Subject Preference: GS II (Governance | Social Justice)
- The News: Launched by the National Commission for Women (NCW) to promote research on women-centric policy issues.
- Basics: Provides a grant of ₹1 lakh for 6 months to researchers (aged 21-30) to study themes like cybersecurity, gender-based violence, and economic empowerment.
- Governance Context:
- Evidence-Based Policy: The fellowship aims to move away from theoretical studies toward practical policy recommendations that the NCW can present to the government.
- NCW's Role: Reflects the evolution of the NCW from a grievance-redressal body to a proactive knowledge-driven institution shaping national discourse on gender.
IAS-2026 - OPTIONAL / GEOGRAPHY / PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION / SOCIOLOGY / ANTHROPOLOGY / ORIENTATION ON 03 & 04-10-2025 
