Promotion of educational research and research based policy perspectives for qualitative improvement of school education are important concerns of the Division of Educational Research (DER).

The main functions of the Division include:

• Funding research projects carried out by individual researchers affiliated to universities, institutions, and constituents of NCERT;
• Developing and strengthening institutional research capacities;
• Dissemination of information related to educational research in the field of school education; and
• Providing channels of communication to reach out to the functionaries and beneficiaries related to educational research and receiving feedback on research findings and their impact on education system.

A standing committee of NCERT, called Educational Research and Innovations Committee (ERIC) acts as a catalyst to promote and support research in priority areas of school and teacher education. The ERIC members include eminent researchers in education and allied disciplines from universities and research institutions and representatives of SIEs and SCERTs. The DER acts as a Secretariat to ERIC and coordinates its activities of promoting educational research. Each proposal received for financial support under ERIC is examined for funding by a sub-committee of ERIC, called Screening-cum- Progress Monitoring Committee (SPMC). The financial support is provided based on the recommendations of the SPMC. The Sub-committee also examines annual progress of each project.

The main activities of the Division are:

• Online survey of Research in Educational
• Online Course on Action Research in Education
• Research Associates
• NCERT Doctoral fellowship scheme
• Publication grant scheme
• Financial schemes for promoting research under ERIC
• Capacity Building Programs on Research Methodology and Action Research for Teacher Educators
• Publication of a peer reviewed Journal Indian Educational Review
• Conducting Research in the field of School Education and Teacher Education