Lok Sabha Question No. 3821 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-16
Subject: Promotion of Quality, Research and Innovation in Higher Education
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Darshan Singh Choudhary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.

## 3821 ANSWERED ON 16/03/2026

## Promotion of Quality, Research and Innovation in Higher Education

†3821. Shri Darshan Singh Choudhary:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  introduced  new  courses,  research  centres  and  scholarship schemes in Universities, Colleges, IITs, IIMs and AIIMS to improve the quality, research and innovation in higher education, if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the increase in the number of these institutions has a positive impact on access to education, employment-oriented skill development and inclusiveness in higher education, if so, the details thereof; and

(c)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  implement  a  time-bound  plan  and  budgetary provisions to promote institutional expansion, specialized research and international collaboration in higher education in future and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

(a) to (c): Recognising research as a core requisite for quality education, National Education Policy  (NEP  2020)  exhorts  Higher  Education  Institutes  (HEIs)  to  focus  on  research  and innovation by setting up start-up incubation centres; technology development centres; centres in  frontier  areas  of  research;  greater  industry-academic  linkages;  and  interdisciplinary research including humanities and social sciences research.

The Government has sanctioned Rs. 99494.24 crore during the last five years and the current financial year (FY 2020-21 to 2025-26) for premier technical educational institutions such as Indian  Institutes  of  Technology  (IITs),  National  Institutes  of  Technology  (NITs),  Indian Institutes  of  Information  Technology  (IIITs),  Indian  Institutes  of  Science  Education  and Research  (IISERs),  and  the  Indian  Institute  of  Science  (IISc)  for  teaching,  research  and innovation.  These  institutes  offer  a  range  of  undergraduate,  postgraduate,  doctoral  and executive  programmes  in  various  disciplines  across  science,  engineering,  management  and related  interdisciplinary  areas.  Further,  these  institutions  also  undertake  research  activities covering areas such as Healthcare & Medtech; Advanced Computing (Supercomputing, AI, and Quantum Computing); Semiconductor; Advanced Materials;  etc,  and  aim  to  create  a  robust ecosystem in preparing students for future roles in engineering, entrepreneurship, research & innovation, product design, industry leadership and advance manufacturing.

With the objective  of  promoting  Research  &  Development-driven  integration  of  academia, industry,  and  enterprise  creation,  Research  Parks  have  been  set  up  in  eight  IITs  and  IISc Bengaluru  to establish research ecosystem  around  these institutions. IIMs  have also established  specialized  research  centres  such  as,  Centre  for  Analytics  at  IIM  Bodh  Gaya, Rangavati Centre for Excellence on Culture and Sustainable Management at IIM Sambalpur, Centre for Case Research at IIM Nagpur, IIM Calcutta Innovation Park and Centre for Smart Manufacturing at IIM Sirmaur.  These centres focus on areas such as public policy, sustainability, digital economy, entrepreneurship and financial markets.

Further,  the  Union  Cabinet  in  May,  2025  has  approved  expansion  of  academic  and infrastructure  capacity,  including  creation  of  Research  Park,  of  five  new  IITs  with  a  total outlay of ₹ 11,828.79 crore. Government has also approved setting up of research parks in another  five  IITs  through  Higher  Education  Funding  Agency  (HEFA).  Additionally,  in pursuance to Para 60 of the Budget Announcement 2023-24 regarding "Centres of Excellence for Artificial  Intelligence", the Government has approved establishment of three Centres of Excellence (CoE) in Artificial Intelligence (Al); one each in the areas of health, sustainable cities  and  agriculture;  with  a  total  financial  outlay  of  Rs.  990.00  Cr  over  the  period  of  FY 2023-24 to FY 2027-28.

Recently, the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has been established by the ANRF Act 2023 in February, 2024 with an outlay of 50,000 crores to provide high level strategic direction  for  research,  innovation  and  entrepreneurship  in  the  field  of  science  and  technology with  the  provision  of  substantive  share  of  budget  contribution  from  private  sector.  The Government  has  also  launched  the  Research  Development  and  Innovation  (RDI)  Scheme  on November  3,  2025,  a  ₹1-lakh-crore  initiative,  representing  a  significant  move  to  strengthen India's research and development landscape.

The  Government  is  implementing  various  scholarship  and  financial  assistance  schemes  to support  meritorious  students  and  promote  access  to  higher  education.  The  Pradhan  Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Protsahan Yojana being implemented by the Department of Higher Education has  three  components,  namely  the  Central  Sector  Scheme  of  Scholarship  for  College  and University Students, Special Scholarship Scheme for the students of J&K and Ladakh and the Central Sector  Interest  Subsidy  Scheme.  In  addition,  the  PM-Vidyalaxmi  Scheme launched in November  2024  facilitates  collateral-free  and  guarantor-free  education  loans  for  students securing  merit-based  admission  in  Higher  Education  Institutions  (HEIs),  along  with  interest subvention for eligible students, thereby supporting access to higher education.

Since  2014,  16  Indian  Institutes  of  Information  Technology  (IIITs),  8  Central  Universities (CUs), 8 Indian Institute of Management (IIMs), 7 Indian Institute of Technology (IITs), 2 Indian  Institute  of  Science  Education  and  Research  (IISERs),  1  National  Institute  of Technology  (NIT).  The  creation  of  new  All  India  Institute  of  Medical  Sciences  (AIIMS)

across the country is covered under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) launched by the Government. A total of 12 new AIIMS have been established across different parts of the country since 2014.

The increase in the number of institutions translates into improved access to education across different  regions  of  the  country  by  way  of  expansion  of  the  intake  capacity  under  these institutions. It also leads to a greater participation of students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.  The  programmes  offered  by  the  institutions  focus  on  industry-relevant  and employment-oriented  skill  development,  leadership  training  and  entrepreneurship,  thereby enhancing employability and promoting inclusive growth in higher education.

Schemes like HEFA have also been introduced by the Government to provide access to funds for infrastructure creation in HEIs. An amount of Rs.48,311.75 crores has been sanctioned to various  HEIs  under  HEFA  till  date.  Additionally,  funds  under  the  Viability  Gap  Funding (VGF)  scheme  of  Ministry  of  Finance  are  also  available  to  the  HEIs  for  financing  their capital expansion.

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