Competition for Kusuma Young Researcher Award

Last date to receive applications: 15^th August 2008

Kusuma Foundation announces its first national competition for post-graduate research awards for the year 2008. The awards are sponsored by Kusuma Gibraltar Charitable Trust (KGCT), Gibraltar. The competition is subject to the following conditions.

The Competition

Competition is open for post graduate research being done by Indian citizens, eventually with potential for creating possible linkages to existing policies or for deepening insights on specific areas and is open for all students / persons registered with Indian recognized universities irrespective of their caste, creed, religion or gender.

Areas for research

Kusuma Foundation focuses all its efforts on changing the situation of under privileged and marginalized children in India. Kusuma invests in enhancing opportunities for better and higher education, quality of schooling and impacting the physical infrastructure in schools and households of the poor families – through its various partners in India. In accordance with this core focus, the potential young researchers will be awardees working in the broad areas of children and marginalization, and allied areas of children and opportunities for education.

Broadly, applications are invited from the young researchers, whose research has contributed to the following themes:

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  • Children and marginalization
  • Children and education
  • Situation of children in most difficult circumstances
  • Care for orphaned children/children in institutional care

Out of the applicants, three Kusuma Young Researchers will be selected for their distinct research work in the areas mentioned, and specifically for the thrust on the following three key themes:

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  a.    Critical contribution to furtherance of the knowledge in the areas mentioned.

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  b.   Contribution through either a critique, an evaluation or a study of a legislation or policies or programs of the Government of India/Convention on Rights of Children in the areas mentioned, and

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  c.    Contribution in the development or articulation of an innovative idea in the areas mentioned.

The Award

The best entry in each of the above 3 categories will receive a cash award of Rs. 1,00,000/- each, to be split in the following manner:

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  a.      Fellow:  70% of the cash award

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  b.      Research guide: 30% of the cash award

There will be 5 jury appreciation awards to the outstanding applicants, with cash awards of Rs10000/- each.

Who can apply?

• Applicant should have the master’s degree or M. Phil in social work, child development, urban and rural development, population sciences, education, social welfare administration, rural management or educational administration from any Institute with accreditation from the University Grants Commission
• Applicant should be in academic year 2007-2008 batch

Applications will be screened in accordance with the following criteria:

• Thrust of the research
• Value addition to existing knowledge
• Strength of the research design
  • Methodology – rigour, novelty and ethical practices
• Strength of the results

How to apply?

All applications must have the following enclosures:

1.  CV of the researcher

2.  Bona fide certificate from the head of the institution

2.  Synopsis of the research conducted, in original, attested by the head of the institution (Word document up to a limit of 10000 words). The synopsis should reflect:

Part A: The literature review and the key steps of research, including the major findings of the research.

Part B: A description of how the research pertains to each purpose of the Kusuma Award (furtherance of knowledge, potential influence on the policy and programs of the Government of India/CRC, and innovation).

I. Research with focus on furtherance of knowledge (elaborate on the potential additions to the knowledge in the child and education sectors).

II. Research with policy and programmatic impact (elaborate on the potential influence that the research will have on policy and programs).

III. Research that shows pathways for innovation (elaborate on the specific innovation and the steps involved in developing it and how it can contribute towards evolving a new program to improve children's rights).

3. A note by the guide, in a maximum of 1000 words, explaining the rationale for choosing, the choice of methodology recommended and value of the research findings.  A letter of testimony capturing the overall capabilities (for research and innovation) of the applicant needs to be enclosed.

Selection results

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. After the preliminary screening, the short listed proposals would be evaluated by an eminent panel of 2 Experts (One National and another International) selected by Kusuma Foundation at its sole discretion. Based on the recommendations of the panel, the results will be intimated / announced.  Apply to the following address by Registered post along with the hard and soft copies of the paper, documents, research results, etc., so as to reach Kusuma Foundation on or before 15^th August 2008 by 5.30pm. No personal or hand delivery will be accepted. 

Program Director

KUSUMA FOUNDATION

Plot No. 89, D. No. 8-2-120/76

Road No.2, Banjara Hills

Hyderabad 500034

Andhra Pradesh, India

Tel: +91-40-23550803/0805

info@kusumafoundation.in 

Important note: Disclaimer

1. All the decisions of the Experts Jury and Kusuma Foundation in respect of the above will be final and binding on the participants
2. The participants or anybody connected to them shall not be entitled to visit Kusuma Foundation unless specifically called for to do so in writing
3. All matters shall be subject to exclusive jurisdiction of Hyderabad courts only
4. The sponsors reserves their right to cancel, defer or withdraw the competition any time without assigning any reason
5. While the intellectual property rights in respect of the research papers, details, documents, results, etc., submitted by the participants shall always vests with such respective participants, Kusuma Foundation shall have the right to use the research papers, details, documents, results,, etc., for its own projects and publish /host the same in its website, even if such research paper, details, documents, results, etc., of the participants did not entitle him/her any award under the above competition.
6. Kusuma Foundation or anybody connected to it shall not be responsible for any application lost in postal transit or reaching it belatedly.