Bhubaneswar, Aug. 9: Research activities at Gangadhar Meher University in Sambalpur will get a boost as the varsity authorities have constituted an eight-member promotion cell to promote research at the institution.

Member secretary of the cell U.C. Pati said: "The institution has been upgraded from a college to a university and its focus is on research."

The research works will be incorporated into teaching at the university and thereby students will also be benefitted. Moreover, the MPhil and PhD scholars of the institution will get more expertise with increasing research activities, Pati said.

He added: "The research activities will help the varsity secure better rating by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) in 2020, which will facilitate the availability of University Grants Commission funds for development.

"This apart, our institution will take part in National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) of the Union ministry of human resource development this year. The research activities will help the institution secure a good NIRF ranking which will improve the reputation of the institution at the national-level," Pati said.

Students of the institution welcomed the decision. "Research activities will help students understand their subjects better," said student Deba Ranjan.

Gangadhar Meher College was established in 1944 in Sambalpur.

The institution was upgraded to a university in May 2015. It has 5,300 students and offers undergraduate, postgraduate, M Phil and pre-doctoral courses besides self-financed and vocational courses.