Why India’s R&D system needs a map of where the money really goes

The fundamental challenge highlighted in India's R&D ecosystem is one of data governance and institutional coordination. Currently, research funding data is heavily siloed across various agencies like the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), operating with inconsistent data formats. This lack of interoperability prevents policymakers from conducting effective outcome-based budgeting (evaluating whether allocated funds achieved their intended results). The proposed solution centers on establishing robust digital public infrastructure (DPI) for research through 'PIDs and metadata infrastructure'. A persistent digital identifier (PID) acts like an Aadhaar for research grants, ensuring traceability and accountability. By implementing a system like the proposed Unified Project Management System (UPMS) integrated with global standards (like the Crossref ecosystem), the government can significantly reduce the 'inefficient' use of public money caused by redundant funding, thereby enhancing the overall transparency and accountability of state expenditure.

The concentration of 80% of Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) funding within top-tier institutions directly contradicts the foundation's core mandate, which was established by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation Act, 2023 specifically to democratize research and expand the funding base to state universities and colleges. This systemic bottleneck hampers the broader diffusion of scientific capabilities across the country. To effectively manage and evaluate scientific outputs, the article advocates for a standardized framework using metadata (structured data describing the grant details) linked via tools like the ORCID identifier (a unique ID for researchers). Without this infrastructure, assessing the true return on investment for national missions—such as analyzing which research domains are overfunded relative to national priorities—is nearly impossible. A robust tracking system is critical for shifting India's research paradigm from mere input (allocation of funds) to measurable output (patents, papers, and translational technologies).

From an economic perspective, the inefficiencies in R&D funding represent a significant misallocation of scarce public resources. The duplication of grants across ministries illustrates a failure in fiscal prudence, where overlapping investments yield diminishing returns. As highlighted by international examples where duplicate funding cost millions, India must optimize its R&D expenditure—which currently hovers around a comparatively low 0.64% of GDP. Implementing a rigorous tracking mechanism through the Unified Project Management System (UPMS) ensures allocative efficiency (distributing resources in a way that maximizes overall societal benefit). The debate between building a completely indigenous, sovereign national grant registry versus adopting the existing global non-profit infrastructure (Crossref) reflects a broader economic choice between the high initial costs and control of a localized system versus the rapid deployment and international interoperability of a hybrid model. This decision directly impacts the speed at which India can streamline its public finance management regarding scientific advancement.