Jitendra Singh urges private R&D funding

New Delhi

Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday called for increased private sector involvement in funding research and development (R&D) in India, emphasizing that the government alone cannot bear the financial burden.

Speaking at the launch of a NITI Aayog report titled Roadmap for Strengthening State S&T Councils, Singh said, “The government has limitations and cannot fund everything. It should act more as a facilitator. A change in mindset is needed to include private players in national research efforts.”

The minister questioned the prevailing model of heavy central funding for research. “It should not be about whether funding comes from the Centre or States alone. Globally, most successful scientific ventures are not entirely government-dependent,” he noted. Singh cited the creation of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation as a key initiative to offer strategic direction for scientific research, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

The NITI Aayog report highlighted that 67% of India’s research publications come from 450 centrally funded institutions. However, it warned of challenges at the state level, including fragmented mandates, irregular funding, and weak institutional structures in many State Science and Technology Councils.

It also pointed out constraints like non-regularised staffing, limited autonomy, weak industry-academia collaboration, and poor utilisation of STI (Science, Technology, and Innovation) data. The report recommended structural reforms, capacity building, and stronger partnerships to make these councils more effective and responsive to regional needs. Singh concluded by reaffirming the need for collaborative efforts to position India as a global leader in science and innovation.