For research in policy relevant areas, which of the following organizations is…
2020
For research in policy relevant areas, which of the following organizations is entrusted with the initiative 'IMPRESS'?
- A.
IIAS
- B.
ICSSR
- C.
ICPR
- D.
ICHR
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
India's Ministry of Education (formerly MHRD) channels research funding through several apex, discipline-specific autonomous bodies rather than one single agency. Each such body is mandated to promote, fund, and coordinate research only within its own designated discipline.
IMPRESS — Impactful Policy Research in Social Sciences — is a scheme launched by the Ministry to fund social-science research with direct relevance to public policy. Since this mandate (funding and coordinating social-science research) matches the domain of the Indian Council of Social Science Research, the scheme's implementation was entrusted to ICSSR, which selects, funds, and monitors IMPRESS projects.
IIAS (Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla) is a residential centre for advanced interdisciplinary studies in the humanities; it does not fund or administer government social-science policy-research schemes.
ICPR promotes and funds research specifically in philosophy, a narrower and different discipline than the general social-science policy research IMPRESS covers.
ICHR promotes and funds research specifically in history, a narrower and different discipline than the general social-science policy research IMPRESS covers.
Hence, the organization entrusted with IMPRESS is ICSSR.