Lok Sabha Question No. 3819 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-12
Subject: Central Forensic Science Laboratories
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Rao Rajendra Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3819

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 12 TH  AUGUST, 2025/ SRAVANA 21, 1947 (SAKA)

CENTRAL FORENSIC SCIENCE LABORATORIES

3819. SHRI RAO RAJENDRA SINGH:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  any  data  on  the  number  of  Central Forensic Science Laboratories (CFSL) in India;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

- (c) whether in view of newly formulated criminal laws and the steps taken by the Ministry to upgrade forensic labs and related infrastructure in the country;
- (d) if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether there is a proposal to set up more CFSLs in the country; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof, State-wise, including Rajasthan?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI BANDI SANJAY KUMAR)

(a)  to  (f)    At  present,  there  are  07 Central Forensic Science Laboratories (CFSLs)  in  the  country  located  in  Chandigarh,  Delhi,  Kamrup,  Kolkata, Bhopal, Pune, and Hyderabad. In-principle approval has been provided for setting  up  of  8th  CFSL  in  Jammu  with  a  total  financial  outlay  of  ₹99.9 crore.  Further,  the  Government  has  approved  the  National Forensic Infrastructure   Enhancement    Scheme    which    inter-alia   includes   the

## L.S.US.Q.NO. 3819 FOR 12.08.2025

component for setting up of 07 additional CFSLs in the country with a total financial outlay of ₹860.3 crore. In -principle approval has been provided for setting  up  of  these  07  CFSLs  in  Rajasthan,  Tamil  Nadu,  Bihar,  Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Kerala.

Following steps have been taken by the Government to upgrade forensic labs and related infrastructure in the country:

(i)  Projects  of  30  States/UTs  to  the  tune  of  ₹245.29  crore  have  been approved  under  the  Nirbhaya  funded  scheme  for  Strengthening  of  DNA Analysis and Cyber Forensic Capacities in State Forensic Science Laboratories.

(ii)  A  State-of-the-art  DNA  Analysis  and  Research  &  Development  facility has been set up at the Central Forensic Sciences Laboratory at Chandigarh.

(iii) Central Forensic Sciences Laboratories at Bhopal, Guwahati, Pune and Kolkata have been modernised.

(iv)  Machinery  &  equipment  have  been  upgraded  in  the  Central  Forensic Sciences  Laboratories,  including  in  the  new  disciplines  of  Forensics  in Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances, Digital Forensics,  DNA Forensic analysis, Forensic Psychology.

## L.S.US.Q.NO. 3819 FOR 12.08.2025

(v) A National Cyber Forensic Laboratory at the Central Forensic Sciences Laboratory, Hyderabad has been set up to investigate important cases of digital fraud / cyber forensics.

(vi) e-Forensics IT platform has been operationalized, which connects 117 forensic science laboratories (Central and State) in the country.

(vii)  The  National  Forensic  Sciences  University  (NFSU)  has  been  set  up under the Act of the Parliament in the year 2020 for providing quality and trained forensic manpower across all parts of the country. The headquarter  of  the  NFSU  is  located  in  Gandhinagar,  Gujarat.  Apart  from this, campuses of the NFSU are situated at Delhi, Goa, Agartala (Tripura), Bhopal  (Madhya  Pradesh),  Dharwad  (Karnataka),  and  Guwahati  (Assam). The  NFSU  has  also  started  training  academies  in  Imphal  (Manipur)  and Pune  (Maharashtra).  Further,  in-principle  approval  has  been  provided  for setting  up  of  09  additional  off-campuses  of  the  NFSU  in  Maharashtra, Odisha,  Chhattisgarh,  Tamil  Nadu,  Andhra  Pradesh,  Rajasthan,  West Bengal, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh under the National Forensic Infrastructure  Enhancement  Scheme  with  a  total  financial  outlay  of ₹1309.13 crore.

(viii)  A  Scheme  for  Modernization  of  Forensic  Capacities  with  a  total financial  outlay  of  ₹2080.5  Crore  has  been  approved. This  provides assistance  to  States/ Union  Territories  to  develop  high  quality forensic

## L.S.US.Q.NO. 3819 FOR 12.08.2025

science  facilities  for  modernization  of  machinery  and  equipment,  and facilitating availability of trained manpower in these laboratories through expansion of educational facilities for forensic science in the country. So far,  funds  to  the  tune  of  about  ₹215  crore  have  been  approved  for  24 States / Union Territories for the component of 'Modernization / Upgradation of Forensic S cience Laboratories in States / Union Territories' and about ₹344 crore have been approved for 28 States / Union Territories for the component of 'Mobile Forensic Vans for all districts and State FSLs in the country' under the Scheme.

(ix) Setting up of 06 additional National Cyber Forensic Laboratories with a financial  outlay  of  ₹126.84  crore  has  been  approved  under  the  umbrella scheme 'Safety of Women'.

(x)  To  ensure  quality  and  standardization  in  forensic  examination,  the Directorate of Forensic Science  Services, MHA, has issued the following guidelines:

-  Quality  Manuals  for  accreditation  of  laboratories  as  per  NABL standards  (ISO  17025)  and  Working  Procedure  Manuals  in  nine disciplines of Forensic Sciences.
-  Guidelines for collection, preservation & transportation of forensic evidence  in  sexual  assault  cases  for  Investigation  Officers  and medical Officers.

L.S.US.Q.NO. 3819 FOR 12.08.2025 -  Standard  list  of  Equipment  for  establishing/upgrading  of  Forensic Sciences Laboratories. (xi) The Government has approved establishment of National Forensic Data Centre under the umbrella scheme 'Safety of Women' with a total financial outlay of ₹200.16 crore to systematically store and manage forensic data electronically.

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