Research Assistant in a Socio-Cultural Study of Ladakh, South Asian University (ICSSR Major Project)

Job Description

This research assistant job in Delhi is at South Asian University, on an ICSSR-funded major project studying Shia Muslim and Buddhist communities in the Ladakh region. One post is advertised, on a twelve-month contract, and applications close on 5 October 2026.

At a glance

• Position: Research Assistant (01 post)
• Where: Faculty of Arts and Design, South Asian University, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi, with field visits to Ladakh
• Pay: Rs 37,000 a month
• Duration: 12 months; the contract is reviewed and renewed every three months on the basis of evaluation
• Apply by: 5 October 2026

The project is titled “Tradition, Transition, and Development: A Socio-Cultural Study of Shia Muslims and Buddhists in the Ladakh Region for Viksit Bharat 2047”. It is led by Dr Devaleena Kundu of the Faculty of Arts and Design at South Asian University, with Prof. Ambrish Saxena as Co-Investigator, and is funded by the Indian Council of Social Science Research.

What the research assistant will do

• Travel to the Ladakh region for field visits, as the project requires
• Conduct interviews with members of the communities the study covers
• Analyse and interpret the material collected in the field
• Draft research reports and contribute to other academic outputs of the project
• Work with the Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator on the day-to-day running of the study

Why this role matters

Ladakh is written about far more often than it is studied at close range, and the communities the project covers are usually described from the outside. A post that pays someone to spend a year listening in the field, rather than summarising what has already been published, is unusual in Indian social science funding. For a researcher with a NET, an M.Phil. or a doctorate who wants primary fieldwork on their record before applying for a longer position, it is a well-defined piece of work with a named supervisor and a clear output.

Eligibility

• A postgraduate degree in a social science discipline with at least 55% marks
• NET, M.Phil. or Ph.D. qualification

The advertisement asks applicants to note that work in Ladakh involves travel at high altitude and a period of acclimatisation, and to consider the health implications before applying.

Pay and duration

• Rs 37,000 a month
• Twelve months in total
• The contract is reviewed every three months and renewed on the basis of that evaluation

How to apply

Send a CV, a cover letter and a sample of academic writing by email to the Principal Investigator at devaleena.kundu@sau.int. The last date is 5 October 2026. Full details, including the downloadable advertisement, are on the official South Asian University announcement.

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