Govt’s PAIR programme to boost research, innovation in higher education

New Delhi: The Union Government-led Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has launched the Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR) programme to enhance quality research-oriented higher education in the country.

In line with ANRF, operationalised in September, the PAIR programme aims to bring major transformation in Indian Universities.

While being aligned with the objectives set by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the PAIR programme will cultivate research excellence in central and state public universities by fostering collaborations with top-tier institutions via a mentorship-driven hub and spoke model.

“The hubs will guide emerging institutions (spokes) in research activities, provide access to harness their resources and expertise, thus bridging the gap between institutions and nurturing a robust research ecosystem in India,” said the Ministry of Science & Technology.

The hub and spoke model which pairs universities where research is at a nascent stage, with top-tier established institutions was decided during the first meeting of the ANRF governing board, chaired by the PM Narendra Modi in September.

"The PAIR programme stands as a catalyst for transformative research in universities which have potential, with well-established institutions providing the necessary mentorship to elevate overall research standards,” Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, DST, and CEO, ANRF.

“The idea is to improve the research eco-system in our universities," he added.

While Hub institutions will include the top 25 NIRF overall ranking as well as Institutions of National Importance within the top 50 NIRF overall ranking; Central and State Public Universities and select NITs and IIITs will be added as the spoke institutions.

“Each PAIR network would consist of one hub and up to seven spoke institutions. Only one proposal per hub institution is allowed, with a mandatory involvement of multi-departmental faculty teams from spoke institutions,” the ministry added, noting that it will also ensure regional diversity among participants.

The programme aims to stimulate innovation in emerging institutions by leveraging mentorship from high-ranking institutions. This will drive impactful, internationally competitive research with significant outcomes. Further, it will also help establish collaborative networks, and boost research quality via advanced infrastructure and best practices.