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ANRF: India's Research Funding at Risk

ANRF: The Anusandhan National Research Foundation faces severe criticism for lack of transparency, political influence, and centralisation in research funding, potentially undermining India’s scientific progress.

By Diksha Puri and Saksham Agrawal
New Update
ANRF

ANRF: India's Research Funding at Risk | Representative image | Photo courtesy: Special arrangement

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The Union Cabinet's approval of the Anusandhan National Research Funding (ANRF) Bill in June 2023 marked a significant moment for the nation's research landscape. Following its passage in Parliament in August 2023, the ANRF replaced the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), which had been in place since 2008. The NRF aims to bolster the research ecosystem and enhance the country's Research and Development (R&D) capabilities.

However, the scientific community has expressed dissatisfaction with the ANRF. Instead of resolving existing issues, the NRF seems to have only increased the challenges facing researchers and scientists.

Corporate Control Over Indian Research Funding

The Anusandhan National Research Foundation's mandate to centralise scientific research funding in India is a double-edged sword. In the Union budget for 2021-22, the Centre ambitiously pledged Rs 50,000 crore for ANRF over a five-year span. Of this substantial sum, a staggering 72 percent—amounting to Rs 36,000 crore—was expected to be sourced from the private sector. This left the government to contribute around Rs 14,000 crore over five years, translating to an annual expenditure of Rs 2,800 crore.

However, the reality has fallen short of these promises. To date, neither the government nor the private sector has delivered the committed funds. This shortfall not only casts doubt on the feasibility of the NRF's objectives but also highlights the precarious dependency on corporate contributions for sustaining the nation's scientific research initiatives.

The reliance on private sector funding for research means placing our scientific endeavours at the whims of corporate interests, a concern voiced by many researchers and scientists. Dr. Dinesh Abrol from the All India Peoples Science Network (AIPSN) elaborates, "The spectrum of R&D objectives that needs to be covered is vast. When there are multiple objectives, it is crucial to clearly delineate how funding is allocated to each sector. Until now, the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) has primarily funded science grants. Now, this funding must extend to numerous other areas where innovations occur. How will the government be able to get sureshot funding from corporates and philanthropists?” asks Abrol. 

Dr. Abrol adds: “Historical evidence suggests the private players of

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