Additionally, the Governing Body proposed establishing Centers of Excellence to support interdisciplinary research in humanities and social sciences. The meeting concluded with a commitment to align ANRF’s strategies with the “Viksit Bharat 2047” vision, incorporating global best practices.Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who attended the meeting, described it as a pivotal moment for India’s research and development landscape. The ANRF takes over from the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), established in 2008. Its mission is to cultivate and promote research across universities, colleges, research centers, and laboratories throughout the country, providing strategic oversight and direction in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) recommendations. Like the ANRF, SERB was chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and lacked representation from state universities, but included members from various prominent institutions.The ANRF aims to foster collaboration between industries, academic institutions, government departments, and research bodies. It will establish a framework to encourage participation from industries and state governments alongside scientific ministries. One of its key objectives is to address infrastructure challenges in both state and central universities, thereby enhancing the nation’s research capacity.With an initial budget of Rs 50,000 crore (approximately USD 6.7 billion) allocated over five years, the ANRF will boost India’s research output and quality. This funding will support universities, research institutions, laboratories, and industries contributing to critical projects. Conceptualized as part of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the ANRF aims to bridge the gap between academic research and industry needs, ensuring research outcomes are practical and beneficial to society while elevating India’s global standing in research and development
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