5 February 2026·PIB

Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) Sets Course for India’s Innovation-led Journey to 2047, Strengthening R&D driven Economic Growth, says Dr Jitendra Singh at Foundation Day Event

In this note

1. At a Glance

ANRF is India's apex body for funding, mentoring and steering research, innovation and entrepreneurship across natural sciences, engineering, humanities and social sciences. [2][3]
Established by the ANRF Act, 2023, brought into force on 5 February 2024; subsumes the erstwhile Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB). [1][2]
UPSC relevance: GS-III (Science & Tech, R&D, economy), GS-II (statutory bodies, governance), Prelims (Act, structure, schemes).

5 February 2026: ANRF marked its Foundation Day at Prithvi Bhawan, New Delhi; Union MoS (IC) S&T Dr Jitendra Singh delivered the keynote framing ANRF as the engine of India's innovation-led journey to Viksit Bharat 2047. [4][6]
Event featured release of the ANRF Compendium and announcement of Prime Minister Professorship awardees. [6]

Recommended by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. [2]
NRF Bill, 2023 introduced by Dr Jitendra Singh; passed by Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha (voice vote) in August 2023. [1]
ANRF Act, 2023 notified into force on 5 February 2024; SERB Act, 2008 repealed. [2]
First initiatives launched (2024): PMECRG and MAHA-EV Mission. [5]

Parent ministry / administrative dept: Department of Science & Technology (DST), Ministry of Science & Technology. [2]
Statutory base: ANRF Act, 2023. [1]
Governance:
President (ex officio): Prime Minister. [2]
Vice-Presidents (ex officio): Union Minister of Science & Technology and Union Minister of Education. [2]
Executive Council: chaired by Principal Scientific Adviser to GoI. [2]
Financial outlay: ₹50,000 crore over 5 years (2023-28); ₹36,000 crore (~70%) to be mobilised from non-government sources — industry, philanthropy, domestic and foreign. [2]
Budget Estimate 2024-25: ₹2,000 crore; Revised Estimate 2024-25: ₹966 crore. [2]
Flagship schemes:
PMECRG (Prime Minister Early Career Research Grant) — up to ₹60 lakh + overheads for 3 years for early-career researchers. [5]
MAHA-EV Mission — Mission for Advancement in High-Impact Areas–Electric Vehicles: Battery Cells, PEMD (Power Electronics, Machines, Drives), Charging Infra; uses e-Nodes (consortia of 3-4 institutions + industry/startups/PSUs). [5]

Economic: Targets crowding-in of private/philanthropic R&D capital; addresses India's GERD ~0.65% of GDP gap; positions R&D as growth engine to 2047. [4]
Scientific / Technological: Mission-mode model akin to US NSF; integrates natural sciences + humanities + social sciences under one umbrella, ending SERB's narrower remit. [2][4]
Administrative / Governance: PM as ex-officio President signals top-down political ownership; PSA-led Executive Council provides scientific steering — a hybrid political-technocratic design. [2]
Strategic: Foundation Day messaging frames post-pandemic global research realignment as an opportunity; partnership-driven model aimed at globally aligned, mission-mode research. [4]
Federalism / Equity: Act promises democratisation of research funding — beyond IITs/IISc to state universities and colleges. [7]

5 Feb 2024: ANRF Act operationalised. [2]
2024: Launch of PMECRG and MAHA-EV Mission — ANRF's first two flagship initiatives. [5]
2025: ANRF began developing 'SARAL AI', an AI platform to translate complex research into multilingual social-media content. [8]
5 Feb 2026: Foundation Day; ANRF Compendium released; PM Professorship awardees announced. [6][4]

ANRF established under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation Act, 2023. [1]
Act came into force on 5 February 2024. [2]
ANRF subsumed SERB, which was set up under the SERB Act, 2008. [2]
Administrative ministry: DST (Ministry of Science & Technology) — not Ministry of Education. [2]
Ex-officio President: Prime Minister of India. [2]
Ex-officio Vice-Presidents: Union Ministers of S&T and Education. [2]
Executive Council Chair: Principal Scientific Adviser to GoI. [2]
Five-year outlay: ₹50,000 crore (2023-28); ~₹36,000 crore (70%) from non-government sources. [2]
PMECRG: up to ₹60 lakh + overheads over 3 years for early-career researchers. [5]
MAHA-EV focuses on Battery Cells, PEMD, Charging Infrastructure via e-Nodes. [5]
Recommendation source: National Education Policy 2020. [2]
Foundation Day observed on 5 February annually (commemorating Act commencement). [4]

GS-III: "Science & Technology — developments and applications; indigenization of technology; achievements of Indians in S&T."
GS-II: "Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies."
Likely stems:
"The ANRF is more than a successor to SERB; it represents a paradigm shift in India's research funding architecture. Discuss."
"Examine how public-private partnership models, such as that envisaged under ANRF, can address India's chronically low GERD."
"Critically evaluate the institutional design of ANRF in light of the goal of democratising research beyond elite institutions."

National Education Policy 2020 — originating recommendation.
Science, Technology & Innovation Policy (STIP) draft — complementary policy framework.
Principal Scientific Adviser & PM-STIAC — apex science advisory architecture.
DST, DBT, CSIR, DSIR — distinguishing roles in the R&D ecosystem.
India's GERD vs OECD comparison — fiscal context.
National Quantum Mission, National Green Hydrogen Mission, IndiaAI Mission — sister mission-mode programmes.
Viksit Bharat @ 2047 — overarching vision narrative.
NRF (US National Science Foundation) model — comparative institutional design.

ANRF is governed by DST, not the Ministry of Education — despite NEP 2020 origin. [2]
ANRF replaces SERB; SERB no longer exists as a separate body. [2]
The PM is ex-officio President, not Chairperson of the Executive Council (that role is the PSA's). [2]
The ₹50,000 crore figure is for 5 years, not annual; only ~30% is budgeted from the Centre. [2]
The Act was passed in 2023 but came into force in February 2024 — easy date confusion. [1][2]