Grant not suspended even during Emergency: CSDS faculty breaks silence on funding threat

The Indian Express reported on Friday that an inquiry committee appointed by the ICSSR had recommended action against the institute under its grants-in-aid rules, a move that could jeopardise funding that accounts for over 83 per cent of CSDS’s income and nearly 90 per cent of its salary bill.

Friday’s resolution marks the first time the faculty body has collectively responded since the ICSSR issued a show-cause notice to the institute in August last year following a now-withdrawn post on X by CSDS professor Sanjay Kumar on voter data in Maharashtra. The faculty had remained silent on the inquiry until now. When contacted, CSDS Director Professor Awadhendra Sharan said, “CSDS will respond formally when it receives a copy of the report. In the meanwhile, the faculty has expressed its response to the story carried by The Indian Express suggesting possible withdrawal of funds.” Sanjay Kumar had declined to comment on the matter on Thursday, saying he was unaware that the report had been submitted. The controversy dates back to August 2025 when Kumar posted on X that the number of registered voters in Ramtek and Devlali in Maharashtra had declined sharply between the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. He later withdrew the post and apologised, saying the research team had misread the data.Story continues below this ad

On August 28, 2025, the ICSSR issued a showcause notice to CSDS, questioning the “impartiality, objectivity, and quality” of its research, alleging possible political bias and a deliberate attempt to malign constitutional authorities. It also raised issues relating to the institute’s administration and finances, and constituted an inquiry committee to examine the matter. As reported by The Indian Express on Friday, the committee, in its report submitted to the ICSSR, is learnt to have alleged “irregularities”: academic appointments in violation of UGC regulations, requisite qualifications; processing of financial matters without complying with General Financial Rules; and appointment of non-academic staff without public advertisement. It has recommended that ICSSR take action against CSDS as per its “grants-in-aid” rules. This can mean suspension of grants, through which most of the salaries at CSDS are paid. Referring to the inquiry, the faculty said CSDS had fully cooperated with both the committee and the ICSSR. “To date, the CSDS faculty has not seen any draft report of this committee,” the faculty resolution stated.

The faculty also disclosed that CSDS has not received grants from the ICSSR since July 2025, but said academic and administrative work had continued despite the funding uncertainty. The Indian Express has learnt that salary disbursement has been “irregular” since then.Story continues below this ad “We wish to underline that while CSDS has not received grants from ICSSR since July 2025, the faculty has continued to discharge all its responsibilities — conducting research, publishing books and articles and organising lectures and workshops. The non-academic staff too has continued to discharge their duties,” the resolution said. It added that any withdrawal of grants would have a “debilitating effect” on the institute’s functioning. “As The Express report points out, 90% of our salaries are met from the grants-in-aid and a withdrawal of the same will have a debilitating effect on our academic and institutional functioning,” it said.

The resolution also highlighted the long institutional relationship between the CSDS and the ICSSR, noting that the latter has been represented on the CSDS Board of Governors since 1973 and has remained informed of the institute’s academic activities through regular reports. It recalled that CSDS founder-director Rajni Kothari went on to serve as ICSSR chairperson between 1977 and 1980, while several