A New Architecture for India’s Scientific Rise

The ANRF Prime Minister Professorships is a potentially transformative initiative that seeks to energise under-resourced institutions.

India’s decision to establish the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) marked a structural shift in how the country imagines the future of science, technology and innovation. Conceived under the ANRF Act of 2023, the Foundation aims to mobilise about Rs. 50,000 crore for 2023 to 2028, with roughly Rs. 14,000 crore coming from the Union government and the remainder expected from industry and philanthropy. This level of investment reflects a clear national intent to broaden the research base far beyond a handful of elite institutions and to strengthen the vast network of state universities where most Indian students study. Within this emerging landscape, the newly-launched ANRF Prime Minister Professorship stands out as a potentially transformative initiative that seeks to democratise excellence, energise under-resourced institutions and build lasting national capacity.

Unlike traditional fellowships that primarily support individual research, the Prime Minister Professorship places accomplished and superannuated but research active scientists, technologists and industry professionals of Indian origin directly within universities that lack strong research ecosystems. These appointments involve full time relocation to the host institution and a commitment of up to five years with a mid-term performance review. Each professorship provides generous and predictable support for research activities, including funding for consumables, travel, minor equipment and institutional overheads. This structure frees the professor from administrative burdens and enables the creation of a functional research group capable of undertaking meaningful and mission aligned projects.

Two-Speed System

The programme has been designed with precision to address long standing challenges in Indian higher education. India’s research landscape has historically operated as a two-speed system. A small number of centrally funded institutions have built strong reputations, while many state universities have struggled with limited infrastructure, restricted funding and inconsistent research cultures. The Prime Minister Professorship offers a structural mechanism to narrow this divide. By embedding experienced researchers within these campuses and supporting them with stable resources, the programme aims to catalyse cultural change from within rather than relying only on external grants.

It also recognises that accumulated expertise is a national asset. India has a large reservoir of senior scientists and technologists who retire at the peak of their abilities after decades of contributing to research, technology development, mentoring and institution building. The Professorship provides a meaningful avenue to channel this experience into universities that need sustained mentorship. When a senior researcher joins a developing university ecosystem, they bring research discipline, laboratory culture, problem solving skills, networks and an instinct for identifying questions that lead to useful solutions.

The alignment of the programme with national priorities strengthens its long-term relevance. ANRF emphasises translational research, industry partnerships and solutions for national challenges in areas such as water, energy, health, agriculture, materials and sustainability. A Prime Minister Professor can help a university identify research directions that support these missions and mentor students in developing prototypes, patents and field ready solutions. They can initiate collaborations with established laboratories in India and abroad, guide young scholars toward impactful research and link the university with regional industries or government agencies.

Internationally, India’s model fits within a lineage of strategic research chair programmes used by nations to reshape their scientific ecosystems. Canada’s Research Chairs programme, for example, invests heavily in supporting over two thousand research chairs that strengthen fields ranging from artificial intelligence to clean technology. The United Kingdom’s premier research professorships provide long term support for distinguished researchers, allowing them to focus on ambitious scientific goals without administrative overload. Singapore’s National Research Foundation fellowships provide substantial multiyear packages that help outstanding scientists establish world class research groups.

Distinctive Approach

The Indian approach is distinctive in two ways. First, while global programmes often concentrate on placing top researchers in already strong universities, the Prime Minister Professorship intentionally directs distinguished researchers to developing or less endowed universities identified under the ANRF hub and spoke model. The goal is to uplift entire ecosystems rather than create isolated pockets of excellence. Second, the focus on experienced and superannuated researchers sets it apart from early or mid-career fellowships abroad.

The potential benefits are therefore broad and multi-layered. The professorships could help expand India’s pool of high quality doctoral and postdoctoral researchers by providing strong mentorship in regions where such opportunities were previously limited. It could stimulate new research domains in regional universities by aligning them with local challenges such as drinking water security, agricultural resilience, climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation, renewable energy deployment or urban transitions. It could also encourage deeper industry academia collaborations in smaller cities and towns. Over time these shifts could create a more balanced and resilient national innovation system where excellence is widely distributed rather than concentrated in a few enclaves.

For the programme to achieve its promise, implementation must be deliberate and thoughtful. Host universities must integrate the professors with seriousness and provide administrative support, laboratory space, research staff and access to facilities without imposing bureaucratic hurdles. Evaluation criteria must be clear and meaningful, focusing on mentoring, research outputs, collaborations, institutional capacity building and engagement with local needs. Selection must remain rigorous and transparent, anchored in demonstrable scientific contributions and ethical standing. The prestige of the professorships will depend on how consistently these standards are upheld.

By embedding senior expertise within institutions that need it most, India has chosen a model that is both ambitious and inclusive. As the early appointments take shape, the programme holds the promise of reshaping India’s scientific landscape by broadening participation, deepening capability and ensuring that the pursuit of knowledge becomes truly national in its reach and impact.

(The author is the former Director of the Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, a Visiting Professor at IIT Bombay, and among the first recipients of the ANRF Prime Minister Professorship. Views personal.)