Rs 50,000 crore allocation to NRF over 5 years to facilitate more directed research; boost research ecosystem
The Budget proposal to allocate Rs 50,000 crore for the National Research Foundation (NRF) over five years will help not just in significantly boosting the research ecosystem in the country, but also in facilitating more directed research towards addressing societal problems, said education experts and directors of leading Indian institutes including the IITs and the IIMs.
NRF had been announced by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman during her first budget presentation in July 2019 to fund, coordinate and foster research in the country. However, no budget allocation was announced before now for NRF.
“This marks a significant increase in research funding. Also, NRF is not only about funding, it draws upon the resources of different ministries, Right now, we see a disconnect between problems and problem-funding; there is a lack of synergy between what society requires and where the funding goes. This move will make research connect with society because specific ministries will be a part of it,” said Prof V Ramgopal Rao, director, IIT Delhi.
The NRF will assimilate the research grants being given by various ministries independent of each other. The focus will be on identified thrust areas relevant to national priorities and basic science, without duplication of effort and expenditure.
“It will go a long way in developing India as a thought leader in the global scenario,” said Debashis Chatterjee, director, Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode.
“This is not just about the funding but rejuvenating the entire ecosystem,” he added.
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