The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, invites project proposals for establishing DST-Centres for Policy Research (DST-CPRs) in academic institutions. This initiative aims to build a robust policy research ecosystem and contribute to evidence-driven STI policy and program planning.

Focus Areas

This call supports the establishment of two CPRs, each focusing on a specific theme to address futuristic needs and complement ongoing activities. Institutions with existing research activities related to these themes are encouraged to apply.

The two themes are:

• Science, Technology & Innovation (STI) Statistics

• Technology Foresight

Institutions must choose one of these themes when submitting their proposal.

STI Statistics Theme

This theme aims to support the national STI statistics system by acting as a Centre of Excellence. The focus is on conducting research in relevant areas, developing new insights for data and indicators, and creating tools for data analysis in coordination with DST-NSTMIS.

Research areas include:

• STI Indicators

• STI data gaps

• Granularity of S&T data

• Tools for data collection and analysis

• STI data standards and interoperability

• Global benchmarks and standards

• Capacity building

Applicants must demonstrate a foundational understanding of STI data and indicators, including the national STI ecosystem, global standards, and AI-based data analysis.

Technology Foresight Theme

This theme focuses on strengthening the proactive governance mechanism for the STI sector through in-depth research on Technology Foresight. The proposed Centre will interact with stakeholders and produce reports in coordination with DST, GoI.

Core activities include Scenario Building/Analysis, AI-based data analysis, trend analysis, back casting, horizon scanning, and technology prioritization. Research areas include:

• Identifying emerging technologies

• Assessing the state-of-the-art of technology

• Assessing potential impacts

• Identifying drivers and barriers

• Developing policy recommendations

• Capacity building

Applicants must demonstrate a foundational understanding of foresight principles, including long-term strategic planning, futures thinking, and anticipatory governance.

Eligibility and Credentials

The CPRs should be led by institutions with acknowledged leadership in the specific research domain, evidenced by their scientific track record. The Project Investigator must have a proven track record and expertise central to the research theme.

Eligible institutions include research institutes, universities, and other recognized research laboratories in the public sector and not-for-profit laboratories. The institution should have well-established research facilities and core expertise in the relevant area.

The Principal Investigator must:

• Be a researcher working in a permanent capacity at the institution.

• Have at least 5 years of regular service remaining at the institution.

• Have a proven track record of knowledge and expertise in the thematic focus of the CPR.

Proposal Submission

The project proposal must include a detailed research plan justifying the support for the CPR for the next five years. It should explain how the research activities will complement existing research, if applicable.

The grant-in-aid will be provided for minor equipment, consumables, contingency, and travel. Emoluments for project staff will be defrayed for the project duration only. A letter of undertaking is required, stating that the host institute will bear the financial liability for any new positions at the end of the project support.

The evidence base generated through the Policy Research Programme will be exclusively available to DST on a periodic basis. The proposal must be submitted through the online web-portal (https://onlinedst.gov.in/). The portal will be open from 01.05.2025 to 30.05.2025.