Context:

The provisions of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) Act were brought into force on February 5, 2024 in line with the commitment of the Government to boost Research and Innovation as the fulcrum of growth and development of the country.

Background and Initial Hopes

The 2019 National Research Foundation (NRF) project report explicitly mentioned that growing outstanding research cells already existing at State Universities is one of the ANRF’s top priorities. In 2023, both Houses of Parliament passed the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) Bill, marking a historic start to an initiative to seed, grow, and facilitate research in India, especially in India’s universities and colleges.

The scientific community welcomed the Bill and was hoping that the ANRF would provide much-needed breathing space for Indian academia for research free from the bureaucracy, in addition to providing a funding boost and a chance to work together with industry partners. The ANRF aims to strengthen the research infrastructure of universities, recognizing that more than 95% of students attend State universities and colleges in India.

The Anusandhan National Research Foundation Act of 2023

The Anusandhan National Research Foundation Act of 2023 establishes the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (NRF). This legislation includes the dissolution of the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), originally established by a parliamentary act in 2008, integrating its functions into the NRF. As the apex body, NRF seeks to offer overarching strategic guidance for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship, aiming to bolster India's research infrastructure, knowledge economy, and capacity for scientific advancement.

Functions of National Research Foundation

The National Research Foundation is tasked with providing strategic guidance for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship across natural sciences, engineering, technology, environmental and earth sciences, health, agriculture, and the intersections of humanities and social sciences. Its key functions include:

• Developing comprehensive roadmaps for short, medium, and long-term research and development initiatives.
• Facilitating and funding the expansion of Research and Development infrastructure in universities, colleges, and research institutions.
• Granting funds through competitive, peer-reviewed proposals to qualified individuals.
• Supporting the transition of research outcomes into technology with significant capital investment.
• Strengthening India's presence and participation in critical national and global research domains.
• Encouraging both private and public sector entities to invest in the foundation's initiatives.
• Conducting annual assessments of scientific research progress, outcomes, and expenditure.

Concerns Related to National Research Foundation (NRF)

Lack of Industry Representation

Nearly a year later, the ANRF seems to have started on the wrong foot. Recently, it announced a 15-member Governing Board and a 16-member Executive Council, both of which lack representation from the organisations the ANRF envisioned aiding and facilitating. The board and executive council do not include any members from Central or State universities or colleges.

The representation includes the Principal Scientific Adviser, Secretaries from all science departments (including the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), earth sciences, agriculture, health research, atomic energy, new and renewable energy, electronics and information technology), higher education, defence research and development, directors of the Indian Institute of Science and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, the Chair of the Indian Council of Historical Research, a Princeton mathematics professor, a science administrator and former Director of the United States National Science Foundation from Brown University, and a Silicon Valley serial entrepreneur.

Need for Ground-Level Expertise

The board and council lack representatives who understand the bottlenecks in the current system, especially within the university system, and who know how to get things done on the ground rather than simply advising. The ANRF needs to avoid the confusion that can arise from multiple committees.

Creating a single committee to formulate and implement strategies on the ground is crucial. This emphasis on ground-level knowledge and experience among committee members should reassure the research community and stakeholders that the ANRF’s decision-making process will be informed, competent, and timely.

Inadequate Industry Representation and Diversity

The lack of adequate industry representation and diversity is a glaring omission, especially when the ANRF plans to raise more than 70% of its funding from non-government sources and industry. The sole industry representative, Romesh T. Wadhwani, is an Indian-American businessman based in Silicon Valley, U.S., and the sole woman representative is the Secretary of the DSIR. There is no representation from Indian industry, no entrepreneurs from the country, and no eminent academics from Central and State universities on the committee.

Steps To Strengthen ANRF

Addressing R&D Underfunding

India underfunds research and development. To boost research and make Indian innovations globally competitive, the ANRF must increase the research and development budget to 4% of GDP and overhaul the current funding system.

Adequately Staffed

The ANRF needs to be adequately staffed, implement a robust grant management system, have an internal standard peer-review system with incentives for reviewers, ensure timely disbursal of research grants and student fellowships with a quick turnaround time (less than six months) between application and fund disbursal, and have a system free from bureaucratic hurdles at both the funding body and grantee institutions.

Flexibility in Money Spent

Flexibility in spending money without following the government’s stringent general financial rules (GFR) and permitting purchases without using the Government e-marketplace (GeM) portal are also necessary.

Diverse Representation

The ANRF must function unlike any current government science department. It should have more diverse representation of practising natural and social scientists from the university system, with more women and young entrepreneurs on its committee.

The Need for a New Approach

The future chief executive officer of the ANRF should have a background in both industry and academia, be capable of raising money for the ANRF, and understand the global innovation ecosystem. A complete overhaul is required to prevent the ANRF from becoming just another government department and to bridge research and teaching in Indian universities.

Conclusion

The current composition of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation’s governing board and executive council indicates that it could become just another government department unless significant changes are made to include diverse and practical expertise essential for its success.

Source: The Hindu