Nurturing Excellence in ScienceNurturing Excellence in ScienceEvaluation and Support MechanismEvaluation and Support MechanismEvaluation and Support MechanismEvaluation and Support Mechanism

Mi i f S i & T h lMinistry of Science & TechnologyGovt. of India

Presented by Prof.M.R.S.Rao

66 hh S O C 9S O C 9 1212 hh O b 2012O b 201266thth ASIAHORC Meeting, Beijing, 9ASIAHORC Meeting, Beijing, 9--1212thth October 2012October 2012

Department of Science and Technology (DST) Department of Science and Technology (DST) Department of Biotechnology (DBT) Council of Scientific and Industrial Research

(CSIR) Department of Earth Sciences (DoES) Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) Department of Space ( DoS)

D t t f N d R bl E Department of New and Renewable Energy ( DoNRE)

Department of Health Research Department of Health Research Indian Council of Agriculture Research

SERC is the major Research funding body of India SERC is the major Research funding body of India◦ Competitive grants are provided based on an extensive peer

review system. Enjoys 45% national share During eleventh plan, size of fund has been quadrupled and

number of projects supported has increased by 250%◦ Fund for Infrastructure strengthening of Science and

T h l (FIST) id t f i f t tTechnology (FIST) provides support for infrastructure Support to colleges added. Special packages for regions not covered

under competitive models provided to NER, J&K, Bihar etc. Promotion of University Research and Scientific Excellence and

Consolidation of University Research, Innovation and Excellence added

E t d t f f i t l f f i i◦ Extends support for foreign travel for conferences, organizing conferences etc. Ramanujan Fellowships launched to attract Diaspora back JC Bose

Fellowships extended to support ExcellenceFellowships extended to support Excellence

Competitive I di id l i ti tGrant Individual scientists

Network /Network / Collaborative

ProjectsMulti-institutional

ojects

I t ti lInternational Collaborations Bilateral / multilateral

5Basic science, applied research, translational research

Science and Engineering Council (SERC) R&D Projects: Science and Engineering Council (SERC) R&D Projects:This is the flagship program of the DSTThe Scheme funds individual researcher to carry out research in frontier areas of S&Eresearch in frontier areas of S&EAll areas are supportedOver 500 projects are funded every year with the

j t t f R 30 l kh ( $67000) f 3average project cost of Rs.30 lakh ( $67000) for 3 year duration.Approval rate is 40%No. of research paper produced is 4.5 per project, and average I.F is 2.5Now, a separate body, Science and EngineeringNow, a separate body, Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) will handle this scheme.

Fast Track Young Scientist Program Fast Track Young Scientist ProgramGiven to Young researcher below 35 yearsLimited fund ( Rs 27 lakh $60 000 for threeLimited fund ( Rs.27 lakh , $60,000 for three year) is given to undertake independent research

Fairly popular scheme. Approval rate is 40-50%.Apart form DST, other Departments of G l h f hGovernment also operate schemes for the Young Scientists ( UGC – Kothari Fellowship)

Number of Research proposals received has more Number of Research proposals received has more than doubled◦ Number of approvals has increased from 250/year to

h 625more than 625 per year◦ Size of the grant has increased by 250%

Science and Engineering Research Board has Science and Engineering Research Board has become operational◦ Delivered Rs. 200 crores in 2011-12

M d l d k h i R&D f di d◦ Made some land mark changes in R&D funding modes through rationalization of budget heads, grant models scientists with proven track record, etc.

◦ De-bureaucratization of R&D funding is the major goal of the Board

Centres of Excellence Centres of Excellence ◦ Around team leaders, theme based, niche area focus

Intensification of Research in High Priority Area (IRHPA)◦ Augment R&D capacities in emerging fields of science

and engineeringand engineering Infrastructure Support Program◦ Boost to University Interdisciplinary Life science

D f Ed i d R h (BUILDER)Departments for Education and Research (BUILDER) programme

◦ Fund for Improvement of S&T Infrastructure in Universities and Higher Educational Institutions (FIST)

◦ Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facilities (SAIF)

FIST: DSTs intervention for Rejuvenation of Research in Academic Sectorin Academic Sector

Approved by the Union Government in late1999 at total budget of Rs 75 cr.> 1450 d t t d d 400 > 1450 departments spread over around 400 academic institutions including about 200 Colleges have been covered at a total investment of > Rs 1138 crorescrores.

Support ~ 65-70 % to the University sector including Colleges.

Covers all areas of S&T departments including Agriculture, Veterinary & Medical having Post-graduate teaching & research program of 3 years in existence

OBJECTIVES

TOWARDS PROVIDING

ELLIGIBILITY

ALL SCIENCE,TOWARDS PROVIDING • BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE, • ENABLING FACILITIES, • ENVIRONMENT FOR• PROMOTING R&D IN NEW &

ALL SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, MEDICALDEPARTMENTS IN UNIVERSITIES & OTHERHIGHER EDUCATIONALINSTITUTIONS HAVING

DST - FIST PROGRAM

EMERGING AREAS• ATTRACTING FRESH TALENT

INSTITUTIONS HAVING PG PROGRAMS (3 YEARSIN EXISTENCE).

TYPES OF SUPPORT

SCOPE OF SUPPORT

TYPES OF SUPPORTSUPPORT IN Three LEVELS:

Level – 0 : For Colleges having PG Depts.

• BASIC EQUIPMENT• OPTIMAL INFRASTRUCTURE

FACILITIES• READY ACCESS TO

INFORMATION SYSTEMSUPPORT MECHANISMLevel - 1:• RELATIVELY SMALL BUT ACTIVE DEPT.• MODERATE FUNDING FOR IMPROVINGTEACHING & REASEARCH QUALITY

O O S S• MAINTENANCE OF

EQUIPMENT

SUPPORT MECHANISM

FIST ADVISORY BOARD(FISTAB)

Level - 2• WELL ESTABLISHED DEPARTMENTS• SUBSTANTIAL FUNDING FOR STATE-

OF THE ART EQUIPMENT & FOR GLP

SUBJECT EXPERT COMMITTEESOF-THE-ART EQUIPMENT & FOR GLP

CONFORMING LABS

COMMITTEES(Life, Physical, Chemical,

Engineering, Earth, Mathematics)

Subject Area

Program

FIST 2009 FIST 2010 FIST 2011

DepartmentsAmount(Rs in Crores)

DepartmentsAmount(Rs in Crores)

DepartmentsAmount(Rs in Crores)

Life Science 27 32 02 43 29 38 48 38 35Life Science 27 32.02 43 29.38 48 38.35

Physical Science 11 11.59 14 20.60 13 26.18

Chemical Science 10 12.51 19 20.60 12 15.52

Engineering & Technology 16 23.71 29 52.82 28 35.63

Earth & Atmospheric Sciences 8 9.12 10 14.62 11 8.45

M th ti lMathematical Sciences 7 2.65 05 1.38 6 2.49

PG-Colleges 12 6.00 30 19.0 52 38.70

Total 91 97 60 150 158 4 170 165 32Total 91 97.60 150 158.4 170 165.32

Grand Total Departments 411

Amount(Rs in

Crores)421.32

Rapid Grant for Young Investigators (RGYI) Rapid Grant for Young Investigators (RGYI) FAST TRACK Scheme for Young Scientists National Bioscience Awards for Career National Bioscience Awards for Career

Development Innovative Young Biotechnologist Award (IYBA) Innovative Young Biotechnologist Award (IYBA) Biotechnology Career Advancement and Re-

orientation (Bio-care) Program / Awards for Women Scientists

Women Scientists Scheme (WOS-A) Tata Innovation Fellowship INSPIRE

13

Ramanujan Fellowship

Ramalingaswamy Fellowship Ramalingaswamy Fellowship

Energy Bioscience Fellowship gy p

Wellcome Trust Fellowship

14

◦ Attracted more than 170 Indians from abroad for

◦ Awarded to 207 performing scientists for d a s o ab oad o

careers in India◦ The current rate of

conversion into tenured

pe o g sc e t sts oR&D support

◦ R&D outputs of first batch of 67 reviewedconversion into tenured

jobs is more than 60%of 67 reviewed Publication per year per

scientist is 6.6. Average Aggregate impact factor isAggregate impact factor is 20 plus, Number of PhDs trained is 0.9/yr., patents per year 0 35

Ramanujan fellowships JC Bose Fellowships

per year 0.35

Biotechnology Industry gy yPartnership Programme

(BIPP)

T hSmall Business

Public-Private

Technopreneur Promotion Program (TePP)

Innovation Research Initiative (SBIRI) Private

Partnership Funding Options

(TePP)(SBIRI)

Options

Technology Pharmaceutical gyDevelopment Board (TDB)

Research & Development Support Fund (PRDSF)Fund (PRDSF)

◦ More than 300 projects ◦ Over 4000 research p jsupported since 2007

◦ Close to 1000 R&D equipment supported

papers in refereed journals.

◦ 120 Patents filed / 35 q p pp◦ Fellowships and

scholarships provided for research in nano science

/Patents obtained.

◦ About 670 PhDs produced.

◦ Application of nano science focused and emphasized

p◦ About 200 M. Tech./M. Sc.

produced.◦ 11 Post-Doctoral Fellowsp

◦ Indian beam line facilities in synchrotrons abroad created

11 Post Doctoral Fellows supported.

◦ About 3000 Technical Manpower trained.

Inputs Outputs

Manpower trained.

Programs are of two types:P i d t ti ll Programs aimed at promoting excellence

Programs which are developmental and ti l i tpromotional in nature

Separate guidelines of peer review followed.Operational mechanismsp

Program Advisory CommitteeSpecific Task ForcesSpecific Task Forces

Technical Expertise of Transparency

Confidentially

Expertise of Peer

Transparency

Confidentially

Conflict ofEfficiency

Conflict of Interest

19

External External Technical

& Technical

& Assessmeb

Assessmeb

Final Final Peer

ReviewPeer

Review

Presentation

Presentation

Financial

Due Dili

Financial

Due Dili

nt by Expert Panel

nt by Expert Panel

decision

decision

Diligence Diligence

20Generally a 2/3 Tier Review Mechanism

Review process is stringent Review process is stringent. Three tier review ( Review by 3-5 experts,

presentation by the Investigators before thepresentation by the Investigators before the subject Committee, and the final approval by the apex committee )the apex committee.)

Normal approval rate is 45% ( varies from area to area)area to area)

Often special areas are announced for funding and the grant is disbursed throughfunding and the grant is disbursed through “competitive mode”.

The emphasis is on expansion The emphasis is on expansion Review processes are generally two tier

(Presentation before the Subject Committee(Presentation before the Subject Committee and thereafter decision by the apex body)

In some cases of low cost projects/schemes In some cases of low cost projects/schemes, presentations are dispensed with. The subject committee makes recommendations based oncommittee makes recommendations based on the proposal

The approval rate varies between 40 70% The approval rate varies between 40-70%

PURSE ( Promotion of University Research and PURSE ( Promotion of University Research and Scientific Excellence)

No Peer Review Process No Peer Review Process Support is provided based on H-index

Women Scientist Scheme:Women Scientist Scheme:

The scheme facilitate women researcher who hadThe scheme facilitate women researcher who had break in career to come back to research

Research grant, and personal fellowship are provided similar to Young Scientist program

A l i 35%Approval rate is 35%

FIST ( Fund for Infrastructure development in FIST ( Fund for Infrastructure development in S&T)The grant is provided to the department notThe grant is provided to the department not to the individual researcherThe objective is to improve the S&TThe objective is to improve the S&T infrastructure of the Department.Special packages are announced in theSpecial packages are announced in the regions where S& T is weak.

National ProjectsSi ifi / S i tifi M it◦ Significance / Scientific Merit◦ Approach and Methodology◦ Innovativeness◦ Innovativeness◦ Intellectual Property◦ Commercial PotentialCommercial Potential ◦ Societal Relevance ◦ Investigators credentials◦ Adequacy of Research Infrastructure◦ Research Environment◦ Current state of art of the technology

26

These are based on excellence and the areas These are based on excellence and the areas identified by the collaborating nations

India has collaborations with many countries.

Sometimes special areas are identified for ll b ti F l ith UKcollaboration. For e.g solar energy with UK

International ProjectsInternational Projects◦ Scientific merit, potential of the anticipated outcomes to

advance the knowledge base of the discipline; likely

impact of the proposed research.

◦ Leading-edge research capability of the project’s Indian

and international partners and participantsand international partners and participants

◦ Project plan , milestone activities, expected outcomes,

f i diperformance indicators

◦ Level of support for the collaborative research project

◦ Details of governance arrangements, including

intellectual property (IP) provisions p p y ( ) p

28

Setting standards will improve the global standards Setting standards will improve the global standards of peer review

International collaboration standards will become ifuniform

Collaboration between nations having equal strengths in some areas may be easy. What about areas wherein some areas may be easy. What about areas where there is disparity between nations?

What are the implications of the adoption of the principles of SMR? ( For nations party to this andprinciples of SMR? ( For nations party to this and those outside)

How are the IPR issue, and confidentiality proposed to , y p pbe addressed ?

Do individual nations have Principles of SMR?

Science and Engineering Research Council and Science Engineering Research Boardand Science Engineering Research Board