The Ministry of Science and Technology announced the selection of 10 host institutions to establish Convergence Research Centres of Excellence (CoEs) under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF). This initiative drives the deep integration of scientific research with social sciences and humanities to address complex societal and national challenges. Out of 945 proposals submitted by various academic and research institutions, the final 10 hubs were selected based on their potential for cross-disciplinary collaboration. The program aligns directly with the mandates of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and serves the long-term developmental blueprint of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Core Objectives of the Framework
The program establishes pioneering hubs that bridge technical advancements with human-centric perspectives.
Multi-Disciplinary Integration
- Cross-Domain Collaboration: The centres unify disparate fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and big data analytics with history, folklore, and rural economics.
- Transdisciplinary Solutions: The framework seeks to generate practical solutions for structural socio-economic challenges that single-domain research cannot resolve.
- Networked Ecosystem: The program requires active partnership between internal departments or across separate academic, public, and private institutions.
Institutional Inclusivity
- Diverse Research Network: The 10 primary centres loop in principal investigators and co-investigators from 20 collaborating institutes.
- Broad Institutional Footprint: The participant network connects Central Universities, State Universities, Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs), private universities, and dedicated research and development laboratories.
Selected Host Institutions and Focus Areas
The 10 approved centres focus on specific thematic frameworks, mapping specialized academic strengths to targeted development problems.
| Host Institution | Project Title | Broad Thematic Area |
| IIT Gandhinagar | Centre for Human-Climate Interactions and Environmental Histories (CHIEH) | Archaeology and Traditional Knowledge Systems |
| National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru | Centre for Excellence in Archaeomaterials, Archaeometallurgy, Earth Sciences & Conservation Research | Archaeology and Traditional Knowledge Systems |
| IIT Madras | SAแนYoga – Center for Sanskrit AI Music and Yoga | Archaeology and Traditional Knowledge Systems |
| NIT Agartala | AI-assisted Digital Curation and Global Promotion of North-East Indian Folklore | Digital Humanities |
| Institute for Human Development (IHD), Delhi | Transformative AI and the Indian Labour Market | Digital Humanities |
| IIT Dharwad | Centre of Excellence for Rural Livelihoods and Development (CoE-RLD) | Rural Development |
| IIM Jammu | Centre of Excellence on Digital Empowerment and Livelihood Development of Artisans (CoE-DELDA) | Rural Development |
| IIT Kanpur | Centre for Research and Intervention in Language Performance | Health and Psychology |
| Chanakya University | Center for Languages and Lifeworlds | Emerging Technologies for Social Issues |
| PSGR Krishnammal College for Women | Framework to Accelerate MSME Transition Towards Sustainable Technologies | Computational Economics |
Broader National Alignment
The execution strategy creates institutional capabilities that match current national planning goals.
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020
- Breaking Academic Silos: The policy removes hard boundaries separating STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields from humanities and creative arts.
- Skill Readiness: Incorporating fields like GeoAI, data science, and computational economics builds specialized research capability for emerging industries.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) & Viksit Bharat 2047
- Socio-Economic Enablers: Projects looking at artisan digitization and micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) green transitions directly impact grassroots economic development.
- Self-Reliance (Atmanirbharta): Converting theoretical, multi-domain inputs into scalable technologies provides domestic solutions for local climate, health, and labor challenges.
IASPOINT Booster Facts for UPSC
- About ANRF: The Anusandhan National Research Foundation was established under the ANRF Act, 2023. It functions as an apex statutory body providing strategic direction to scientific research in India.
- Predecessor Body: ANRF dissolved and replaced the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), which was created in 2008.
- Leadership Structure: The Prime Minister of India acts as the ex-officio President of the ANRF Governing Board. The Union Minister of Science and Technology and the Union Minister of Education serve as ex-officio Vice-Presidents.
- Executive Arm: An Executive Council manages daily operations and implementation, chaired by the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.
- Thematic Scope: While traditional funding targeted natural sciences, mathematical sciences, and engineering, the ANRF mandate explicitly incorporates social sciences and humanities within its innovation scope.