06 · GS-III: Science & Technology, Innovation & Research
Frontier Science & Indigenous Innovation: Deep-Tech Research, Intellectual Property and Technological Self-Reliance
NEWS PEG
- The Department of Science and Technology and national research laboratories reviewed progress under flagship deep-tech innovation missions, funding commercial prototype development.
- Scientists demonstrated indigenous breakthroughs in advanced materials, quantum telemetry, and biotechnology, securing international patent filings and commercial technology transfers.
- Technology analysts highlighted that sustained investments in public and private R&D are vital for positioning India as a global knowledge economy and technology leader.
STATIC FOUNDATION
- Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) Act, 2023: Apex statutory body established to seed, grow, and promote scientific R&D with an estimated ₹50,000 crore outlay (70% mobilized from private industry).
- Intellectual Property Rights Policy (2016): Promotes innovation, strengthens IPR administration, and facilitates commercialization of indigenous patents.
- Technology Readiness Levels (TRL): Measurement scale (TRL 1 basic principles to TRL 9 proven operational system) used to assess maturity of emerging technologies.
PRELIMS TRAP & PYQ BRIDGE
MAINS ENHANCEMENT
- Scaling Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD): Mobilizing Private Deep-Tech Capital — Raising national R&D spending from 0.7% toward 2% of GDP through the ANRF.
- Translating Lab Research into Commercial Products: Industry-Academia Incubators — Fostering university spin-offs to commercialize cutting-edge hardware patents.
- Sovereign Technological Autonomy: Securing Critical Dual-Use Tech — Developing indigenous capabilities in aerospace, quantum computing, and synthetic biology.