NITI Aayog's India S&T Scoreboard 2026

Why in News ?

• On 3 November 2026, NITI Aayog launched the India Science and Technology (S&T) Scoreboard, an interactive platform assessing scientific research and innovation across Indian States and Union Territories.
• According to the scoreboard, nearly 70% of India's research publications in FY 2024–25 were associated with five leading States/UTs: Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Delhi.

Key Facts at a Glance

State-wise Research Publications in India (2024–25)

The scoreboard reveals substantial differences in research publication output across Indian States and Union Territories.

Key Findings

• Research concentration: The top five States/UTs account for approximately 69.6% of the national publication count when their reported figures are compared with India's total.
• Tamil Nadu's leadership: Tamil Nadu contributed 44,611 research publications, the highest among all states.
• Uttar Pradesh's performance: Uttar Pradesh ranked second in research publications with 29,298.
• Regional disparities: Several smaller and less industrialised states reported comparatively fewer research publications.
• Southern representation: Tamil Nadu and Karnataka were the two southern states among the top five, while Telangana ranked eighth.

Patent Applications: State-wise Performance

Patent applications serve as an important indicator of technological invention and potential commercial innovation.

Major Observations

• Tamil Nadu leads in both scientific publications and patent applications.
• Maharashtra and Karnataka occupy the second and third positions, respectively, in patent applications.
• Uttar Pradesh ranks second in research publications but fourth in patent applications.
• Research publication rankings and patent rankings measure different dimensions of scientific performance.
• A high number of patent applications does not necessarily indicate an equally high number of granted or commercially utilised patents.

About the India Science and Technology Scoreboard

The India S&T Scoreboard is an interactive data platform developed by NITI Aayog to evaluate and compare the research and innovation performance of Indian States and Union Territories.

Major Components

Key Features

• Provides comparable state-wise scientific research and innovation data.
• Covers research publication trends from FY 2021–22 to FY 2024–25.
• Facilitates comparison among States and Union Territories.
• Examines research across academia, government R&D laboratories and industry.
• Supports evidence-based planning, policy formulation and identification of regional research gaps.

India's Scientific Research Ecosystem: Major Indicators

According to the NITI Aayog scoreboard, the national research ecosystem includes the following indicators.

Research Quality and Global Collaboration

Research output is assessed not only through the number of published papers but also through their quality, influence and international collaboration.

• Citation impact: India's CNCI of 0.89 is below the world-average benchmark of 1.00.
• Research quality: Publications in top-quartile journals provide an indication of journal standing.
• Global collaboration: Nearly 30% of publications involved international collaboration.
• Research visibility: Improving the quality and impact of publications remains essential alongside increasing their quantity.

Significance of the Findings

1. Evidence-based Science Policy: The scoreboard enables governments to use comparable research and innovation data for policy formulation and resource allocation.
2. Strengthening Cooperative and Competitive Federalism: States can identify successful policies, compare performance and adopt effective research-development practices from one another.
3. Promoting Regional Development: Identification of geographical disparities can support targeted investment in research institutions, universities and innovation infrastructure in underrepresented regions.
4. Enhancing India's Technological Competitiveness: Stronger scientific research and patent ecosystems can contribute to indigenous technology development, industrial competitiveness and technological self-reliance.
5. Supporting Viksit Bharat 2047: Expanding high-quality scientific research across states can strengthen India's long-term economic productivity, innovation capacity and development prospects.

Challenges Facing India's Research and Innovation Ecosystem

• Uneven regional distribution: Scientific research output remains concentrated in a limited number of States and Union Territories.
• Research funding disparities: Unequal access to funding can affect the development of research infrastructure.
• Institutional capacity gaps: Many institutions face limitations in advanced laboratories, equipment and specialised human resources.
• Limited industry-academia collaboration: Weak linkages may hinder the conversion of academic research into commercially viable innovations.
• Research quality concerns: Increasing publication numbers does not automatically ensure improvements in citation impact and scientific relevance.
• Commercialisation barriers: Patent filing, technology transfer and industrial application involve distinct challenges.

Way Forward

1. Strengthen State Universities: Expand research infrastructure, laboratories and academic research support in state public universities.
2. Increase R&D Investment: Promote sustained research funding through public investment, private participation and competitive grants.
3. Promote Regional Research Clusters: Establish collaborative networks among universities, research institutions, startups and industries.
4. Improve Research Quality: Encourage high-impact, interdisciplinary and internationally collaborative research.
5. Strengthen Technology Transfer: Support patent facilitation, incubation, licensing and commercialisation.
6. Use Scoreboard Data for Policymaking: States should regularly assess performance and formulate targeted science and technology policies.

Conclusion

The India Science and Technology Scoreboard 2026 highlights both India's expanding scientific research ecosystem and the uneven geographical distribution of its research output. With nearly 70% of reported research publications concentrated in five leading States/UTs, strengthening scientific capabilities across other regions is essential. Greater investment in research infrastructure, institutional capacity, innovation and collaboration can help India develop a more inclusive and competitive knowledge economy.

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