DST bets on stronger private sector response in 2024-25: S&T Survey

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) expects stronger participation from private sector entities in the National Science & Technology (S&T) Survey 2024-25, as it moves to comprehensively map and assess India's research and development (R&D) ecosystem.

This year, DST is also doing a separate National S&T Survey 2024-25, for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and startups, DST Secretary Abhay Karandikar told reporters on the sidelines DST-FICCI Sensitization Workshop on National S&T Survey on Saturday.

The National S&T Survey, conducted by DST, serves as a critical tool for assessing India's research and innovation landscape. It provides comprehensive insights into R&D investments, human resource capacities, and innovation outcomes across sectors.

The workshop aimed to encourage greater engagement from private enterprises, startups, and academia to ensure a holistic and authentic picture of India's R&D ecosystem.

''The survey is vital for evidence-based policymaking and for catalyzing India's journey towards becoming a global innovation leader.

In the previous survey, 5,000 companies participated, and this year, a goal was set for over 5,000 private-sector enterprises. This survey is being done separately for MSMEs and startups, as they are a very important part of the ecosystem.

''Most of the questions for both MSMEs and startups will remain largely the same; however, large corporations will have some very specific questions as they have a different set of profiles,'' he added.

DST is currently conducting workshops with industry bodies to encourage the private sector and the corporates to participate in this National R&D Survey.

The primary purpose of these workshops is to create awareness about the S&T indicators among the participants and remove any hurdles they are facing while participating in the survey, he stated.

''We don't want the survey to be viewed as a compliance exercise. Instead, it should be seen as a national responsibility, a collective effort to map India's R&D contributions and identify areas where private investment can grow. The insights we gather will directly help design better schemes and incentives that benefit both industry and the nation,'' added Karandikar.

The government is fully committed to catalysing private sector R&D through bold reforms and flexible funding frameworks, he said, adding that the Rs 1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund, for instance, has been designed to mitigate commercial risks and support long-gestation, high-impact technologies, a first-of-its-kind initiative to spur industry-led R&D at scale.

When asked about the timeline of the survey, DST's target is to complete data collection by the end of this year.

''We are aiming to collect all the data by the end of this year, and the report is expected to be completed by early next year, he added.

NITI Aayog Senior Advisor Vivek Kumar Singh, also present on the occasion, said India today stands at an inflection point where industry-led R&D, university collaboration, and government reforms are converging.

''The National S&T Survey is not just a data exercise; it is the foundation for evidence-based science policy in India. Reliable and timely R&D data enables us to design better programs, attract greater industry participation, and strengthen India's position in global innovation indices,'' he added.