NIT-R selected as ‘hub’ institute under central research prog

Bhubaneswar/Rourkela: National Institute of Technology, Rourkela is the only institute from eastern India and only NIT in the country to be selected as a ‘hub' institution under the Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR) programme, launched by the Centre's Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF).
NIT-R is one of just seven institutes selected from 30 national proposals in the first phase. The selection followed a rigorous review process and a final presentation led by NIT-R director K Umamaheshwar Rao and senior faculty members before the apex review committee in Bengaluru.
The PAIR programme, aligned with National Education Policy-2020, aims to strengthen research capabilities in institutes showing promising potential. Under this initiative, NIT-R will mentor seven ‘spoke' institutions through a collaborative network focused on sustainable development in agriculture, health, energy and environment.
The seven spoke institutions are VSSUT, Burla, Sambalpur University, OUTR, Bhubaneswar, Fakir Mohan University, Balasore, International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Bhubaneswar, OUAT, Bhubaneswar, and Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana (Punjab).
"Through this initiative, we aim to strengthen our research network and mentor emerging institutions, contributing to India's vision of building a robust, inclusive research ecosystem," said Rao.
The programme will receive funding up to Rs 100 crore over five years, distributed between hub and spoke institutions in a 30:70 ratio. NIT-R will lead a comprehensive research initiative titled ‘Consortium of Technologies for Sustainable Agriculture, Health, Energy, and Environment', focusing on four key thematic areas — energy technologies, environmental sustainability, health and medical technologies, and sustainable agriculture.
A dedicated steering committee has been established to oversee the project's implementation and ensure effective collaboration across the network. The initiative will facilitate shared research infrastructure, joint conferences, hands-on training and faculty development programmes. NIT-R has developed various technology and tools related to the identified themes, which will be shared with partner institutions, official sources said.
Through this hub-and-spoke mentorship model, the initiative aims to bridge research gaps and foster scientific innovation while ensuring regional diversity and collaborative growth in India's higher education landscape, NIT-R said in an official statement.
On the other hand, Berhampur University has been chosen as a ‘spoke' institution under Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, which will grant funds for research works. "A consortium will be created by including departments like biotechnology, environmental sciences, marine sciences and zoology to conduct research works under PAIR funds," said Sukant Kumar Tripathy, PG Council chairman of Berhampur University.
Major thrust areas of research under the PAIR grants include antimicrobial resistance, cancer biology, mosquito vector control, urban air quality, climate and mitigation, official sources said.
(With inputs from Hrusikesh Mohanty in Berhampur)