The Indian Council of Philosophical Research is an autonomous body financed by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India. Its main functions are as follows.
- To co-ordinate research activities in philosophy and encourage programmes of interdisciplinary research apart from reviewing the progress of research
- To promote collaboration in research between Indian philosophers and philosophical institutions and those from other countries besides sponsoring projects or programmes of research in philosophy
- To give financial support to institutions and organizations engaged in the conduct of research on philosophy and provide technical assistance or guidance for the formulation of research projects and programmes in philosophy, by individuals or institutions and / or organize and support institutional or other arrangements for training in research methodology
- To organize, sponsor and assist seminars, special courses, study circles, working groups / parties and conferences for promoting research in philosophy and to establish institutes for the same purpose
- To give grants for publications of digests, journals, periodicals and scholarly works devoted to research in philosophy and also to undertake their publications besides administering fellowships, scholarships and awards for research in philosophy by students, teachers and others
- To develop and support documentation services, including maintenance and supply of data, preparation of an inventory of current research in philosophy and compilation of a national register of philosophers
- To take special steps to develop a group of talented young philosophers and to encourage research by young philosophers working in universities and other institutions
- To advise the Govt. of India on all such matters pertaining to teaching and research in philosophy as may be referred to it by the Govt. of India from time to time
Some of the priority areas for research identified by the Indian Council of Philosophical Research are as follows.
- Varieties of abiding experience and their relevance to philosophy
- Theories of Truth and Knowledge
- Basic values embodied in Indian culture and their relevance to National rebuilding
- Normative Inquiries
- Philosophy, Science and Technology; Interdisciplinary Inquiries with philosophy as focal discipline
- Philosophy of man and environment
- Social and political philosophy and philosophy of law
- Logic, philosophy of mathematics and philosophy of language
- Metaphysics
- Comparative and critical studies in philosophical systems or movements and religions and
- Philosophy of Education
The Indian Council of Philosophical Research (ICPR) offers the following fellowships.
- National Fellowships
- Senior Fellowships
- General Fellowships
- Junior Research Fellowships
- Short Term Fellowships
- Residential Fellowships
- Fellowship for Preparing Learning Materials
