India may be the world’s third-largest producer of scientific publications and PhDs, but a critical gap persists — translating research into real-world impact.
In this edition of The Reform Dialogue, Prof Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology (DST), outlines how the government is working to bridge this divide through the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), expanded access to research infrastructure, and a renewed push for industry-linked, translational innovation. He also flags structural gaps in university-led research and the need to move from isolated excellence to system-wide capability building.
Q: India is pushing to strengthen its research ecosystem under NEP 2020 and the proposed National Research Foundation. From DST’s perspective, what are the key gaps in university-led research today?
Dr Karandikar: India today has close to 1200 universities, but only a small proportion—roughly 5–10%—are consistently engaged in high-quality research. These are largely institutions such as IITs, IISc and other premier universities, where the overall average research output is strong and sustained.
In contrast, across most state public universities and colleges, while there are undoubtedly pockets of excellence, the overall average output remains low. This imbalance is one of the most critical structural challenges in India’s higher education research ecosystem. It is not that talent is missing, but that the ecosystem does not consistently enable high-quality research across institutions.
Broadly, three key gaps define this challenge. First is limited access to adequate R&D funding, which constrains the ability of institutions to undertake advanced research. Second is the lack of robust research infrastructure and, equally importantly, access to such infrastructure. Third is restricted access to global research journals, which affects both the quality and competitiveness of research output.
Together, these factors influence not just research outcomes but also faculty development and the overall research culture within institutions.
Q: How is the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) addressing these gaps?
Dr Karandikar: The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), as envisioned under NEP 2020, is a major step towards addressing these systemic disparities in a structured manner.
A key approach being adopted is the hub-and-spoke model, which focuses on mentorship-driven capacity building. Instead of only providing funding, the idea is to connect high-performing institutions with those where research capacity is still evolving, enabling sustained collaboration and knowledge transfer.
To operationalise this, ANRF has launched the Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR) programme. The response has been strong, with wide participation across institutions. In its current phase:
7 major PAIR networks (Category A) have been supported with funding of up to ₹100 crore each over five years, covering 45 spoke institutions
11 additional networks (Category B), involving 61 spoke institutions, have been supported with seed funding for one year
Overall, this connects 18 hub institutions with 106 partner institutions, with a strong representation of state universities.
The intent is to improve the average research capability across institutions, rather than concentrating excellence in a limited number of centres. This is a long-term effort and will expand in phases to cover a larger part of the ecosystem.
Q: What steps are being taken to improve access to research infrastructure and knowledge resources?
Dr Karandikar: Access has remained a key barrier, particularly for institutions outside the top tier, and addressing this has been a priority.
The ‘One Nation, One Subscription’ (ONOS) initiative is a significant intervention aimed at expanding access to global research journals. Earlier, many universities and colleges could not afford expensive subscriptions, limiting their ability to engage with cutting-edge research. With ONOS, access is being broadened at a national scale, and early trends indicate a noticeable increase in usage from institutions that previously had limited exposure.
Complementing this is the iSTEM portal, which provides a shared platform for accessing high-end research infrastructure. Equipment funded by DST and other ministries is made available on the platform, allowing researchers from different institutions to access these facilities on a usage basis.
Together, these initiatives are helping democratise access to both knowledge and infrastructure, which is essential for improving research outcomes across the system.
Q: Industry-academia collaboration has long been a challenge in India. How is DST working to strengthen this?
Dr Karandikar: One of the underlying issues is that a large segment of Indian industry does not yet have a deeply embedded R&D culture. Without internal research capabilities, it becomes difficult for industry to engage meaningfully with academia.
To address this, the government is taking a two-pronged approach. First, in several mission-mode programmes, industry participation is being built in from the outset by mandating industry partnerships. This ensures that research is aligned with real-world applications and industry needs.
Second, a ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) fund has been introduced to support private sector R&D. The idea is to build industry capability over time so that collaboration with academia becomes more organic and sustained.
Over the next 5–10 years, as industry strengthens its own R&D base, deeper and more meaningful partnerships with universities are expected to emerge.
Q: What role should universities play in mobilising research funding?
Dr Karandikar: Universities need to adopt a more proactive approach and move beyond reliance on government funding alone.
There are three key avenues that institutions can explore: consulting engagements with industry, undertaking sponsored research projects, and tapping into CSR funding. With CSR spending mandated at 2%, there is a significant opportunity for universities to access these resources.
Leading institutions such as IITs have already developed structured mechanisms to engage with industry, including dedicated offices that proactively seek partnerships and funding opportunities. Similar models can be replicated across other universities to strengthen their research base and financial sustainability.
Q: How is DST aligning its initiatives with NEP 2020’s focus on multidisciplinary research and innovation?
Dr Karandikar: DST’s initiatives are closely aligned with NEP 2020’s emphasis on multidisciplinary and collaborative research.
Mission-mode programmes such as the National Quantum Mission are designed to bring together researchers from diverse disciplines, including physics, engineering, materials science and computer science. These initiatives are also inherently multi-institutional, encouraging collaboration across universities and research centres.
The broader objective is to move away from siloed research approaches and enable collaborative problem-solving, which is increasingly essential for addressing complex scientific and technological challenges.
Q: How is DST prioritising investments in emerging technologies like AI, quantum computing and clean energy?
Dr Karandikar: DST has been actively investing in frontier technologies through a series of mission-driven programmes.
The National Quantum Mission and the National Mission on Cyber-Physical Systems are key missions, covering areas such as quantum technologies, artificial intelligence, the internet of things and cybersecurity. There is also a strong focus on clean energy technologies, medical technologies and deep-tech innovation.
Efforts are underway to build indigenous capabilities in AI, including the development of large language models tailored for Indian languages. At the same time, multiple ministries are working in a coordinated manner across areas such as semiconductors, biotechnology and green hydrogen, creating a more integrated national innovation ecosystem.
Q: India is among the top countries globally in research output. How do you see this translating into innovation?
Dr Karandikar: India has made significant progress in terms of scale and is now the third largest globally in scientific publications and PhD output. However, this has not translated proportionately into globally competitive technologies and products.
The key gap lies in translational research. Much of the work in universities is focused on publishing papers, which is important, but there is relatively less emphasis on converting research into prototypes, technologies and commercial applications.
Going forward, strengthening the lab-to-market pipeline will be critical. This requires closer alignment between academia, industry and policy frameworks to ensure that research outcomes are effectively translated into real-world solutions.
Q: What should universities, policymakers and industry prioritise over the next decade as India aims to become a knowledge economy?
Dr Karandikar: Scientific research and technological development must be closely aligned with the needs of society and the nation.
Broadly, three key areas require attention. The first is sustainability and resilience, including climate change, natural disasters and emerging risks such as cyber threats. The second is resource constraints, particularly in areas such as water, food and critical materials. The third is improving quality of life through better healthcare, transportation, housing and environmental solutions.
Addressing these challenges will require strong collaboration between academia, industry and policymakers, along with a focus on developing scalable and affordable technologies.
Q: What is the one structural shift India needs most in its research ecosystem today?
Dr Karandikar: The most critical shift is towards translational research and real-world impact.
While fundamental research remains important, the ultimate goal of research should be to connect science with society and develop solutions that can be deployed at scale and contribute to economic growth. Strengthening the connection between science, industry and society will be key to India’s emergence as a leading knowledge and innovation economy.
