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124 PIONEERING A NEW FUTURE
Science and Engineering Research Board
Above: Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB): Supporting high-impact research
Below: Aerial view of the 205 MHz ST Radar facility at Cochin University of Science and Technology, established by SERB
Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) is a premier national funding agency, established in the year 2008, as a statutory body by an act of
Parliament, under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India. SERB
is internationally recognized as an organization that has demonstrated success in
building innovative research support
and management systems and has
catalysed India’s R&D growth and
capabilities in the field of science and
engineering. SERB is at the forefront of coordinating scientific research and its
promotion, catering to a large scientific
base of more than 100,000 researchers across the country. SERB’s funding ecosystem includes robust peer-review structures and stringent monitoring mechanisms ensuring quick release of project funds.
FUNDING MECHANISMS
SERB has a strong record of funding internationally competitive research, largely due to its robust peer-review structures, which are independent and merit-based. The core of grant assessment involves Program Advisory Committees (PACs) and Expert
Committees (ECs) that engage leading researchers, to steer the review process to assess the support worthiness of grant applications. The decision-making process is multi-layered, and follows a system of scrupulous merit-review, at par with established global norms.
These endeavours are supported by a state-of- the-art online ‘e-management’ system of grant applications and disbursement for delivery of time-bound funding decisions and monitoring of projects (https://serbonline.in).
SCHEMES & PROGRAMMES
Aligning with the needs of the research community, SERB funding is optimally structured into (i) major research schemes, (ii) awards, and (iii) partnership programmes. SERB is very distinctive in offering scientific support, cutting across demographics by covering a
wide spectrum of scientists, through targeted schemes and programmes. SERB’s recognition for outstanding scientists is exemplified by SERB-JC Bose Fellowships and SERB-National Science Chair, while SERB Science and Technology Award for Research (SERB-STAR) and SERB Women Excellence Awards (SERB- WEA) cater to a different age group and gender category of researchers.