Data Repositories in India with Specific Reference to "ICSSR Data Service: Indian Social Science Data Repository"

Abstract

The raw research data / datasets used in the process of research analysis has immense inheritance value as like the research results itself. So, it is very evident and becoming very important to collect, store and manage such data / datasets properly for further reuse. In this regard, data repositories are becoming the trend setters in research data management and playing a great role for facilitating open access to data & promoting data sharing. Currently, hundreds of data repositories are available on the web covering a wide range of disciplines from around the world; and India is not an exception to it. The ICSSR Data Service has been initiated by ICSSR, New Delhi with aim to promote data sharing at a national level and to provide open access to social science research data / datasets hugely generated by various social science research institutes in the country. This article elaborates the current status of data repositories in the country, specifically the "ICSSR Data Service: Indian Social Science Data Repository". Further, it enumerates in details about ICSSR Data Service i.e. its objectives, development, current status, its features & functionalities, datasets, etc. Also, it explores the in-built online "ICSSR Data Analytics" and visualization tool developed using "R" language.