UPSC EDITORIAL ANALYSIS : The ANRF plan has got off on the wrong foot
Kartavya Desk Staff
Source: The Hindu
• Prelims: Government initiative for Research and higher education, National Research Foundation, National Research Foundation (NRF) Bill 2023, GATI, KIRAN, STEM, NEP etc
• Mains GS Paper I & II: Social empowerment, development and management of social sectors/services related to Education and women empowerment etc
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
• In 2023, both Houses of Parliament passed the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) Bill, to seed, grow, and facilitate research in India, especially in India’s universities and colleges.
INSIGHTS ON THE ISSUE
Context
National Research Foundation (NRF) Bill 2023:
• The Bill seeks to repeal the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) Act 2008 The SERB was established as a statutory body of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) It carries out almost the same or similar functions which the NRF proposes to do.
• The SERB was established as a statutory body of the Department of Science and Technology (DST)
• It carries out almost the same or similar functions which the NRF proposes to do.
• The SERB will be subsumed into the NRF.
• It will establish NRF, as an apex body to provide “high-level strategic direction” to scientific research in the country as per recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP)
• Total estimated cost of ₹50,000 crore from 2023-28.
• The DST would be an “administrative” department of NRF that would be governed by a Governing Board consisting of eminent researchers and professionals across disciplines.
• The Prime Minister will be the ex-officio President of the Board and the Union Minister of Science & Technology and Union Minister of Education will be the ex-officio Vice-Presidents.
• NRF’s functioning will be governed by an Executive Council chaired by the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, the statement added.
• It repeals the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) established by Parliament in 2008 and subsumes it into the NRF.
Establishment of NRF:
• It was mooted by the Kasturirangan Committee in 2019 and adopted in the National Education Policy (NEP 2020).
• Institutions currently funding research: DST Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) Department of Biotechnology (DBT) Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) University Grants Commission (UGC) Various private and philanthropic organizations
• Department of Atomic Energy (DAE)
• Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
• Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
• Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
• Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR)
• University Grants Commission (UGC)
• Various private and philanthropic organizations
• It would continue to fund research according to their priorities and needs independently.
Issues:
#### ● Lack of industry representation: ANRF announced a 15-member Governing Board and a 16-member Executive Council, which lack representation from organizations the ANRF envisioned aiding and facilitating.
• ANRF aims to strengthen the research infrastructure of universities: More than 95% of students attend State universities and colleges in India. The board and the executive council do not have any members from Central or State universities or colleges. They are represented by people who are usually in any high-powered committees of the Government of India: Secretaries from all science departments The board and the council need representatives who understand the bottlenecks in the current system How to get things done on the ground rather than being in an advisory role.
• The board and the executive council do not have any members from Central or State universities or colleges.
• They are represented by people who are usually in any high-powered committees of the Government of India: Secretaries from all science departments
• Secretaries from all science departments
• The board and the council need representatives who understand the bottlenecks in the current system
• How to get things done on the ground rather than being in an advisory role.
What steps need to be taken?
• 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.
• Creating a single committee to formulate and implement strategies on the ground is crucial.
• Emphasis on ground-level knowledge and experience among the committee members should reassure the research community and stakeholders that the ANRF’s decision-making process will be informed, competent, and timely.
• NIRF needs to have adequate industry representation and diversity. ANRF plans to raise more than 70% of its funding from non-government sources and industry. There is no representation from Indian industry or any entrepreneurs from the country or eminent academics from the Central and State universities on the committee.
• ANRF plans to raise more than 70% of its funding from non-government sources and industry.
• There is no representation from Indian industry or any entrepreneurs from the country or eminent academics from the Central and State universities on the committee.
The financial outlay(Kasturirangan Committee):
• It said that the NRF would get an ‘annual grant of 20,000 Crores(0.1(zero point one)% of GDP)’.
• Research spending in the country was a meager 65(zero point six five)% of GDP compared to: 8(two point eight)% in the United States 1(two point one)% in China 3(four point three)% in Israel 2(four point two)% in South Korea.
• 8(two point eight)% in the United States
• 1(two point one)% in China
• 3(four point three)% in Israel
• 2(four point two)% in South Korea.
• It expressed concern that research and innovation spending in the country had declined from 84(zero point eight four)% of GDP in 2008 to 0.69(zero point six nine)% in 2014.
Way Forward
• Increasing the research and development budget to 4% of GDP: A significant overhaul of the current funding system is required to boost research and to make innovation coming out of Indian organizations globally competitive.
• ANRF need certificate changes: ANRF must be adequately staffed Implement a robust grant management system Have an internal standard peer-review system with an incentive for reviewers Ensure timely disbursal of research grants and student fellowships with a quick turn-around time (less than six months) between application and fund disbursal Have a system free from bureaucratic hurdles both at the funding body and at grantee institutions Provide flexibility of spending money without following the government’s stringent general financial rules (GFR) Permit purchases without going through the Government e-marketplace (GeM) portal.
• ANRF must be adequately staffed
• Implement a robust grant management system
• Have an internal standard peer-review system with an incentive for reviewers
• Ensure timely disbursal of research grants and student fellowships with a quick turn-around time (less than six months) between application and fund disbursal
• Have a system free from bureaucratic hurdles both at the funding body and at grantee institutions
• Provide flexibility of spending money without following the government’s stringent general financial rules (GFR)
• Permit purchases without going through the Government e-marketplace (GeM) portal.
• The ANRF must function unlike any other current government science department.
• It should have more diverse representations of practicing natural and social scientists from the university system, with more women and young entrepreneurs in its committee.
• The future chief executive officer of the ANRF must have a background in both industry and academia someone who can raise money for the ANRF and understand the global innovation ecosystem.
• someone who can raise money for the ANRF and understand the global innovation ecosystem.
• A complete overhaul is required for the ANRF to avoid becoming like any other government department and to bridge research and teaching in our universities.
QUESTION FOR PRACTICE
• What are the continued challenges for women in India against time and space?(UPSC 2019)
(200 WORDS, 10 MARKS)
Editorial Analysis – 8 July 2024 [PDF]