CAG–ICSSR Research Article Competition 2026 for Public Finance, Governance and Social Science Students Indian Council of Social Science Research in

CAG–ICSSR Research Article Competition 2026 is a research-driven opportunity for full-time UG, PG, and doctoral students interested in public finance, governance, accountability, social development, skilling, MSMEs, and local governance.

The competition is organized by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in collaboration with the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR). It is designed to encourage students to interpret audit reports, fiscal records, and governance data, and to turn technical material into accessible, analytical research outputs.

Core themes include fiscal federalism and governance, social sector spending, skilling, employment and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and empowering urban and rural local bodies. The initiative is open to individual entries only.

Submission window for state-level entries is 1 July to 31 August 2026, with the last date of submission on 31 August 2026. The national-level submission window runs from 1 August to 30 September 2026, with the last date of submission on 30 September 2026.

Awards are substantial: state-level prizes are ₹75,000, ₹50,000, and ₹25,000, while national-level prizes are ₹1,25,000, ₹1,00,000, and ₹75,000. The total prize money is approximately ₹1 crore, sponsored by the Office of the CAG of India.

Interested students should register on the ICSSR portal, review the official guidelines, and submit their article within the relevant window. Technical assistance is available via [email protected].