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3NORTH-EASTERN HILL UNIVERSITYNorth-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) was set up by an Act of Parliamentand notified on 19 th July, 1973. The objectives of the University, as laid down inthe Act, are “to disseminate and advance knowledge by providing instructionaland research facilities in such branches of learning as it may deem fit; to payspecial attention to the improvement of the social and economic conditions andwelfare of the people of the hill areas of the North-Eastern region, and, inparticular their intellectual, academic and cultural advancement”.With the establishment of Nagaland University in September, 1994 andMizoram University in June, 2001, the jurisdiction of the University has now beenlimited to Meghalaya. Initially, the academic departments and the administrationof NEHU at Shillong functioned from two prime sites in the city; one acquiredfrom the former Maharaja of Mayurbhanj and the other from the Rani of Bijni.Subsequently, the University started functioning from its own campus is located inthe picturesque surroundings of pine forests in Mawkynroh-Umshing, Shillongand another campus at Tura.In a short span of 35 years, NEHU has matured into an institution with aproven academic excellence of higher learning and research, social commitmentand cultural interest with a clear vision for its future growth. In the year 2006, itwas chosen as a ‘University with Potential for Excellence’ by the UniversityGrants Commission (UGC). It has been able to attract persons of proven academicexcellence from almost all parts of the country to serve on its faculty; the presentfaculty strength is 342. Its student community is drawn not only from differentparts of the North-East but also from other regions of the country and abroad.NEHU now has 31 academic departments and 5 centres of study under 7schools. Eight departments of the university receive special grants from UGCunder its Special Assistance Programme, which includes Centre for AdvanceStudies in the Department of Botany. Three of the science departments alsoreceive grants under UGC’s COSIST programme. The Department of Science andTechnology (DST) has extended financial help to six science departments as partof its FIST scheme. In addition, CSIR, DST, DAE, DRDO, UGC, FordFoundation, DBT, and MoE & F, NEC, etc. have awarded a number of researchprojects to members of the faculty of different departments. The University is therecipient of a number of endowments of various organizations and individuals.Awards like the Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma Literary Award, Prof. M. K. KhareMemorial Prize, Smti. Sarada Krishna Iyer Memorial Award, U Tirot SingMemorial Prize, Prof. M. N. Karna Young Sociologist Award and RajendraKumar Sunheri Devi Jain Charitable Prize/Award have been instituted. NEHU hastwo prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Chairs for research on “Protective Discrimination”and “Contemporary Studies” (Tribal Development). Several members of thefaculty have been honoured with the highest academic awards in the country.Many of our teachers are involved in collaborative research projects withuniversities in USA, Europe and Asia. One of the basic ways in which theUniversity endeavours to fulfill its responsibility, as enshrined in its Act, is byfocusing its attention on the North-East in its curricular programme includingresearch.