National Technology Readiness Assessment Framework (NTRAF)

News: The National Technology Readiness Assessment Framework was unveiled on December 29, 2025, by the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.

About National Technology Readiness Assessment Framework (NTRAF)

• It is a framework that establishes a unified, objective yardstick to measure the maturity of technology projects from laboratory conception to commercial deployment.
• Developed by: The framework was developed by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser ( Government of India) in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry.
• Aim
  • The framework aims to create a rigorous and standard method to assess technology maturity across 9 Technology Readiness Levels, so funding decisions become more precise and evidence-based.
  • It also aims to bridge the “Valley of Death” between TRL 4 and TRL 7 by reducing perceived risk and supporting technology transfer towards market-ready deployment.
• Key Features of the Framework
  • Global best practices, Indian context: The framework draws from global standards such as NASA and adapts them to India’s R&D ecosystem.
  • Objectivity over subjectivity: The framework replaces qualitative estimation with a structured, evidence-based checklist at each stage of development.
  • Sector-specific nuances: The framework includes specialised annexures for sectors like Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals and Software to reflect different development pathways.
  • Self-assessment tool: The framework enables Project Investigators to assess their readiness level and identify technical gaps before seeking funding.
  • Nine-level Technology Readiness framework: The framework assesses projects across nine Technology Readiness Levels, where TRL 1–3 cover proof of concept, TRL 4–6 focus on prototype development, and TRL 7–9 relate to operational deployment and commercialisation.