NEW DELHI — In a move to inject fresh research talent into public policy and national data management, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) with the Grassroots Research And Advocacy Movement (GRAAM).
The partnership establishes a collaborative framework to onboard specialized research fellows who will work directly with the ministry to tackle development, institutional capacity building, and complex data governance challenges using advanced analytics and fieldwork models.
Key Dignitaries and Institutional Alignment
The formal signing ceremony underscored the high-level importance both organizations place on data-driven public policy:
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Executive Presence: The event was overseen by Shri P. R. Meshram, Director General (Data Governance), MoSPI, reflecting the ministry’s shift toward stronger data-led governance.
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Signatories: The SoI was signed by Dr. Basavaraju R. Shreshta, Executive Director of GRAAM, and Shri Prasoon Verma, Director of the Training Unit, Capacity Development Division, MoSPI.
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The Cohort: The initial agreement clears the path for the immediate deployment of two highly qualified Fellows under the Embark India Development Fellowship framework.
Program Objectives: Bridging Advanced Research and Public Policy
The fellowship creates a bidirectional platform designed to elevate state capacity while training the next generation of policy analysts:
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Innovative Policy Solutions: Fellows will be integrated into ongoing and upcoming MoSPI initiatives, leveraging rigorous academic methodologies to design innovative solutions for complex administrative and data infrastructure bottlenecks.
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Data Governance Support: Operating under the data governance and capacity development divisions, the researchers will assist in evaluating national statistical frameworks and improving data delivery metrics.
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Practical Governance Exposure: In return, the program offers research-driven individuals hands-on experience in public administration, giving them direct insight into how large-scale national data informs macroeconomic planning and social welfare governance.
