizers shall not be liable for any claims arising out of non-selection of applicants or award of fellowship.

11. Monitoring Of The Selected Research Projects

1. Research undertaken by the two awardees will be monitored through the submission of periodic progress reports in the prescribed format. The project may be discontinued/terminated if research progress is found unsatisfactory or if any rules of the fellowship are violated.
2. All project related queries will be addressed to the Project Director, whose coordinates will be shared with the Awardees.
3. The Project Director may, at any time, ask for verification of accounts and other relevant documents related to the Project.
4. The Project Director’s consent will be mandatory prior to the release of the final instalment.
5. If the awardee does not submit the requisite documents and the final report on time or the project is not completed in the stipulated period, the awardee will be blacklisted and legal recourse will be initiated if necessary for recovery of released amounts to such researcher.
6. Payment milestone for Fellowship: (as per disbursement schedule shared separately)

12. Completion Of The Study

On completion of the study, the awardee will be required to submit:

1. A soft copy of the Final Report which must be submitted in both PDF and Word formats, with a minimum of 100 pages for each of Practitioner and for Researcher (Times New Roman 12 Font with 1.15-line spacing).
2. A Softcopy of the abstract in 500 words in both PDF and Word formats (same specifications as above).
3. A Softcopy of the Executive Summary of the final report in 1,500 words along with softcopy in both PDF and Word formats (same specifications as above).
4. Every Final Report shall be checked for plagiarism and the report of the same will also be generated. Reports having similarity beyond 10 per cent on the similarity index will not be accepted. Awardees are required to get their final report checked for similarity index and attach a certified report of the same at the time of submission.
5. AI assistance (15-20%) would be considered acceptable.
6. If the Project Director suggests any changes in the reports at the time of evaluation, the awardee shall be bound to incorporate the changes within the stipulated time and should submit the following:
   
   1. Soft copy of modified final report in both PDF and Word formats along with two hard copies;
   2. Two hard copies of executive summary;
   3. Softcopies of Data Sets (if any), along with well-defined definition of data and other important information for documentation.
7. The Final Report submitted by the awardee will be considered as satisfactory only after final recommendation of acceptance by the Project Director.
8. The decision of the Project Director in all matters relating to Reports submitted by the awardees shall be final and binding.

13. Other Conditions

1. The duration of the project includes the time for Final Report writing. In exceptional circumstances, if the Project Director is satisfied with the progress of the work, an extension may be granted (up to three months) without any additional grant.
2. The awardee must participate in at least one knowledge-sharing session/ workshop prepared by the organizers.
3. The awardee will be required to publish the research or an extract from it or a modified or condensed version in at least 2 journals/e-journals/books/publications/mainstream media.
4. The awardee must acknowledge ‘Chatterjee National CSR Fellowship’ in all publications, presentations, or project dissemination material.
5. The awardee must agree to the organizers using the project outcomes for CSR publications, Institutional reports, media, and outreach (with due credit).
6. The organizers reserve the right to reject any application without assigning any reason. They will not be responsible for any postal delays/loss.
7. Incomplete applications in any respect will not be considered.
8. The final authority related to the interpretation of these guidelines or any other issue is vested with the organizers.
9. The researcher will inform the Organizers about publications.
10. The organizers have the right to revise the policy from time to time so as to ensure the integrity of the fellowship, its research and subsequent publications.

14. Release Of Fellowship Grant

The grant amount will be disbursed into four tranches, as mentioned above. The last 10% of the Grant will be disbursed after completion of all necessary formalities.

15. Grievance Redressal Mechanism

A dispute redressal committee shall be formed, which will:

1. Address any dispute arising out of the fellowship process, including eligibility, selection, evaluation, or award decisions.
2. Accept grievances in writing within 15 days of the occurrence.
3. Communicate its decision to the party within a period of 60 days of receipt of the grievance.

In case the dispute remains unresolved, it may be referred to an arbitrator of mutual choice in accordance with the provisions of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, with the seat at Delhi. The decision of the arbitrator shall be final and binding on all parties.

Email: fellowship@bhaskarchatterjee.in
WhatsApp: +91 8368149089