About Us
NECU strives to offer quality education with firm nurturing in human respect and values. Centre for Advanced Religious Studies under NECU has a great potential to inculcate critical and constructive thinking skills and create flexible & innovative programs that may engage scholars, writers, teachers and leaders for research opportunities. The Centre is established to cater for the theological and spiritual needs of the Church, the Society and the Nation. India is home to major religious as well as indigenous/tribal religions that are spread across the whole of Asia. Interestingly, Indian spirituality is considered an integral part of Indian tradition and culture. One of the primes focuses of this Centre is to help people, students, and researchers to engage in the comparative study of religions, interfaith dialogue, valuing culture and traditions, and Christian Studies.
The Centre responds to contemporary and contextual issues through interdisciplinary approaches by creating knowledge that will help to flourish human life and sensitize the communities for creation care. Theology courses offered at CARS will enable individuals to unlock God's plan, God's Call and God's purpose for their lives. CARS will make way for ordinary people to be trained with high-class education with all its potential. It will give its best to create a vibrant community where caring, equality, dignity and character will be evident in our graduates. Towards the attainment of holistic and multidisciplinary education as mentioned in the New Education Policy 2020, CARS will assist students in getting a deeper understanding of theology that will enable them to have righteous conduct, peaceful life, loving attitude, spread nonviolence, develop scientific temper, value others, promote ethical lifestyle, be a responsible citizen and adopt servanthood attitude.
Mission
To engage scholars in quality research and leadership excellence in a creative, constructive and compassionate way.
Vision
To produce outstanding leaders, educators, thinkers and field practitioners who integrate Spirituality and Knowledge to strengthen the tradition, culture and society.
Thrust Areas
Objectives
Collaborations
NECU collaborates with like-minded national and international organizations/academic institutions who may be ready to work in line with the mission and vision of CARS. The main objectives of these collaborations will help to exchange theological knowledge, carry out research projects, resource sharing, hold academic programmes and events such as symposiums, workshops, seminars and conferences, etc. The Director will coordinate any programme related to this subject as the Centre collaborates with other institutions. Presently the Centre has collaborated with
Courses and Programmes
1.Post Graduate Studies:
2.PG Diploma
PGDiploma consists of the course work with 40 credits spread into two semesters. The minimum eligibility criteria for enrolling in the PG Diploma program is bachelors from any discipline from a recognized university or institution.
3.PhD
(a) Theology (Specialization can be in Christian Studies/Islamic Studies/Hinduism /Tribal Religion/Biblical Studies/Christian Mission etc.)
There is a strong need for the highest level of doctoral studies designed for those currently engaged in teaching and research. The highest level of education will enable our graduates to produce godly men and women for the Kingdom of God with moral and ethical values. Theological research offered through this program will equip scholars to be contextually rooted and scripturally grounded and prepare them for public leadership, encouraging them in their personal, professional and spiritual formation. PhD offered through CARSis interdisciplinary in approach. Depending upon the area of research, coursework will be designed, and if required, a deficiency course will be offered to the students. Scholars who will be doing research in Biblical Studies where Hebrew and Greek or Religious studies where Arabic/Sanskrit/Pali are required have to have language competency.
Eligibility Criteria:
Entrance Examination and Interview:
There will be entrance examination followed by the interview for the PhD candidates. The application can be downloaded from the NECU website. The dates for the entrance test will be announced on the website.
Duration:
The PhD degree programme in Theology is a minimum of three-year (Six Semester) programme offered to candidates to pursue research and maximum of five years. The programme consists of four core modules to be covered in the first semester along with Thesis Proposal Seminar. The research will include two tutorials as a part of thesis writing. The programme will be inter-disciplinary and characterized by an emphasis on how texts need to be interpreted in context. It is designed to equip theological lecturers and professionals to become thinking practitioners.
Coursework:
Students are expected to complete 16 credits course work in the first semester before they are engaged in thesis writing.
Fees:Rs. 40,000/- per semester.
Three years after Asom (Assam) had come under the control of the British, the Baptist Missionary Society (B.M.S) or the English Baptists through the Serampore Mission, opened a school at Guwahati in 1826. Soon after, schools were opened at Cherrapunji, Mawsmai and Mawmluh, marking the beginning of Khasi literature. In 1836, two American Missionary couples came to Sadiya, and soon moved to the hills.
