The Department of Arts and Culture is introducing the Chief Minister’s Research Grant (CMRG), which will seek to develop high quality research studies in line with the state’s current development initiatives.
The CMRG aims to engage and encourage the citizens and scholars of Meghalaya to undertake quality research and documentation in various areas of interest that concern the state, with a particular focus on arts and culture, heritage studies and aspects that seek to study, document and further illuminate matters and aspects relating to the land, language and lineage of the indigenous communities of Meghalaya and to suggest meaningful and doable solutions to the various issues and emerging challenges confronted by the state.
Recipients of the grant will receive Rs 3 lakh, with half upfront and the remaining after meeting specific criteria.
The duration of the research project will be for 10 months
Applicants should at least have a Bachelor’s degree in any social science subject from a UGC-recognised central university or Meghalaya state university.
A committee has been constituted to approve the award of the grants. It will be led by the Commissioner and Secretary in the Arts and Culture Department as chairperson, with the Secretary of the department as the member. Three advisors have also been named – Prof David Syiemlieh, Prof Milton S Sangma and Charles Reuben Lyngdoh.
The Director of Arts and Culture will be the member secretary. Three members of the committee will also be drawn from North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) – one professor and two associate professors (one from NEHU’s Tura campus) – and another will be a principal or vice-principal of a “reputed college”.