📌 Why in News?
Syllabus: GS2/Governance; GS3/Science and Technology The ‘Ease of Doing R&D in India’ reported that close to 80% of funding under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), the flagship research funding body, is concentrated in the IITs. Low Expenditure on Research and Development: India’s Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) has remained around 0.64% of GDP for many years.
Syllabus & Relevance
Prelims: Science & Technology — institutions, terminology and factual features connected with the development.
Mains: GS-3 — contemporary application of the relevant syllabus theme.
Current–static link: Revise the underlying institution, policy or concept together with this development.
Why it matters for India
The ‘Ease of Doing R&D in India’ reported that close to 80% of funding under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), the flagship research funding body, is concentrated in the IITs.
Low Expenditure on Research and Development: India’s Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) has remained around 0.64% of GDP for many years.
The report notes that India’s R&D expenditure has remained stagnant despite rapid economic growth.
Dominance of Public Sector in R&D: India’s R&D funding is heavily dependent on public funding (with about 64% contribution), unlike the case in several leading innovation economies which have more than 60% of the R&D budget contributed by the private sector.
Static Foundation
Low Expenditure on Research and Development: India’s Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) has remained around 0.64% of GDP for many years.
This level is significantly lower than major economies: Israel and South Korea spend more than 4% of GDP on R&D.
The United States and China spend above 2% of GDP on R&D.
The report notes that India’s R&D expenditure has remained stagnant despite rapid economic growth.
Dominance of Public Sector in R&D: India’s R&D funding is heavily dependent on public funding (with about 64% contribution), unlike the case in several leading innovation economies which have more than 60% of the R&D budget contributed by the private sector.
Low Investment: Inadequate investment limits scientific infrastructure, advanced technology development, innovation capacity and India’s global technological competitiveness.
Excessive Administrative and Compliance Burden: Excessive bureaucracy reduces productive research time and slows scientific innovation.
Data, Reports, Cases & Examples
Syllabus: GS2/Governance; GS3/Science and Technology
The ‘Ease of Doing R&D in India’ reported that close to 80% of funding under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), the flagship research funding body, is concentrated in the IITs.
Low Expenditure on Research and Development: India’s Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) has remained around 0.64% of GDP for many years.
This level is significantly lower than major economies: Israel and South Korea spend more than 4% of GDP on R&D.
The United States and China spend above 2% of GDP on R&D.
The report notes that India’s R&D expenditure has remained stagnant despite rapid economic growth.
Prelims Quick Facts
Syllabus: GS2/Governance; GS3/Science and Technology
The ‘Ease of Doing R&D in India’ reported that close to 80% of funding under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), the flagship research funding body, is concentrated in the IITs.
Low Expenditure on Research and Development: India’s Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) has remained around 0.64% of GDP for many years.
This level is significantly lower than major economies: Israel and South Korea spend more than 4% of GDP on R&D.
The United States and China spend above 2% of GDP on R&D.
The report notes that India’s R&D expenditure has remained stagnant despite rapid economic growth.
Dominance of Public Sector in R&D: India’s R&D funding is heavily dependent on public funding (with about 64% contribution), unlike the case in several leading innovation economies which have more than 60% of the R&D budget contributed by the private sector.
Low Investment: Inadequate investment limits scientific infrastructure, advanced technology development, innovation capacity and India’s global technological competitiveness.
Mains-only layer✍️ Open Mains Perspective & Answer FrameworkClick to expand ↓
Mains Perspective
Background and key dimensions
- The United States and China spend above 2% of GDP on R&D.
- The report notes that India’s R&D expenditure has remained stagnant despite rapid economic growth.
- Dominance of Public Sector in R&D: India’s R&D funding is heavily dependent on public funding (with about 64% contribution), unlike the case in several leading innovation economies which have more than 60% of the R&D budget contributed by the private sector.
- Low Investment: Inadequate investment limits scientific infrastructure, advanced technology development, innovation capacity and India’s global technological competitiveness.
- Excessive Administrative and Compliance Burden: Excessive bureaucracy reduces productive research time and slows scientific innovation.
- Rigid Procurement and Financial Rules: Researchers encounter restrictions in procurement of specialized equipment, reallocation of funds, hiring project staff and international collaboration.
- Fragmented Governance and Lack of Coordination: India’s R&D ecosystem is spread across multiple ministries, departments and funding agencies operating independently.
- This fragmented structure creates duplication of research efforts, delayed approvals and lack of integrated planning and data-sharing systems.
- Weak Industry Participation: India’s R&D ecosystem is heavily dependent on government funding, while private-sector participation remains limited.
- Human Resource Challenges and Brain Drain: India faces shortages of skilled researchers, laboratory technicians and interdisciplinary experts despite producing a large number of STEM graduates.
- It also highlights issues such as limited career progression, inadequate fellowships and migration of talented researchers abroad due to better opportunities and infrastructure.
- Weak Commercialization of Research: Although India produces scientific publications and laboratory-level innovations, conversion into patents, industrial technologies, startups and market-ready products remains limited.
Analytical use
- Connect the development with its institutional, policy, economic, social, environmental or security implications only where supported above.
- In a Mains answer, separate the verified development from broader evaluation and use the named evidence precisely.
Way forward
- Base recommendations on the gaps and institutional responsibilities identified in the source-grounded points.
Answer Framework
Introduction
Begin with the immediate development and identify the central institution or policy issue.
Body
- Explain the relevant static concept.
- Present the principal source-backed facts.
- Analyse significance for India and the syllabus theme.
- Discuss supported challenges or implementation gaps.
- Use one named law, report, institution, date or example from the evidence box.
Conclusion
End with a balanced, institutionally feasible way forward without making claims beyond the available evidence.
Possible Mains Question
Examine the significance of “Ease of Doing Research & Development in **India Report **by NITI Aayog”. Discuss its key implications and the way forward.