Relevance: GS-III (Science & Technology; Government Budgeting) | Source: The Hindu 

1. Key Trend: The Shift to “Mission-Mode”

The Union Budget 2026-27 marks a decisive shift in India’s science policy. The government is moving away from broad funding to specific, high-priority “Mission-Linked Platforms”.

• Focus Sectors: The budget privileges applied sectors like Biopharma, Semiconductors, Carbon Capture, Critical Minerals, and Climate Action.
• Biopharma SHAKTI: A new mission launched with an outlay of ₹10,000 crore (over 5 years). It aims to boost India’s self-reliance in Biosimilars, biological manufacturing, and medical devices, moving beyond just generic drugs.

2. The Critical Gaps: Neglect of Basic Research

Despite big announcements, the scientific ecosystem faces structural challenges:

• “Blue Sky” Research Deficit: The budget favors “output-based” applied science (which gives immediate economic returns) but underfunds “Blue Sky Research” (curiosity-driven basic science).
• State Universities Lagging: While new thematic clusters get funds, State Universities—which house over 80% of India’s research students—face stagnant core funding. This contradicts the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 goal of multidisciplinary growth.
• Utilization Issues: Departments like DST (Science & Technology) often see budget cuts in Revised Estimates (RE) due to “administrative bottlenecks” (e.g., slow fund flow systems), not lack of intent.

3. R&D Expenditure: The Stagnant Figure

India’s Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD) remains low compared to global peers.

• India: ~0.64% of GDP (Stagnant for a decade).
• Global Benchmark: Israel (~5.4%), South Korea (~4.8%), USA (~3.5%).
• Private Sector Role: The strategy relies heavily on private investment (similar to the US model), but private R&D spending in India has not yet matched government expectations.

UPSC Value Box

Concept: “Blue Sky Research”

• Scientific research driven purely by curiosity without immediate real-world applications (e.g., studying the origins of the universe). However, it forms the foundation for future technologies (e.g., Quantum Mechanics led to Computers).

Institution: Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF)

• Established to centralize and boost research funding in India.
• Goal: To forge collaborations between industry, academia, and government departments.

Q. With reference to the ‘Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD)’ in India, consider the following statements:

1. India’s GERD as a percentage of GDP has consistently remained above 1% in the last decade.
2. The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has been established to completely replace private funding in research and development.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (d)