IALSE-URIVI VIKRAM BEST MASTERS (PG) THESIS NATIONAL AWARD IN LIFE SKILLS EDUCATION

The Indian Association of Life Skills Education has established a Best Master’s Level Thesis Award in the field of Life Skills Education. The goal of this award is to recognise high-quality postgraduate research in Life Skills Education and encourage young scholars to contribute to emerging knowledge and practice in the field.

The Award includes a cash prize of Rs. 3001/- (Rupees Three Thousand and One only), along with a Memento and a Certificate. The award will be presented at the IALSE International Conference. Two awards will be given each year. The awardee’s thesis will be published by IALSE either as a monograph or as a research paper in the journal with the permission of the author.

IALSE-Urivi Vikram Best ‘Post-Graduate Thesis National Award in Life Skills Education’ is proposed by the Urivi Vikram Charitable Trust, New Delhi. The award is named after URIVI VIKRAM, s/o Dr U N B RAO, who was killed in a road accident in 1990. In his memory, the Trust was established in New Delhi in 1991. The basic motto of the Trust is to find ways and means to transform our ‘Burden of Population’ into an ‘Asset of Human Resources’. In this regard, the Trust launched a series of programmes in Life Skills Training, Psychological Counselling and Career Guidance, Personality Development (which was accepted in 2001 as the basis for UNFPA’s Life Skills programmes for out-of- school adolescents), vocational courses, reformation of young offenders, and similar initiatives. UVCT also advocated and, in 2004, succeeded in obtaining, for the first time, a policy framework for ‘Adolescents’ as a distinct group in human development.

Eligibility for nomination

1. Individuals who have been awarded their Master’s degree within the last two years.
2. Thesis/dissertation must be related to Life Skills Education.
3. Research must demonstrate clarity, conceptual understanding, and academic competence suitable for PG-level work.
4. Has presented at national/international and college/university seminars, or competitions, and submitted abstracts or working papers.
5. Has published papers in national and international journals.
6. Has academically engaged in research methodology workshops, conferences or seminars.
7. Demonstrated intense fieldwork, case studies, or applied components.
8. Demonstrated innovations relevant to classrooms, youth programmes, or community engagement.

The applicant or nominee should meet all the above criteria or at least five of them. Evidence supporting this, such as published abstracts, presentations, posters, certificates, letters of appreciation or recognition, or any proof of academic contribution, can be submitted along with a detailed CV and a copy of the thesis synopsis.

Criteria for evaluation

1. Research Quality: Appropriateness of problem statement, objectives, andscope, quality of design, tools, and data collection.
2. Presentation Quality: Writing, structure, coherence, and clarity of the thesis.
3. Impact: The potential of the academic contribution to advance furtherresearch in the field of life skills education.
4. Academic engagement: Active participation in conferences, workshops, or Seminars.

Application/Nomination Process

1. The invitation to submit the application/nomination will be issued by the 10th of December 2025. The period will be from 15th December 2025 to 15th January 2026.
2. Detailed CV, a copy of the thesis/dissertation synopsis, certificate obtained as evidence of academic engagement and contribution, a letter of recommendation from the guide/department and a covering letter from the applicant or nominating institution.

Selection Process

1. The Search Committee appointed by the Executive Committee of IALSE evaluates nominations based on the eligibility and evaluation criteria.
2. Five top candidates will be shortlisted for further review
3. The committee may recommend three names for the final decision of the EC of IALSE. If the recommendation is not unanimous, the committee members’ majority vote will be considered.
4. The Executive Committee of IALSE may select the awardee from the list recommended by the selection committee.

Timeline

1. December 10, 2025: The application/ nomination period opens
2. January 10, 2026: The application/ nomination period closes
3. January 15-20, 2026: Review committee evaluates nominations
4. January 25, 2026: Award recipient notified
5. February 2026: Award presented at the International Conference of Life Skills Education

Application Guidelines

Applications or nominations must be submitted along with detailed CV, thesis synopsis, letters of recommendation and other relevant documents. All documents must be submitted both by email and as hard copies. The last date for receiving the applications (by email and by post) is 10th January 2026.

Email Submission

All applicants must email their complete set of documents to: Secretary, IALSE at ialse.india@gmail.com

Hard Copy Submission

Hard copies should be posted to the Convenor of the Search Committee as given below:

Dr. T. S. Nair
Pooja, STRA.B.53,
Studio Road
Nemom P.O.
Thiruvananthapuram – 695020
Kerala