What’s Happening ?
- The Science and Technology Ministry conducts a biennial National Science and Technology Survey to assess the state of scientific research in India.
- The latest edition (launched December 2024) surveys ~8,000 R&D bodies (public & private).
- Purpose: Measure domestic R&D expenditure, GDP share, number of scientists, patents, and overall global standing.
- Issue: Publication of results is being postponed due to weak response from private sector R&D firms.
Relevance :
- GS III (Science & Technology): R&D expenditure, innovation ecosystem, patents, STEM workforce.
- GS II / III (Governance & Policy): Public-private participation, policy planning, global competitiveness.
Why It’s in the News ?
- Government & industry gap: While 73% of government R&D institutions responded, only 35% of Indian industry bodies and 9% of multinational companies submitted data by September 2025.
- Impact: Delays the release of critical data that informs policy-making, planning, and benchmarking India’s scientific capacity.
- Event Highlight: FICCI workshop held to encourage private sector participation.
Survey Methodology
- Data collected via detailed questionnaires sent to institutions.
- Identities of firms are masked, but data provide trends for:
- Domestic R&D expenditure
- R&D’s share of GDP
- Scientist demographics, including gender ratio
- Patents and innovation output
- Comparative position of India globally
Key Findings ?
- Government contribution dominates: ~75% of India’s R&D spending comes from public sector.
- Private sector contribution is limited, unlike advanced economies where private firms dominate R&D funding.
- Challenges cited by industry:
- Unclear definition of “R&D spending” in questionnaires.
- Comparison with advanced economies deemed premature given India’s GDP per capita.
- Administrative burden in filling detailed survey data.
Policy Implications
- Need for private sector engagement: India’s R&D ecosystem is heavily public-funded, limiting innovation, global competitiveness, and industrial growth.
- Data-driven policy: Survey results inform policies on:
- Funding allocation
- Incentives for private R&D
- STEM workforce planning
- Patent & IP ecosystem strengthening
- International benchmarking: Weak private participation may skew India’s comparative R&D ranking globally.
Contextual Analysis
- Global comparison:
- Advanced economies rely on private R&D (60–70% of total), e.g., US, Germany, Japan.
- India relies 75% public funding, indicating need for industrial innovation push.
- Economic relevance: Strong private R&D is essential for technology-intensive industries, startups, and exports.
- Government initiatives:
- Workshops with FICCI to mobilize private sector participation.
- Likely extension of deadline to Nov 30, 2025, to increase submissions.
Challenges
- Data clarity: Ambiguity in defining R&D spending metrics.
- Compliance burden: Lengthy forms and reporting requirements.
- Perception gap: Private sector feels India’s R&D spending is already significant relative to GDP; reluctant to report.
- Global benchmarking pressure: Concerns that India may be unfairly compared with industrially advanced nations.
Way Forward
- Simplify reporting: Provide clearer guidelines and definitions for R&D expenditure.
- Incentivize participation: Link data submission to policy benefits or recognition.
- Enhance public-private partnerships (PPP): Encourage co-investment, joint research, and innovation clusters.
- Benchmarking & transparency: Use data for targeted policy interventions to strengthen India’s R&D ecosystem and global competitiveness.
