Why in news?

To tap into the expertise of retired scientists, the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has announced the Prime Minister Professorships.

Under this, the expertise of retired and eminent scientists, industry professionals, and Professors of Practice will be used for mentoring State universities with emerging research ecosystems.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research Programme
• Prime Minister Professorship Scheme

Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research Programme

• ANRF has launched the Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR) Programme to strengthen India’s R&D ecosystem.
• PAIR aims to cultivate research excellence across Indian universities, especially those with limited research capabilities.
• It uses a mentorship-driven hub and spoke model, pairing top-tier institutions (hubs) with emerging universities (spokes) to bridge capability gaps and foster collaborative research growth.
• Hub and Spoke Model Structure
  • Hubs
    • Institutions within the top 25 of the NIRF overall ranking.
    • Institutions of National Importance within the top 50 NIRF ranking.
  • Spokes
    • Central and State Public Universities.
    • Select NITs and IIITs.
  • Network Composition
    • One hub can mentor up to seven spoke institutions.
    • Multi-departmental faculty teams from spoke institutions must be involved.
    • Regional diversity among participants is mandatory.
• Key Benefits and Goals
  • Strengthening research and innovation ecosystems in emerging institutions.
  • Facilitating access to advanced infrastructure and best practices.
  • Driving impactful, internationally competitive research outputs.
  • Establishing collaborative research networks across institutions.

Prime Minister Professorship Scheme

• Launched by ANRF, the Prime Minister Professorship aims to strengthen research and innovation culture in emerging state universities in India.
• It provides a platform for eminent, active, and superannuated scientists, faculty, and industry professionals to mentor universities where research ecosystems are still developing.
• Need for the Scheme
  • India seeks to boost R&D in less endowed state universities.
  • There is a need for structured mentoring from experienced professionals to foster world-class research and innovation.
  • The scheme addresses gaps in research capability, international collaboration, and technological development in state universities.
• Eligibility Criteria
  • Superannuated (retired) faculty/scientists from reputed Indian or foreign institutions/research labs/industries.
  • Active professionals from industry or experienced Professors of Practice with a proven track record in research and innovation.
  • Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), and Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) are also eligible.
  • Willingness to relocate full-time to the host university in India is mandatory.
  • Host universities must be Category A spoke institutions under ANRF’s PAIR program.
• Scope of Work and Responsibilities
  • Mentor faculty and students for world-class research.
  • Help enhance R&D capabilities in state universities.
  • Facilitate collaborations with established institutions, research labs, and industry.
  • Promote interdisciplinary research and knowledge exchange.
  • Guide in establishing research labs or common research facilities.
  • Provide 6-month internships to scholars in established institutions.
• Funding and Support
  • Each selected Professor will receive:
    • Fellowship: ₹30 lakh per annum.
    • Research Grant: ₹24 lakh per annum (for consumables, travel, contingencies, equipment, etc.).
    • Overhead for host institution: ₹1 lakh per year.
• Duration and Terms
• Tenure: Up to 5 years (based on performance review).
• No upper age limit but applicant must be superannuated.
• Full-time presence at the host university is required.
• No simultaneous honorarium/fellowship/salary from other institutions.
• Intellectual property rights governed by the host institution’s norms.
• Focus on State Universities through the PAIR Framework
  • Under the scheme, recipients must be placed at State universities designated as spoke institutions within Category A of ANRF’s Promoting Advanced and Inclusive Research (PAIR) programme.
  • PAIR connects universities with limited research capacity to top-tier “hub” institutions.
  • These hub institutions are ranked 25 or below in the National Institutional Ranking Framework.
  • The goal is to promote structured mentorship and collaborative research development.