Conducting field research in India can be academically rewarding, but it also requires careful preparation, institutional access, and practical coordination on the ground. The Nordic Centre in India (NCI) supports Nordic students and researchers by helping them navigate the practical, institutional, and administrative aspects of planning and carrying out field-based research in India.
NCI’s strength lies in combining local knowledge, institutional networks, and practical experience to support field-based research across diverse contexts in India.
Our role is to make the process smoother and more manageable by facilitating relevant connections, providing guidance on procedures, and offering practical support before and during the research period. Academic supervision, research design, ethics approvals, and responsibility for the academic content of the project remain with the home institution and, where relevant, the host institution in India.
This support is designed for students and researchers from NCI member universities planning short- or longer-term field-based research in India.
NCI provides light-touch guidance on the Indian research landscape relevant to a proposed project. This includes helping researchers assess the practical feasibility of their topic, timelines, access considerations, and field realities in the Indian context.
NCI actively supports researchers in identifying and connecting with appropriate Indian host institutions aligned with their research focus. Drawing on our network of partnerships across universities, research centres, schools, and non-governmental organisations across India, we facilitate targeted introductions based on the needs of each project.
We also support the process of securing a local institutional affiliation where required for research or visa purposes. Such affiliations are subject to the policies and decisions of the host institution.
Through its network of partners in India, NCI can connect researchers with relevant institutions, practitioners, and field-based stakeholders where appropriate. These connections are intended to support access and orientation within the local context.
Researchers planning fieldwork in India are typically required to apply for an appropriate visa category, depending on the nature and duration of their research.
While visa requirements are determined by the Government of India and may change over time, NCI supports researchers by:
For longer stays, additional formalities may be required after arrival in India. NCI provides guidance on FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Office) processes, registration requirements, timelines, and practical next steps.
NCI supports pre-arrival planning by offering guidance and assistance on practical matters such as travel planning, accommodation considerations, local mobility, and the institutional and cultural context in which the fieldwork will take place.
Once in India, researchers may require support in navigating practical aspects of their fieldwork. NCI can act as a local coordination point, particularly during the initial stages of settling in.
Depending on the nature of the project, we may assist in identifying local field contacts, translators, or research assistants, and in navigating communication with institutions and other stakeholders. NCI does not take on formal recruitment responsibilities.
In some contexts, research in India may involve additional permissions, gatekeeper access, or sensitivity to institutional and social settings. NCI provides general guidance on such realities and helps researchers better understand the local context, particularly when working in schools, communities, or other sensitive environments.
Field research can involve unexpected challenges. NCI can provide practical guidance on navigating such situations and may serve as a point of contact for non-academic issues where appropriate.
NCI does not provide academic supervision, take responsibility for research design, secure ethics approvals, or guarantee institutional affiliation, access, visa approval, or research outcomes. These remain the responsibility of the home institution and, where relevant, the host institution in India.
Researchers and students from NCI member universities who are planning field research in India are welcome to contact us - contact@nordiccentreindia.com.
When reaching out, it is helpful to include:
This allows us to better understand the request and advise on possible next steps.
