Question : Fillip to the Research and development activities in the Universities

(a) the steps taken by the Government to give a fillip to the research and development activities in Universities/Colleges across the country;
(b) the details on the quantum of financial assistance provided by the Government to Central Universities during the last three years and the current year, year-wise, scheme-wise and university-wise; and
(c) whether the Government has received proposals from various State Governments including Bihar for providing adequate funding to promote R&D activities in Universities; and
(d) if so, details thereof state/UT-wise?

MINISTER OF EDUCATION

(SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL ‘NISHANK’)

(a): For the promotion of research, innovation, cognitive thinking and improving the quality of Ph.D programmes, the Government has devised schemes in all the fields of education viz. IMPRINT (Impacting Research Innovation and Technology) for technical research, IMPRESS (Impactful Policy Research in Social Sciences) for social sciences research, SPARC (Scheme for Promotion of Academic Research and Collaboration) for joint research with Foreign Universities, STARS (Scheme for Transformational and Advanced Research in Fundamental Sciences) and STRIDE (Scheme for Trans-disciplinary Research for India’s Developing Economy) in thrust areas of humanities and human sciences.
The UGC has also informed that it is implementing various schemes to encourage the research and development activities at doctoral and Post-doctoral levels. The list of these schemes is available at https://www.ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/5127696_LSPQ-No.-1145,-Annexure-I.pdf
The Government has also launched the World Class Institutions (Institutions of Eminence) Scheme to develop 10 Institutions each in Public and Private categories and have world class academic and research facilities.
(b): The details of grants (year-wise, university-wise) provided by UGC to Central Universities during the last three years i.e. 2017-18 to 2019-20 and the current year 2020-21 (as on 31.12.2020) are available at https://www.ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/7577360_LSPQ-No.-1145,-(FD),-Annexure-II.pdf.
The details of financial Assistance provided to the three Central Universities declared as Institutions of Eminence are at Annexure A.

(c) & (d): Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) funds amounting to Rs. 190.50 crores have been provided to the States under the Research, Innovation & Quality Improvement component. The State/UT wise details are at Annexure B.

*****