• The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has announced the launch of J.C.Bose Grant (JBG).

• It is a new scheme to recognise outstanding performance and contributions of senior Indian scientists and engineers through extramural funding opportunities to enhance their research in cutting-edge scientific and technological areas.

• This grant provides an annual research funding of Rs 25 lakh for a duration of five years. Additionally, an annual overhead of Rs 1 lakh will be provided to the implementing institution.

Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF)

• The Parliament passed the Anusandhan National Research Foundation Bill, 2023 in August 2023 to set up Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF).

• The Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), established by an act of Parliament in 2008, has been subsumed into ANRF.

• ANRF acts as an apex body to provide high-level strategic direction of scientific research in the country as per recommendations of the National Education Policy.

• The ANRF aims to seed, grow and promote research and development (R&D) and foster a culture of research and innovation throughout India’s universities, colleges, research institutions, and R&D laboratories. 

• Its mandate is to promote R&D activities through appropriate policy interventions and to provide extramural funding to the researchers associated with various academic institutions, research laboratories and other R&D organisations for carrying out competitive basic or fundamental research in all frontier areas of science and engineering. 

• ANRF strives to serve the needs of the researchers by making timely funding decisions and responding to their queries.

• It forges collaborations among the industry, academia, research institutions and government departments.

Funding for ANRF

• ANRF has been operationalised with a budgetary allocation of Rs 2,000 crore for the financial year 2024-25.

• It has provisions to receive monies from the central government through grants and loans; donations from public sector enterprises, the private sector, philanthropist organisations, foundations or international bodies for R&D; recoveries made of the amounts granted to ANRF; any income from investment of the amounts received by ANRF and all amounts with the Fund for Science and Engineering Research under the repealed Science and Engineering Research Board Act, 2008. 

• ANRF and its funding systems are operated through a Governing Board and an Executive Council. 

• The Governing Board provides high-level strategic direction and monitors the implementation of the objectives of the ANRF and Executive Council is entrusted to implement the provisions of this Act.

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