National Research foundation

Why in news?

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman earmarked ?50,000 crore over five years for the creation of a National Research Foundation (NRF).

About National Research foundation:

• It is an umbrella body that is expected to fund research across a range of disciplines, from science and technology to humanities.
• NRF will ensure that the overall research ecosystem in the country is strengthened with a focus on identified national priority thrust areas.
• The NRF will also seed and build research capacity at universities and colleges through a formal mechanism of mentoring.
• It will also catalyse research at universities and colleges that have until now not been big players in research.
• The NRF will also help build the capacity to do research through an institutionalised mentoring mechanism, involving expert researchers from premier institutions of the country.
• The NRF would be a cross-disciplinary autonomous body and represented by all major research and education bodies.

PRELIMS QUESTION

Consider the following statements regarding National Research foundation:
1.It is an autonomous body with primary responsibility of encouraging research in Science and Technology.
2.It will be an autonomous body with powers to fund researchers.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to Prelims Question