Vigyan Dhara Scheme

Quick Facts

• Purpose: To strengthen India’s Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) ecosystem and contribute to national development.
• Type: Central Sector Scheme → fully funded by the Government of India.
• Tenure: 2021–22 to 2025–26 (5 years).
• Nodal Agency: Department of Science & Technology (DST).

👉 In short, this scheme is about boosting India’s scientific capacity, research, innovation, and global collaborations.

Objectives

The scheme is designed around four major objectives:

1. Capacity Building
   • Strengthen S&T institutions and build a skilled workforce.
2. Research & Development (R&D)
   • Support basic research (pure science), translational research (taking research towards real-world use), and collaborative research.
3. Innovation & Technology Development
   • Create new technologies to address societal challenges (e.g., healthcare, environment, agriculture).
4. International Collaboration
   • Encourage partnerships between Indian and global researchers.

Salient Features – Components

(A) S&T Institutional and Human Capacity Building

• Establishing advanced research labs in universities and institutions.
• Supporting faculty development and student research.
• Promoting international academic collaborations.

👉 Focus: Build strong institutions + nurture scientific talent.

(B) Research & Development

• Basic research: Pure scientific investigations, with access to international research facilities.
• Translational research: Bridging the gap between research output and commercialization.
• Collaborative research: Joint projects with international partners.

👉 Focus: Ensure India contributes to cutting-edge science while also moving towards practical applications.

(C) Innovation, Technology Development & Deployment

• Support to start-ups and entrepreneurs working in S&T.
• Technology transfer and commercialization of innovations.
• Promote indigenous technologies for self-reliance.

👉 Focus: From idea → innovation → product → market adoption.

Expected Impacts

1. Enhanced collaboration between academia, government, and industry.
2. Increased participation of women in science and technology fields.
3. Strengthened R&D capabilities, bringing India closer to global standards while serving national priorities.

Conclusion

The Vigyan Dhara Scheme is not just another research funding initiative.
It is a holistic approach to:

• Strengthen institutions,
• Build human capital,
• Promote innovation,
• And create international partnerships.

👉 In simple terms, Vigyan Dhara = Science Capacity + Research Excellence + Innovation for Society + Global Collaboration.