(a) whether the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) has any plan
to spread the commercial application of research and transfer of technology from
laboratories to the corporate world;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government proposes to set up a fund to promote the small technical
inventions and to bring these newly invented technologies into the market;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the steps being taken to bring industry and academia closer?
MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES
(SHRI S. JAIPAL REDDY)
(a)&(b) Yes, Madam. National Research Development Corporation (NRDC), a Public Sector Enterprise
under the administrative control of Department of Scientific and Industrial Research was
incorporated on 31st December, 1953 as a Section 25 company under the Companies Act with an
objective to promote, develop and commercialize indigenous technologies emanating from National
and other Government funded R&D laboratories, including autonomous research institutions,
academia, universities and individual inventors. NRDC is engaged in licensing / transfer of
technologies to the industries, including those in the corporate sector for commercialization.
NRDC undertakes a variety of promotional and value addition activities such as feasibility
studies, up-scaling of lab scale R&D work, IPR protection, basic design engineering etc. before
transferring the technologies to the industries. During the last 3 years, a total of 147
technologies were assigned to NRDC by various R&D organizations across the country for
commercialization and in turn, NRDC licensed / transferred a total of 101 technologies to
entrepreneurs / industries across the country. As a result, NRDC has earned a revenue of `
1925 lakhs in terms of lumpsum premia and royalty and the total cumulative production of the
licensee industries is estimated at around ` 645 Crores.
(c)&(d) The National Innovation Council, under the Chairmanship of the Adviser to the Hon’ble
Prime Minister on Public Information, Infrastructure and Innovations, has proposed the creation
of the India Inclusive Innovation Fund which will consider investing in businesses that provide
innovative technology-based solutions having wider social impact. Further, the Hon`ble Finance
Minister in the 2013-14 Budget speech has allocated ` 200 Crore for scaling technology innovations
which will have a social impact and have requested the National Innovation Council to support
Department of Science and Technology (DST) in creating a program for the same.
(e) Government has undertaken several programmes / schemes under various departments to
bring academia and industry closer. The programmes of some of the key government departments/
institutions which engage universities, academic and R&D institutions and industry are listed
below:
Besides, DSIR/CSIR has operationalized Scientific Entrepreneurship Scheme with the approval of government which is a national effort to enable researchers to have an equity stake in scientific enterprises and launch spin-offs while still being employed in their organizations. This will help them to derive the commercial benefits from their inventions and patents. Under the scheme, CSIR scientists have spun off two companies namely: Tridiagonal Solutions Pvt. Ltd. and Vyome Biosciences Pvt. Ltd.
Sl.No. Department /Organisation Scheme / Programme
1. Department of Scientific # Under section 35(2AA) of IT Act, & Industrial Research corporate industries are eligible to claim 200% tax deduction for sponsored scientific research projects in national laboratories, universities and IITs # Patent Acquisition, Collaborative Research and Technology Development 2. Council of Scientific & # New Millennium Indian Technology Industrial Research Leadership Initiative # Open Source Drug Discovery (OSDD) Programme 3. National Research Development NRDC – University Innovation Facilitation Corporation Centre (NRDC-UIFC) in the Universities & Academic Institutions 4. Department of Science & Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Research Programme Technology 5. Department of Biotechnology # Biotechnology Industry Partnership Programme # Small Business Innovation Research Initiative 6. Indian Space Research RESPOND (Sponsored Research and Development Organisation Programme in the area of space technology) 7. Ministry of New and Renewable Programme for Research, Design and Development Energy in New and Renewable Energy