Tags:Science & Tech
For Prelims: Principal investigator, Patent filing, Frontier research
For Mains: Science and Technology: Research and innovation ecosystem; Society: Social inclusion and empowerment
Source:
PIB
5 facts for one-day exams
SSC, railway, police and teaching exams ask direct questions like these.
- ANRF runs the Inclusivity Research Grant.
- IRG supports Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe researchers.
- IRG subsumes the earlier EMEQ scheme.
- The earlier programme recorded over 5,300 research papers in the last decade.
- Bhagwan Birsa Munda's birth anniversary is on 15 November.
The news
The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) organised a one-day conclave for Inclusivity Research Grant (IRG) and Empowerment and Equity Opportunities for Excellence in Science (EMEQ) principal investigators at the BRIC–National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR) in New Delhi on 12 November 2026. The event, held as part of the nationwide Jan Jatiya Gaurav Divas 2026 celebrations from 1 to 15 November, brought together around 60 principal investigators and scientists. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs directed the conclave, which commemorates the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda on 15 November.
Prof. Gobardhan Das, Member of NITI Aayog, was the Chief Guest. Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, CEO of ANRF, delivered the Presidential Address and said that tribal communities must be equal partners in India's journey to becoming a global knowledge and innovation powerhouse. He also stressed that the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 requires the active participation of tribal communities in education, science, technology and innovation. Dr. Premila Mohan, Scientist-G at ANRF, noted that the earlier EMEQ programme had produced over 5,300 research papers and more than 300 patent filings over the last decade. The technical programme included talks on research project implementation, proposal development and research priorities in engineering sciences.
ANRF Inclusivity Research Grant: why in the news?
The ANRF held a one-day conclave for IRG and EMEQ principal investigators on 12 November 2026 as part of Jan Jatiya Gaurav Divas celebrations, bringing together around 60 scientists and officials to review the grant's progress and discuss research priorities.
When was the Science and Engineering Research Board established?
The Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) was set up as a statutory body through an Act of Parliament, the Science and Engineering Research Board Act, 2008. It functioned as the primary agency for promoting basic research in science and engineering in India until it was subsumed into the Anusandhan National Research Foundation. The Empowerment and Equity Opportunities for Excellence in Science (EMEQ) scheme was one of its programmes aimed at supporting researchers from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities. The ANRF was subsequently established through the Anusandhan National Research Foundation Act, 2023, which dissolved SERB and brought its schemes under the new foundation.
What is the Inclusivity Research Grant?
The Inclusivity Research Grant is an ANRF scheme that subsumes the earlier EMEQ programme of the former Science and Engineering Research Board. It supports Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe researchers in pursuing frontier research in science and engineering, aiming to strengthen their research capabilities and integrate them into the wider research ecosystem.
What has the earlier programme achieved?
The earlier EMEQ programme produced over 5,300 research papers and more than 300 patent filings over the last decade. ANRF CEO Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman emphasised that principal investigators should align their research outcomes with ANRF's impact-oriented approach, focusing on translation into tangible societal benefits and solutions to national challenges, rather than only publications and patents.
ANRF Inclusivity Research Grant: facts and terms for exams
- Principal investigator:
- A principal investigator is the researcher responsible for leading a research project.
- Patent filing:
- A patent filing is an application seeking legal protection for an invention; filing alone does not mean a patent has been granted.
- Frontier research:
- Frontier research seeks to advance knowledge at the leading edge of a field.
ANRF Inclusivity Research Grant: why it matters for exams
Syllabus: Science and Technology: Research and innovation ecosystem; Society: Social inclusion and empowerment
Common mistake: Examiners may swap the beneficiary groups or treat patent filings as patents granted: IRG supports both Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe researchers, and the figure refers to filings.
Mains question on ANRF Inclusivity Research Grant
Examine the role of the Inclusivity Research Grant in promoting equity in India's science and technology ecosystem. How can such schemes ensure measurable societal impact beyond publication and patent metrics?
Stuck? Get it in one tap
The Inclusivity Research Grant supports Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe researchers in advanced science and engineering research. The grant aims to improve their research skills and connect them with the wider research community. It incorporates the earlier EMEQ scheme.
- Science and Technology: Research and innovation ecosystem
- Society: Social inclusion and empowerment
Related concepts: Principal investigator, Patent filing, Frontier research
Practice questions
Pick an answer, then read the explanation.
- Q1Easy
Which organisation runs the Inclusivity Research Grant for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe researchers?
Explanation: The Anusandhan National Research Foundation runs the Inclusivity Research Grant. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs issued directives for the celebrations, the National Institute of Plant Genome Research hosted the conclave, and Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad contributed an expert speaker.
- Q2Hard
Consider the following statements about the Inclusivity Research Grant (IRG):
- 1.IRG supports Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe researchers in frontier science and engineering.
- 2.IRG is subsumed by the earlier Empowerment and Equity Opportunities for Excellence in Science (EMEQ) scheme.
- 3.IRG seeks to strengthen researchers' capabilities and integrate them into the wider research ecosystem.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Explanation: Statements 1 and 3 correctly describe the beneficiaries and objectives of IRG. Statement 2 reverses the relationship: IRG subsumes the earlier EMEQ scheme.
- Q3Medium
What is a principal objective of the ANRF Inclusivity Research Grant?
Explanation: IRG seeks to build research capabilities and broaden participation in frontier science and engineering. Its approach includes research outcomes and societal benefits rather than restricting research to administrators, meetings or patent filings alone.
Frequently asked questions
1. Who is supported by ANRF's Inclusivity Research Grant?
Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe researchers are supported in pursuing frontier research in science and engineering.
2. Which earlier scheme is subsumed by the Inclusivity Research Grant?
The Empowerment and Equity Opportunities for Excellence in Science scheme of the former Science and Engineering Research Board is subsumed by IRG.
3. What research outputs were associated with the earlier EMEQ programme?
The programme produced over 5,300 research papers and more than 300 patent filings over the last decade.
4. When is Bhagwan Birsa Munda's birth anniversary commemorated?
His birth anniversary is commemorated on 15 November.
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- Original12 November 2026 · Read story
