NEW DELHI: Despite the fact that a large majority of students are enrolled in public universities and colleges, these institutions frequently lack the necessary research infrastructure and capabilities.
To address this issue, the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) was established under the ANRF Act of 2023, aiming to tackle the long-standing problem often referred to as the "missing middle" in India’s research landscape. Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over the inaugural meeting of the ANRF Governing Body on Tuesday, marking the beginning of a new chapter in India's research sector.
Drawing inspiration from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), the ANRF seeks to significantly enhance research infrastructure and capabilities. At the inaugural meeting, the Prime Minister emphasised the urgent need to remove obstacles within the country's research ecosystem and called for setting ambitious goals focused on innovative, localized solutions to real-world problems.
He underscored the necessity of upgrading and standardizing institutions and proposed the creation of a domain expert list and a central dashboard to monitor R&D activities nationwide. The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of scientific monitoring of research resources and reassured the scientific community of continued support.
Highlighting the success of Atal Tinkering Labs, the Prime Minister suggested implementing a grading system for these labs and encouraged research in key areas such as environmental solutions, EV battery materials, and lab-grown diamonds. The Governing Body discussed launching a hub-and-spoke model to pair universities with emerging research capabilities with established institutions for mentorship. They also outlined ANRF’s strategic goals of advancing India’s global positioning, bridging academia and industry, and driving innovation in priority areas like EV mobility, advanced materials, and sustainable agriculture.
Additionally, the Governing Body proposed establishing Centers of Excellence to support interdisciplinary research in humanities and social sciences. The meeting concluded with a commitment to align ANRF’s strategies with the "Viksit Bharat 2047" vision, incorporating global best practices.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who attended the meeting, described it as a pivotal moment for India's research and development landscape. The ANRF takes over from the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), established in 2008. Its mission is to cultivate and promote research across universities, colleges, research centers, and laboratories throughout the country, providing strategic oversight and direction in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) recommendations.
Like the ANRF, SERB was chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and lacked representation from state universities, but included members from various prominent institutions.
The ANRF aims to foster collaboration between industries, academic institutions, government departments, and research bodies. It will establish a framework to encourage participation from industries and state governments alongside scientific ministries. One of its key objectives is to address infrastructure challenges in both state and central universities, thereby enhancing the nation’s research capacity.
With an initial budget of Rs 50,000 crore (approximately USD 6.7 billion) allocated over five years, the ANRF will boost India’s research output and quality. This funding will support universities, research institutions, laboratories, and industries contributing to critical projects. Conceptualized as part of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the ANRF aims to bridge the gap between academic research and industry needs, ensuring research outcomes are practical and beneficial to society while elevating India’s global standing in research and development