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Under the prestigious Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR) Programme, launched by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), seven Hub Institutions have been selected for funding in the first phase.
These include three Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), one National Institute of Technology (NIT), the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), and two Central Universities.
In its first phase, the PAIR Programme focuses on institutions with demonstrable or promising research potential, while also ensuring regional diversity. Each PAIR comprises one Hub and a network of seven Spoke institutions, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration on nationally relevant research themes that aim to deliver tangible and measurable outcomes.
The Hub-and-Spoke model will promote institutional collaboration through shared research infrastructure, joint conferences and workshops, hands-on training, faculty development, and access to advanced expertise. Each approved PAIR network will be eligible for up to Rs 100 crore in funding over five years, distributed in a 30:70 ratio between Hub and Spoke institutions, respectively.
This project will focus on four key thematic areas- Energy Technologies; Environmental Sustainability; Health & Medical Technologies; and Sustainable Agriculture.
Operating on a hub-and-spoke mentorship model, the programme pairs well-established institutions with emerging ones to bridge existing research gaps. The model employs a "pull-and-push" approach: while the hub institution consolidates the skills and potential of the spokes for impactful research activities, it simultaneously pushes scientific excellence and innovation back into the spokes, enabling rapid and sustainable progress.
