The government is planning to establish a separate agency to coordinate with research organisations, provide funds and advise a proposed overarching body in higher education on promotion on basic research.

The HRD ministry will set up the National Science and Research Board (NSRB) which will promote synergy of research in universities and higher educational institutions with research in other agencies or laboratories.

This agency will be created under the proposed Higher Education and Research Act. This Act mainly seeks to set up a National Commission for Higher Education and Research (NCHER) as an overarching body in higher education.

A task force, comprising noted academicians, is currently preparing the draft Higher Education and Research bill.

“Universities, which are supposed to create new knowledge, are not able to do proper research. What they are doing is sponsored research. This agency will link universities to research institutions in promoting research,” said N R Madhava Menon, a member of the task force.

Eminent scientists will be members of the NSRB. It will also provide grants to research institutions. “This will function independent of NCHER. It will also file patents on the new technologies developed by the research institutes,” he said. The plan assumes significance in view of less research output of Indian institutions. The number of people engaged in research in India is also much less than other countries.