The ANRF plan has got off on the wrong foot

Why in the News?

In 2023, the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) Bill was passed by both Houses of Parliament, heralding a significant new initiative aimed at promoting and advancing research in India, particularly within the country’s universities and colleges.

About 2019 National Research Foundation (NRF) Project Report

Objective: The 2019 NRF project report emphasized the goal of seeding, growing, and facilitating research in India, particularly within universities and colleges.
Aim: The project aimed to create an environment where research could thrive free from bureaucratic constraints, providing a funding boost and fostering collaboration with industry partners.
Scope and Structure: NRF will have five major divisions: Sciences, Technology, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts
Priority: A top priority mentioned in the report was “growing outstanding research cells already existing at State Universities.”

Lack of Industry Representation in India:

Governing Bodies Composition: The ANRF Governing Board and Executive Council lack representation from key organizations, such as Central and State universities or colleges.
Current Members: Members primarily include Secretaries from various government science departments, directors of top research institutions, and international figures, but not from Indian industry or local academia.
Industry and Academia Input: There is a critical need for representatives who understand the practical challenges and bottlenecks of the current university system and have ground-level experience.
Diversity Issues: There is minimal representation from the industry and a lack of diversity, with the sole industry representative being an Indian-American based in Silicon Valley and the only woman representative being the Secretary of the DSIR.

R&D underfunding:

Current Funding Levels: India significantly underfunds research and development, allocating less than 1% of GDP to R&D. There is a pressing need to increase this to at least 4% to make Indian innovation globally competitive.
Systemic Overhaul: The current funding system requires a significant overhaul to boost research. This includes implementing a robust grant management system, ensuring timely disbursal of funds, and minimizing bureaucratic hurdles at both the funding body and grantee institutions.
Grant and Fellowship Disbursal: Timely disbursal of research grants and student fellowships is crucial. The aim should be a quick turnaround time of less than six months between application and fund disbursal to maintain the momentum of research activities.
Flexibility in Spending: Researchers need flexibility in spending research funds. The current system’s stringent general financial rules (GFR) and the requirement to use the Government e-marketplace (GeM) portal can hinder efficient resource utilization.
Diverse and Competent Leadership: The ANRF should be staffed with diverse representatives from practising natural and social scientists, young entrepreneurs, and women.

Other steps taken by the Government:

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM): It is a flagship initiative to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the country. It aims to create an ecosystem for innovation and provide support to startups through incubators, accelerators, and mentorship programs.
Impacting Research Innovation and Technology (IMPRINT) Program: IMPRINT is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science and Technology to promote translational research.
Uchhatar Avishkar Yojana (UAY): UAY is a scheme to promote industry-specific need-based research in premier institutions.

Conclusion: The ANRF should actively involve representatives from both Indian industry and academia in its Governing Board and Executive Council. This inclusion will ensure that decision-making processes are informed by practical insights and ground-level experiences.

Mains PYQ:

Q Scientific research in Indian universities is declining, because a career in science is not as attractive as are business professions, engineering or administration, and the universities are becoming consumer-oriented. Critically comment. (UPSC IAS/2014)