Understanding the role of SERB in India’s scientific ecosystem

Last updated:Oct 30, 2024 11:16 IST

SERB’s primary function is to provide financial support to researchers and institutions engaged in cutting-edge scientific exploration and technological development.

Established in 2008, SERB’s mandate is to promote basic research in science and engineering and to encourage a culture of innovation. (Image: Shutterstock)

The Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), a statutory body under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, plays a crucial role in promoting and nurturing a vibrant scientific ecosystem within the country. Established in 2008, SERB’s mandate is to promote basic research in science and engineering and to encourage a culture of innovation.

Its primary function is to provide financial support to researchers and institutions engaged in cutting-edge scientific exploration and technological development.

Various funding schemes to support researchers

SERB manages a diverse portfolio of funding schemes, each carefully designed to meet specific needs within the research landscape. A prominent example is the Core Research Grant (CRG), a cornerstone program that has been operational for more than four decades.

The CRG provides comprehensive support to active researchers, including funding for equipment, research staff, consumables, travel, contingencies and institutional overhead costs for a period of three years.

This sustainable plan enables researchers to pursue ambitious projects in frontier areas of science and technology. To further its commitment to supporting early-career researchers, SERB is offering the Start-up Research Grant (SRG), designed to assist newly appointed faculty members in establishing their research programs.

Nurturing young talent and promoting inclusivity

SERB recognizes the need to attract and retain young talent within the scientific workforce and offers the National Post-Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF) for a duration of two years. This fellowship is aimed at promising researchers under the age of 35 and offers them valuable opportunities to increase their knowledge and expertise in their chosen field. The program has consistently supported a significant proportion of female researchers, with the percentage of approved proposals from women hovering around 40 percent in recent years.

Additionally, in recognition of the unique challenges faced by researchers from socially disadvantaged communities, SERB launched the Empowerment and Equity Opportunities for Excellence in Science (EMEQ) program. The EMEQ provides financial assistance for three years, up to an amount of Rs. 50 lakh, to researchers belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.

Empowering women scientists through the POWER program

A detailed examination of the SERB’s funding arrangements reveals a notable disparity in the number of applications received from men and women within different programs. While the total number of applications for schemes such as the CRG, SRG and EMEQ has varied from 5,000 to 9,000 in recent years, the share of applications from female researchers has remained consistently lower, fluctuating between 20 and 25 percent.

Recognizing the persistent gender gap in research funding and the unique challenges faced by women researchers in India, SERB introduced the Promoting Opportunities for Women in Exploratory Research (POWER) program in 2020. The POWER program includes several initiatives designed to empower women scientists and create a more equitable research environment.

The POWER Research Grant (SPG) provides funding support for individually focused research projects led by women scientists. The SPG scheme recognizes the diverse research infrastructure between institutions and works on two levels. Level 1 focuses on researchers in centrally funded premier institutions such as IITs, IISERs and IISc, while Level 2 focuses on researchers from state-funded universities, colleges and private academic institutions.

In addition to research subsidies, the POWER scheme also offers fellowships to female researchers. The SERB Power Fellowship (SPF) offers female scientists a unique opportunity to advance their careers by offering a fellowship in addition to their regular income. Furthermore, the scheme facilitates capacity building by providing additional research grants and institutional overheads to support the fellows’ research activities. The number of SPF grants awarded is steadily increasing, with 24 and 26 fellowships in 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 respectively.

Topic preferences among female researchers

Further analysis reveals clear topic preferences among female researchers seeking SERB funding. The life sciences consistently emerged as the most popular area of ​​research, followed by the engineering sciences. This trend was observed across several funding schemes, including the CRG, SRG and EMEQ. While the N-PDF scheme also showed a preference for the life sciences, it saw the chemical sciences emerge as the second most sought-after research domain. The preference for life sciences is a global phenomenon among female scientists.

Transformative success stories from SERB-funded research

Several success stories highlight the transformative potential of SERB-funded research.

The development of ‘Placenta-on-a-Chip’ devices is a good example of this and promises to improve the safety and well-being of pregnant women and their unborn children. This cutting-edge technology, funded through SERB’s MATRICS (Mathematical Research Impact Centric Support) program, allows researchers to study the complex interactions between the placenta and the mother’s body in a controlled laboratory environment. This could lead to a better understanding of pregnancy complications and the development of new therapies to prevent them.

• New low-cost technology for reducing textile waste pollution

Another notable success story is the development of a new, low-cost technology to reduce textile waste pollution. This innovation, supported by SERB’s IMPRINT (Impacting Research Innovation and Technology) program, provides an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly solution to a significant environmental challenge. The technology uses a combination of biosurfactants, cavitation and membrane technology to effectively treat textile wastewater. This research has been successfully translated into a pilot scale factory, demonstrating its potential for wider application and impact.

• Public Health Relevance Project

The Public-Health Relevance Project under the High Research Priority Area Program is another testament to SERB’s commitment to meeting critical societal needs. This project, which focuses on screening newborns for inborn errors of metabolism (IEM), has achieved significant results and paved the way for better health care outcomes for infants. The research team, supported by SERB, has successfully screened more than 200,000 newborns for treatable conditions, leading to early identification and intervention for affected children. This work has also resulted in the establishment of “Mission NEEV” (Neonatal Early Evaluation Vision), with the aim of expanding newborn screening coverage to 1.5 lakh babies in Delhi.

• Center for Cybersecurity and Cyber ​​Defense of Critical Infrastructures (C3i)

SERB’s support for the National Interdisciplinary Center for Cybersecurity and Cyber ​​Defense of Critical Infrastructures (C3i) at IIT Kanpur is another example of its far-reaching influence. The C3i Center has grown into a leading cybersecurity research and innovation center, developing advanced technologies and industrial-scale testbeds for vulnerability assessment, penetration testing and security mitigation. The center’s work has led to the identification of more than 30 vulnerabilities in standard industrial automation products, significantly contributing to improving cybersecurity preparedness.

SERB: A driving force behind India’s scientific progress

The introduction of the POWER program represents an important step towards creating a more inclusive research ecosystem in India. Although the scheme is relatively new and its long-term effects have not yet been fully realised, initial data indicate a positive trend. Providing specific funding and support mechanisms for women researchers will help reduce the gender gap in research funding and participation.

Overall, SERB is a crucial pillar of the Indian science and technology ecosystem. Through its diverse range of funding schemes, SERB empowers researchers, fosters innovation and promotes inclusivity within the scientific community. As India strives to achieve its ambitious goals in science and technology, the SERB’s role will remain crucial in driving cutting-edge research and nurturing the next generation of scientific talent.