Shillong, September 23: The Meghalaya Institute of Government (MIG), in collaboration with the Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad, on Wednesday organised a foundational workshop for the third cohort of the Meghalaya Legislative Research Fellowship (MLRF) and Meghalaya District Research Fellowship (MDRF) programmes in Shillong. The workshop, held at the Conference Room of the Secretariat Wellness Centre, marked the beginning of the latest cohort, which will focus on strengthening research across all 60 Assembly constituencies and districts of Meghalaya.
Addressing the opening session, Dr Aarushi Jain, Director of the Bharti Institute of Public Policy (BIPP), ISB, said the fellows would play a key role in advancing constituency development plans and generating reliable data that could support research, journalism and policy analysis. She said the programme would also work towards strengthening the existing data portal and making it more useful and accessible.
According to Dr Jain, constituency development plans are already at different stages of preparation, with around 36 plans having completed the first phase and several others undergoing deeper analysis. She said the aim was to complete development plans for all 60 constituencies and subsequently move from the planning stage towards implementation. The fellows will work closely with legislators and their teams to identify potential economic drivers of growth and formulate strategies suited to the specific needs of individual constituencies.
Speaking about the MDRF programme, Dr Jain said research priorities would differ from district to district depending on local requirements and the nature of engagement with Deputy Commissioners, Autonomous District Councils and various government departments. She said the programme also proposes to develop “district growth strategies”, using districts as key platforms for identifying local growth opportunities and addressing developmental challenges.
The process will involve extensive field research, including household-level data collection based on scientific sampling methods and covering the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors. The collected data will then be analysed using tools such as causal loop diagrams and input-output modelling, with the ISB research team supporting the preparation of district growth strategies.
Dr Andrew Simons, Adviser to the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, said the MLRF initiative was launched through the joint efforts of the Assembly, ISB and MIG and has gradually helped strengthen legislative research capacity in the state. He said two cohorts had already completed the programme and expressed hope that the third cohort would further help nurture young professionals interested in public service, policymaking and institutional development. Dr Simons also highlighted capacity-building initiatives undertaken by ISB for Meghalaya legislators, including workshops conducted in Mohali, Hyderabad and the United States.
MIG Director Aiban Swer said the fellowship gives young researchers an opportunity to work closely with legislators and understand the diverse perspectives and priorities of different constituencies. He urged the fellows to engage meaningfully with elected representatives by asking thoughtful and probing questions and understanding how legislators approach issues concerning their constituencies. Swer said the fellows would also take part in other assignments, including social impact assessments, document verification and projects related to roads and transport, which would help strengthen their research and professional skills.
The third cohort of the MLRF and MDRF programmes is expected to work closely with legislators and district administrations over the coming year as part of the state’s broader research and development initiatives.
