Government pushes for policy reforms to enhance ease of doing research in India
New Delhi: In a decisive move to revitalise India’s research and development ecosystem, the Department of Science and Technology (DST) unveiled a set of wide-ranging policy reforms on Sunday to enhance the ease of doing research in academic and scientific institutions nationwide.
As per the recommendations, the General Financial Rules (GFR) govern public spending and are set for a critical overhaul. For instance, the limit for purchasing goods without quotation, currently capped at Rs 1 lakh, is proposed to be increased to Rs 2 lakh.
Similarly, the threshold for purchases through local purchase committees is suggested to rise from the existing Rs 1–10 lakh range to a more research-relevant Rs 2–25 lakh.
The ceiling for limited tenders, presently at Rs 50 lakh, is now proposed to be revised to Rs 1 crore, and the advertised tender threshold is
expected to increase from above Rs 50 lakh to above Rs 1 crore.
These reforms are based on an internal report compiled with extensive stakeholder consultation.
The report also flags restrictive Global Tender Enquiry (GTE) norms and the limitations of the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) for research-specific
procurements. Notably, GTE is currently not permitted below Rs 200 crore, to promote indigenous manufacturing. However, since many high-end, specialised research instruments are not made in India, this restriction has slowed procurement in academic institutions.
The report proposes delegating exemption powers to Vice Chancellors and Directors for case-by-case decisions, eliminating the need for repeated justifications to Central ministries.
Similarly, procurement via GeM has posed unique challenges for research institutions.
Most advanced scientific equipment is not listed on the platform, and vendors are known to exploit preference rules, inflating prices with minimal value addition.
The suggested remedy is to exempt specialised equipment and consumables from mandatory GeM procurement, thereby streamlining the process and ensuring quality research infrastructure.
Union minister Jitendra Singh stressed the cross-sectoral relevance of the reforms, noting that although introduced by the Department of Science and Technology, these changes will benefit higher education, space, health, and other key domains. “We have never had a dearth of human resources,” he said.
“We lacked an enabling environment—and that is exactly what we’re now building.”
Speaking at the event, Rajesh S Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, underscored the need for greater autonomy and flexibility.
“Science is at its peak in India. But we need to ensure researchers can carry out their work without any hindrance,” he said, adding that the reforms aim to boost the quality of the innovation ecosystem while maintaining transparency and accountability.
