The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has selected 10 premier institutions to establish Convergence Research Centres of Excellence (CoE) across India. This flagship initiative is designed to foster a multidisciplinary approach, blending scientific depth with social insights to tackle complex national and regional challenges. By integrating technology with the humanities, the programme aims to create scalable solutions aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Strengthening Multidisciplinary Research: The ANRF CoE Initiative
The selection of these 10 centres follows a highly competitive process where 945 proposals were evaluated from across the country. The programme focuses on “convergence research,” a framework where researchers from diverse fields like Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Big Data collaborate with experts in Social Sciences and Humanities. This integration is crucial for addressing issues that are not purely technical but have deep-rooted social, psychological, or economic dimensions.
The initiative involves a robust network of 20 collaborating institutions, ranging from central and state universities to private colleges and national R&D laboratories. By breaking the traditional “silos” between science and the arts, ANRF intends to build a holistic research ecosystem that contributes to the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Selected Institutions and Strategic Focus Areas
The 10 selected centres cover a wide array of thematic areas, from digital humanities and archaeology to rural development and health psychology. Each centre is anchored in a Social Science or Humanities department but maintains a mandatory collaboration with STEM disciplines.
| Institution | Project and Focus Area | Thematic Domain |
|---|---|---|
| IIT Gandhinagar | Centre for Human-Climate Interactions and Environmental Histories | Archaeology & Tradition |
| NIAS, Bengaluru | Centre for Archaeomaterials and Earth Sciences Research | Archaeology & Tradition |
| IIT Madras | SAṂYoga: Center for Sanskrit AI Music and Yoga | AI & Traditional Arts |
| NIT Agartala | AI-assisted Digital Curation of North-East Indian Folklore | Digital Humanities |
| IHD, Delhi | Impact of Generative AI on the Indian Labour Market | Digital Humanities |
| IIT Dharwad | Centre of Excellence for Rural Livelihoods and Development | Rural Development |
| IIM Jammu | Digital Empowerment and Livelihood for Artisans | Rural Development |
| IIT Kanpur | Centre for Research and Intervention in Language Performance | Health & Psychology |
| Chanakya University | Center for Languages and Lifeworlds | Emerging Technologies |
| PSGR Krishnammal College | Techno-Managerial Framework for MSME Technology Transition | Computational Economics |
Funding Structure and Implementation Framework
The financial support for the Convergence Research Centres of Excellence is substantial, reflecting the high stakes of these multidisciplinary projects. Each selected centre is eligible for funding of up to ₹25 crore for a maximum duration of five years.
The funding is structured into two distinct tracks to ensure accountability and performance:
- Track 1: This phase covers the initial three years of the project, focusing on establishing the infrastructure and beginning the core research activities.
- Track 2: An extension for the remaining two years is granted only after a rigorous performance review by an expert committee constituted by the ANRF.
To maintain the transdisciplinary nature of the programme, each centre must have a team comprising at least one Principal Investigator (PI) and two Co-PIs. It is mandatory that at least one Co-PI belongs to the Social Sciences or Humanities stream, while another must be from the Science, Engineering, or Technology domain.
The Concept of Convergence Research: Bridging the STEM-Humanities Divide
Convergence research is more than just a simple collaboration between two fields. It involves the deep integration of knowledge, tools, and ways of thinking from different disciplines to solve a specific problem. For example, the SAṂYoga project at IIT Madras uses Artificial Intelligence and Big Data to analyze and promote Sanskrit music and yoga. Similarly, the project at NIT Agartala utilizes AI for the digital curation of folklore from North-East India.
This approach acknowledges that modern challenges, such as climate change resilience or the impact of Generative AI on the labour market, cannot be solved by technology alone. Understanding the social context, ethical implications, and human behaviour is equally vital for the success of any technological intervention.
About Anusandhan National Research Foundation
The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) is the apex body in India responsible for providing strategic direction to scientific research. Established under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation Act, 2023, it replaced the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB). The foundation became operational on February 5, 2024, and is headquartered in New Delhi.
The governance of ANRF is led by high-level national leadership:
- President: The Prime Minister of India (Ex-officio)
- Vice-Presidents: The Union Ministers of Education and Science and Technology (Ex-officio)
- CEO: The administrative head of the foundation (currently Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman)
The primary objective of ANRF is to seed, grow, and promote research and development (R&D) across India’s universities, colleges, and research institutions. It aims to bridge the gap between academic research and industry requirements while fostering a culture of innovation.
Key Takeaways
- The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has selected 10 institutions to establish Convergence Research Centres of Excellence (CoE).
- Each centre is eligible for funding of up to ₹25 crore for a maximum project duration of five years.
- The programme is aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
- ANRF was established under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation Act, 2023, replacing the SERB.
- The Prime Minister of India serves as the ex-officio President of the ANRF Governing Board.
- Selected institutes include IIT Madras, IIT Kanpur, IIT Dharwad, and IIT Gandhinagar, among others.
