India has a complex university-research funding ecosystem with multifarious stakeholders. This policy brief supplements our recently published research report on government research funding in STEM higher education institutions (HEIs). As the country continues to work towards its ambition to increase its percentage of gross expenditure on Research and Development (R&D), the introduction of a national research foundation (NRF) could mark a shift in how it positions itself on the global R&D stage.

Against this backdrop, this policy brief attempts to assist the ideation process of the respective ministries as they also amend their systems amidst growing calls for increased public expenditure on R&D. As India looks to bolster the R&D competitiveness within HEIs, it is important to incorporate provisions that make the entire process of disbursement and grant management more efficient.

We focus on three crucial issues that can enhance the functioning of the country’s research funding system from two perspectives—the government authority and the individual researchers.