India’s National Research Foundation (NRF): Needs, significance and challenges- Explained, pointwise

Introduction

The recent approval of the National Research Foundation (NRF) Bill by the Indian Union Cabinet marks a significant step towards boosting scientific research in the country. With a significant budget at its disposal, the NRF aims to tackle India’s long-standing need to increase research and development investments and cultivate a robust research culture within higher educational institutions. While the initiative holds great potential, it also faces challenges including the need for equitable fund distribution, encouraging interdisciplinary collaborations, and ensuring international competitiveness.

What is (National Research Foundation) NRF?

It is modelled on the lines of the hugely successful National Science Foundation of the United States. It is designed to be an apex body for providing high-level strategic direction for scientific research in India. The body would be formed in accordance with the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP).  

Aim: The primary aim of NRF is to foster a culture of research and innovation throughout India’s universities, colleges, research institutions, and R&D laboratories. The NRF also aims to create a multidisciplinary approach, integrating various disciplines for a comprehensive and holistic advancement of scientific research.

Fund allocations: A total of Rs. 50,000 crores would be allocated over the span of five years (2023-28). Out of the allocated ₹50,000 crores, the government plans to raise ₹36,000 crores through investments from industries and philanthropists, while the remaining amount will be funded by the government— ₹10,000 crores from the Centre and ₹4,000 crores through subsuming Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) into the NRF. Scientific research projects under the NRF would be funded by the DST and industry on a 50:50 basis.

Composition: The NRF would be administratively housed in the Department of Science and Technology (DST). It would have a 16-member governing board with two members from DST, five from industry, one from humanities and six experts who would be selected depending on the nature of the project being evaluated.  The Prime Minister will be the ex-officio president of the board and the Minister of Science and Technology, and the Minister of Education will be the ex-officio vice presidents. The NRF’s functioning will be governed by an executive council chaired by the Principal Scientific Advisor to the government of India.

What is the need for NRF?

Insufficient research funding: India’s investment in research and development (R&D), as a percentage of GDP, has steadily dropped–from 0.84% in 2008 to about 0.69% in 2018; whereas it was 2.8% in the US, 2.1% in China, 4.3% in Israel and 4.2% in South Africa.

Low patents and publications: India lags in the number of patents and publications produced. According to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), China made as many as 1.538 million patent applications (with just 10% being made by nonresident Chinese), the US made 605,571 patent applications, while India made a mere 45,057, of which over 70% were by non-resident Indians.

Limited accessibility to research grants: Funding opportunities are often limited to established institutions and researchers, leaving those in peripheral areas underserved. For example, according to DST officials, about 65 per cent of funds from SERB had been cornered by the IITs, and only 11 per cent flowed to projects in state universities.

Fragmentation of research: Currently, research in India is largely fragmented with various institutions conducting studies in isolation, leading to inefficiencies and duplication of efforts.

Lower private sector contributions: About 56% of R&D spend comes from the government and 35% from the private sector. The profile in technologically advanced countries is different. R&D is led by the private sector, contributing as much as 88% in Israel.

Lack of focus on social sciences and humanities: Most of the research funding tends to gravitate towards natural sciences and engineering, while social sciences and humanities often receive less attention.

Read more: How NRF aims to boost research in higher educational institutes

What are the significances of NRF?

Democratisation of science funding: One of the key significances of the National Research Foundation (NRF) is the promised democratisation of science funding. The NRF plans to shift the emphasis of funding from elite institutions towards projects in peripheral, rural, and semi-urban areas.

Promotion of interdisciplinary research: The NRF intends to foster research not just in the natural sciences and engineering, but also in social sciences, arts, and humanities. It’s a recognition of the importance of holistic and interdisciplinary approaches to addressing societal challenges. This is significant as it would promote more well-rounded and comprehensive research outputs.

Encouraging industry involvement in research: Of the estimated Rs 50,000 crore funding over the next five years, Rs 36,000 crore is expected to come from the industry. This indicates that the NRF is aiming to encourage more industry involvement in research. Collaborative efforts between academia, industry, and research institutions will lead to more pragmatic and impactful research, addressing real-world problems.

Mentorship for higher education institutions: The NRF is designed to foster a culture of research in universities and colleges across India. This will be achieved through funding, mentorship, and providing strategic direction to scientific research. The NRF aims to unite education and research, which have traditionally been separate domains in the Indian context.

Policy framework for increased R&D spending: The NRF will create a policy framework and regulatory processes to encourage increased spending by industry on R&D. In comparison to other countries, India’s R&D spending is considerably low. The creation of NRF signals a step towards increasing India’s investment in scientific research.

Addressing pressing societal challenges: A primary aim of the NRF is to find solutions to big problems facing Indian society like clean energy transition, climate change etc. By promoting research in various disciplines, the NRF hopes to stimulate innovation that will address societal challenges, thereby making India a frontrunner in research and innovation.

What are the potential challenges faced by NRF?

Ensuring equitable funding distribution: One challenge for the NRF will be ensuring that funding is distributed equitably across institutions in various geographic locations, particularly in peripheral, rural, and semi-urban areas. The historical trend of wealthier, more prestigious institutions like the IITs receiving the bulk of the available funding will be a difficult pattern to break.

Integration of diverse research areas: The NRF has the ambitious goal of promoting research in not only natural sciences and engineering, but also in social sciences, arts, and humanities. It aims to encourage interdisciplinary research. Balancing the interests, needs, and funding allocation across these diverse disciplines, each with their unique requirements, could pose a challenge to the NRF.

Balancing public and private funding: While the NRF plans to draw substantial funding from the private industry, ensuring a balance between public and private interests in research could be a challenge. For example, private industry may have commercial interests that might not always align with public good or scientific discovery.

Managing the absorption of SERB: The NRF will also face the challenge of absorbing the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) without disrupting the ongoing projects and initiatives. This process would require careful planning and execution to ensure the continuity and efficiency of research funding.

What should be done?

Establish a fair and transparent evaluation system: To ensure equitable distribution of funds, NRF should establish a fair and transparent system for evaluating research proposals. This system should take into account the potential impact of the research, the capabilities of the research team, and the needs of the specific geographic area or community.

Foster interdisciplinary collaboration: This could involve creating funding opportunities specifically for interdisciplinary projects, providing resources to help researchers from different fields work together effectively, and organizing events or forums to facilitate cross-disciplinary communication.

Secure industry involvement: This could include demonstrating the potential returns on investment, offering opportunities for industry to influence research directions that align with their interests, and creating mechanisms for regular communication and feedback.

Ensure smooth transition for SERB: A transition plan should be made to ensure the smooth absorption of the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) into the NRF. This should ensure the continuity of ongoing projects and the retention of important institutional knowledge and expertise.

Promote international competitiveness: To achieve internationally competitive research, the NRF should invest in creating high-quality research environments, provide robust mentorship programs, and foster collaborations with international research entities. In addition, the NRF should track global research trends and standards to ensure that the research it supports is at the forefront of global scientific progress.

Strengthen university research capabilities: The NRF should prioritize building research capabilities within universities. This can be achieved by providing funding and resources to improve research facilities and infrastructure, encouraging the development of research-oriented curricula, and supporting faculty development programs focused on research.

Sources: Pib, The Hindu, Hindustan Times, Indian Express (Article1, Article2, Article3),The Economic Times, Deccan Herald ( Article1, Article2), The Times of India