Union Minister of State for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences, Jitendra Singh on Sunday announced a set of policy reforms to enhance the "Ease of Innovation" and “Ease of Doing Research”, providing long-awaited relief to innovators, researchers scholars, scientists and institutions across the country. Jitendra Singh unveiled decisions that will enable academic and research institutions to bypass some of the most cited hurdles in their day-to-day functioning—particularly around procurement delays and financial ceilings.
The announcement follows extensive consultations led by the Principal Scientific Adviser’s office, drawing insights from 13 IITs and multiple research bodies across India.One of the most consequential decisions announced is the delegation of procurement powers to institutional heads. Directors of scientific organisations and Vice Chancellors of universities will now be empowered to carry out non-GeM (Government e-Marketplace) purchases for specialized research equipment and materials—a departure from the existing rules which mandated GeM procurement even when suitable items were unavailable.