NEW DELHI – The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research/Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR/CSIR) scheme on “Capacity Building and Human Resource Development” with a substantial outlay of Rs. 2,277.397 crore. The scheme is set to be implemented over the Fifteenth Finance Commission Cycle, from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
This initiative is designed to provide a comprehensive platform for aspiring researchers across the country. It will cover all R&D institutions, national laboratories, Institutes of National Importance, Institutes of Eminence, and universities, fostering growth in Science, Technology & Engineering, Medical, and Mathematical Sciences (STEMM). The program aims to create a new generation of high-quality human resources for careers in academia, industry, and national R&D laboratories.
The scheme plays a crucial role in achieving India’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the S&T sector by increasing the number of researchers per million population. The government’s sustained focus on R&D has already yielded significant results. According to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), India’s rank in the Global Innovation Index (GII) improved to 39th in 2024. As per the National Science Foundation (NSF), USA, India is now among the top three nations in terms of scientific paper publications. This new scheme is expected to further accelerate this progress.
