Sat May 03 19:53:02 UTC 2025: ## Indian Public R&D Needs Overhaul, Report Finds
**New Delhi, May 4, 2025** – A new report evaluating India’s publicly funded research and development (R&D) reveals significant shortcomings in innovation and industry collaboration. The study, conducted by the Principal Scientific Adviser’s office, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and the Centre for Technology, Innovation, and Economic Research, assessed 244 R&D organizations, excluding sensitive sectors like defense, space, and atomic energy.
The report highlights a concerning lack of industry engagement. Only 25% of the surveyed labs provided incubation support to startups, and a mere 16% supported “deep tech” startups. International collaborations were also limited, with only 15% of labs engaging with overseas industry partners. While approximately half contributed to the “Make in India” initiative, participation in other national missions varied, ranging from 30% for Swachh Bharat to 35% for Skill India.
The study also reveals a growing reliance on contractual staff, increasing from 17,234 to 19,625 between 2021-2023, while the number of permanent staff decreased. Although the median share of young researchers increased to 58%, the overall number of scientists and the proportion of women scientists remained stagnant. The combined budget for 155 labs increased from ₹9,924 crore in 2017-18 to ₹13,162 crore in 2022-23.
The report urges a significant overhaul of public R&D, recommending that labs align their mandates with the government’s “Viksit Bharat” vision, focusing on critical technologies. It calls for increased collaboration with industry, the establishment of non-profit organizations to support startups, and improved access to research facilities for external researchers and students. The report emphasizes the need for immediate action, urging labs to adopt these recommendations as a top priority.
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