The Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education (TANSCHE) has decided to bring its main research funding schemes under one unified system.

The move aims to support more high-impact research projects across the state and reduce duplication of work.

The Chief Minister Research Fellowship (CMRF) will now be managed together with the Chief Minister Research Grant (CMRG). CMRF provides full-time PhD scholars with Rs 25,000 per month for three years. It also gives an annual contingency grant of Rs 10,000 for arts, humanities and social sciences, and Rs 12,000 for science and technical subjects, DTNext reports.

CMRG supports research that can address social needs and improve Tamil Nadu’s economic development. Faculty members can receive up to Rs 40 lakh for a project. Student teams can receive up to Rs 20 lakh. Each project can run for a maximum of three years.

TANSCHE officials said the integrated model will help direct funds to areas where they are most needed. It will also encourage cooperation among universities, industry, government departments and local communities.

The council will also conduct a study of the research environment in Tamil Nadu. The study will focus on delays in awarding PhD degrees at the state’s 13 public universities. The goal is to identify problems in the system and improve the overall research ecosystem.