The introduction of the National Research Foundation Bill has been green-lighted by the Union Cabinet in Parliament. This has again brought the focus of funding to science and technology. The explainer talks particularly about the National Research Foundation (NRF).
What is the National Research Foundation (NRF)?
The National Research Foundation intends to play the role of a coordinating agency between researchers, the industry, and multiple government bodies, to bring the industry into the mainstream of research. The establishment of the National Research Foundation was one of the most important recommendations of the National Education Policy 2020.
The National Research Foundation (NRF) not only provides research grants to individuals but also intends to facilitate and enhance research in the universities of the country, especially in State universities, by means of funding researchers and infrastructure.
The funding
The National Research Foundation will be working with a total budget of Rs. 50,000 crore for a duration of five years. Of this amount, a total of 28 percent, which is Rs. 14,000 crore is going to be the government's share. The rest of the 72 percent, which is Rs. 36,000 crore would be coming from the private sector. The National Research Foundation suggests the share of the government to increase to Rs. 20, 000 crore per year. Out of the share by the government, Rs. 4, 000 crore will be made to use from the existing budget of the Science and Engineering Research Board, which will actuall7 be subsumed under the National Research Foundation. Thus, an additional Rs.10,000 crore has been earmarked by the government for the NRF for the next five years.
The NRF and the ease of research
The National Research Foundation will facilitate the ease of research. First things first, the time between applying for a grant for research and receiving the grant should not be much. The NRF, in its draft, has made the peer review process time minimal i.e. for only 6 months. However, releasing funds may still take time.
Secondly, it must be made sure that all the paperwork is processed digitally sans the need of sending stacks of papers through hard copies to the National Research Foundation. Thirdly, all paperwork, finance-related queries, and approvals must be there between the National Research Foundation and the research institution. This will keep the scientist free of the hassle, making him focus on the research better. Lastly, a timely release of the money is what will ease the research.
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