In News:

The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has launched the Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR) program to significantly boost research and innovation across Indian universities, especially those with limited research infrastructure. The program is designed to bring about a transformative change in India's academic research ecosystem, aligning with the broader goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Key Details:

• Launch Date: November 2024
• Ministry/Department: Department of Science and Technology (DST)
• Objective:
  • To elevate research capabilities in universities that have limited resources by pairing them with well-established, top-tier institutions.
  • To foster collaborations that can help these emerging universities enhance their research quality, drive innovation, and make significant, globally competitive research contributions.
• Operational Model: Hub-and-Spoke Framework
  • Hub Institutions: These are well-established, top-tier institutions that will serve as mentors to less-researched universities. The hubs will be selected from:
    • The top 25 institutions in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF).
    • Institutions of National Importance ranked in the top 50 NIRF.
  • Spoke Institutions: These are emerging universities or institutions with limited research infrastructure. These will include:
    • Central and State Public Universities ranked within the top 200 NIRF Overall.
    • Top 100 NIRF University/State Public Universities.
    • Select NITs and IIITs.
• Funding:
  • The program has a budget allocation of up to ?100 crore per PAIR network.
  • Distribution of Funds:
    • 30% for the Hub institution.
    • 70% for the Spoke institutions.
  • Private Institutions serving as hubs will need to contribute 25% of their allocated budget.
• Mentorship & Research Focus:
  • Hubs will provide mentorship to spoke institutions, guiding them in various aspects of research such as access to resources, advanced infrastructure, and best practices.
  • The collaboration is expected to enhance research capabilities, foster innovation, and encourage the development of collaborative networks across institutions.
• Regional Diversity & Inclusion:
  • The program ensures regional diversity, with at least one spoke institution located outside the hub's state.
  • It also allows the inclusion of one promising university from Category III institutions that may not meet the eligibility criteria but show potential for growth in research.
• Phase-wise Rollout:
  • The first phase will focus on institutions ranked within the top 25 NIRF and Institutions of National Importance.
  • Future phases will expand the scope, allowing more universities and institutions to participate.
• Goals Aligned with NEP 2020:
  • Fostering Research Excellence: By partnering top institutions with emerging ones, PAIR seeks to improve the quality of research in India’s higher education sector.
  • Promoting Regional Diversity: Ensuring a geographically diverse set of institutions participate in the research ecosystem.
  • Strengthening Innovation: Helping universities in less-researched areas to compete on an international level, particularly in cutting-edge and impactful research.
• Program Implementation:
• Prospective Program Directors from eligible Hub institutions are invited to apply online for the program at ANRF PAIR Application Portal.

About ANRF:

• ANRF was established under the ANRF Act 2023 as an apex body to provide strategic direction for scientific research in India.
• With the formation of ANRF, the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), previously established under an act of Parliament in 2008, has been subsumed into ANRF.