What is the Chief Minister’s Research Grant (CMRG) | How Can You Apply?

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 13, 2024

The Chief Minister’s Research Grant (CMRG) is an initiative launched by the Department of Arts & Culture within the Government of Meghalaya with the objective to develop high quality research studies, to meet the progressive trajectory, in line with the State’s current developmental initiatives.

What does the CMRG aims to do?

• It aims to engage and encourage the citizens and scholars of the State of Meghalaya to undertake quality research and documentation in various areas of interest, that concern the State of Meghalaya, with a particular focus on Arts & Culture, heritage studies, and aspects that seek to study, document and further illuminate on all 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, as it seeks to take its rightful place amongst the comity of States within India and also at the international level.

Who can apply?

• Individuals who have an interest in research and possess a minimum Bachelor’s degree in any Social Science discipline from a UGC recognized Central University or a State University of Meghalaya.
• Registered institutes and organizations under 2(F) and 12(B) of the UGC Act as well as registered societies are also eligible to apply. However, they must clearly specify who (Project Director) will undertake the research project.

How to apply?

• Applications are going to be invited through the advertisements in the Government of Meghalaya portal/Department of Arts & Culture website/Social Media handle of Department/Directorate of Arts & Culture.
• Applications should be only in English, and must be submitted online with the prescribed format.
• Only one research proposal per applicant will be accepted.

Selection Criteria

• Applications received will be scrutinized by a duly constituted CMRG Committee.
• The selected candidates will be called for a personal interview to be held in Shillong. No T.A/D.A. will be provided for the candidates.
• Candidates who are called for personal interview must be familiar with the basic requirements/methodology of undertaking research.
• After the interview, applications that are recommended by the CMRG Committee will be forwarded to the Department of Arts and Culture, Government of Meghalaya for approval.
• The list of the final selected candidates, who are eligible for the research grant will be placed/circulated online for information of all concerned.

Award of Research Grant

• Duration of the project will be 10 months.
• The grant awarded for each research project shall be for ₹ 3 (Three) Lakhs Only.
• Once selected, the concerned applicants will be required to sign an undertaking to complete and to submit the research project within the stipulated time frame.
• The research grant will be released in three instalments.
• The first instalment of 50% will be released after the selected candidate completes the necessary formalities.
• The second instalment of 25% will be released on submission of a detailed progress report and Statement of accounts on utilization of the first instalment, after a period of 7 (seven) months by the candidate.
• The third & final instalment of 25% will be released after all the due formalities have been completed by the candidate (submission of Executive Summary, Final Report, Final Statement of Accounts in both hard copy as well as soft copy).
• If the selected candidate fails to submit the Executive Summary, Final Report and Final Statement of Accounts within the stipulated period of ten months, he/she will be required to refund the entire research grant that has been duly sanctioned.
• The selected candidate must adequately acknowledge and sufficiently reflect the support received under CMRG, Department of Arts & Culture in both the research project and in the research papers.
• The selected candidate may also publish research papers in reputed approved UGC Care List journals and must acknowledge the grant duly received under CMRG, Department of Arts & Culture.
• The final Research Project (Executive Summary and Final Report) shall be the property of the Government of Meghalaya to be used in any way deemed fit for the enhancement of further investigation, research and publication, and may be utilized to preserve, protect and promote the domain of Arts & Culture.
• If the awardee desires to publish his/her research project he/she must obtain written approval from the Government Department concerned. If permission is granted, due acknowledgement must be given that the research grant for the project was given under CMRG.

Submission of Final Report

• Submit the Executive Summary, the Final Report and the Final Statement of Accounts in triplicate (hard copy) and also one soft copy (both MS Word and PDF Format).
• The Executive Summary must be about 4000 words and the Final Report must not be less than 40000 words.
• The awardee must also include a non-Plagiarism Report, not exceeding 10%. The awardee will use a plagiarism tool duly approved by the CMRG Committee.
• The Final Report submitted by the concerned scholar will be considered/accepted only after the final recommendation of acceptance by the duly notified CMRG Committee.

Chief Minister’s Research Grant (CMRG) Committee

This Committee will be duly entrusted with operationalizing the CMRG, and will perform the following tasks:

• Inviting applications 
• Scrutiny of applications
• Selection of eligible candidates
• Monitoring progress of the research undertaken by the awardees
• Approval of release of funds to awardees
• Review of and approval of the final submissions of the Research projects.

Members of the Chief Minister’s Research Grant (CMRG) Committee

The members of the Chief Minister’s Research Grant (CMRG) Committee comprises of the Commissioner and Secretary of the Arts and Culture Department, who is also the Chairperson of CMRG. Prof. David R. Syiemlieh (Research), Prof. Milton S. Sangma (Research) and Dr. Charles Reuben Lyngdoh (Academic) are the Advisers of the committee. The Member secretary is also the Director of the Arts and Culture Department.

Other members include one Professor and one Associate Professor from NEHU Shillong, and one Associate Professor from NEHU Tura Campus. Principal/Vice Principal of a reputed college will also become a member along with other Co-Opted members.