The importance of giving a proper direction to historical research and of encouraging and fostering objective and scientific writing of history is being increasingly recognized in the country. The subject gains not only form the point of view of national integration but also from that of the need to inculcate a healthy respect for our cultural heritage without encouraging a blind acceptance of superstition, obscurantism and revivalism. It is equally important to promote application  historical method to the study of the social sciences and the humanities, so that an inter-disciplinary approach is achieved in an understanding of these subjects.  The development and adoption of new historical methods have a bearing not only for the study of history but in improving and updating techniques and methods of social sciences and humanities as a whole. Indian Council of Historical Research would help in achieving these objectives and in enunciating and implementing a national policy for historical research. The frame-work within which the body works as follows:-

• The Indian Council of Historical Research consists mainly of eminent historians of the Country.
• The Council covers history in its broader aspect including the history of art, literature and philosophy and allied subjects such as archaeology, numismatics, epigraphy and the historical study of manuscripts. It also promotes the study of any subject with a strong historical bias and content.
• The Council assists to promote scientific research in history and also associates with universities and research institutes not only in India but abroad also.

In pursuance of the aims and Objectives of ICHR, Council’s functions are :-

• To provide fellowships and financial assistance to the young teachers in colleges, universities and

registered research organizations, as well as to senior scholars who might need financial support;

• To bring historians together by providing financial assistance for holding symposia, seminars,

workshops, etc for exchanging views related to history;

• To provide publication subsidy to the seminars, congress proceedings and journals so that these

publications may reach to researchers and scholars;

• To publish a biannual Journal - the Indian Historical Review, and another journal Itihas in Hindi;

• To maintain a large and expanding Library-cum-Documentation Centre with facility of DELNET

and J-STOR at the Headquarters at New Delhi, exclusively for researchers and scholars;

• To maintain two regional centres namely ICHR North-East Regional Centre (Guwahati) and

ICHR Southern Regional Centre (Bangalore) which also maintains Library-cum-Documentation Units enriched with research materials for the benefit of scholars and students of their respective regions., and takes such other measures as the Council considers appropriate in order to implement the stated objectives of the Indian Council of Historical Research. As envisaged in para 2(q) of Memorandum of Association (MOA) 1972, the Council advises the Government of India on all such matters pertaining to historical research and training in history methodology as may be referred to it from time to time, including co-operational arrangements in historical research and training facilities with foreign academic bodies.