A National Institution Bridging Science, Society and Policy

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), established on 26 September 1942, has been at the fore­front of India’s scientific and techno­logical progress for over eight decades. While CSIR is widely recognized for its pioneering research and innovation, its vision extends far beyond laboratories to ensuring that scientific knowledge reach­es every section of society. This mission finds its strongest expression through the CSIR–National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR), a unique institution among CSIR’s 37 laboratories that serves as a bridge connecting scientific research, policy, industry, and society. It serves as a globally recognised think tank of India to fulfill the emerging national aspira­tions and needs related with STI policy research and science communication.

Reflecting this legacy, the Journal of Scientific & Industrial Research (JSIR), established in 1942, is the oldest scien­tific journal of CSIR and continues to be published by NIScPR as a distinguished platform for high-quality research and innovation. The primary objective of NIScPR is to promote STI policy stud­ies, science communication, and research in the areas of science, technology, and innovation among various societal stakeholders. NIScPR was established in 2021 following the merger of two of CSIR’s predecessor laboratories NISCAIR (estd. in 1951) and NISTADS (estd. in 1980). Preserving a legacy spanning over seven decades, this research institute has been playing the role of a bridge connecting science and technology with industry and society.

PUBLISHING SCIENCE, CONNECTING KNOWLEDGE

NIScPR’s portfolio of 15 peer-reviewed research journals in various S&T do­mains represents one of India’s most re­spected platforms for scholarly publish­ing in science and technology. Renowned for their scientific excellence and interna­tional visibility, these journals follow a Diamond Open Access model, ensuring free online access for readers while charg­ing no Article Processing Charges (APCs) to authors. All 15 journals are indexed in leading international databases and are recognised through globally accepted metrics such as Journal Citation Reports (JCR), SCImago Journal Rank (SJR), Ci­teScore, and NAAS ratings. Supported by a seamless online manuscript submis­sion system, the journal ecosystem also includes two journals indexed under the WIPO Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). Reinforcing its commitment to respon­sible and future-ready scholarly commu­nication, NIScPR has also introduced a comprehensive Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy for its research journals, ensuring the ethical and transparent use of AI in scientific publishing.

NIScPR is renowned across the country for its three popular science magazines— Vigyan Pragati (a Hindi monthly); Science Reporter (an English monthly); and Science Ki Duniya (an Urdu quarterly). All three magazines are very popular across the country. The publication of Vigyan Pragati was start­ed by CSIR in 1952, and is set to enter its 75th year of its publication in August 2026. Students, general public and youth preparing for competitive examinations eagerly await these magazines. Science Diplomacy is NIScPR’s Global Digest of Multidisciplinary Science, launched in 2017. It is an open-access quarterly publication that highlights the growing role of science in international relations. Covering science diplomacy, innova­tion, technology, policy developments, global partnerships, and expert perspec­tives, it promotes dialogue on emerging global challenges while strengthening the bonding between STI, and sustain­able development.

NIScPR has a great repository of sci­entific information in the form of research journals, and popular science magazines. You can find more information about NIScPR’s Online Periodicals Repository (NOPR) at http://nopr.niscpr.res.in/

SCIENCE POLICY RESEARCH FOR A SUSTAINABLE AND INNOVATIVE INDIA

Science Policy Research at CSIR-NIS­cPR serves as a strategic bridge between scientific knowledge and public policy, generating evidence-based solutions that strengthen India’s STI ecosystem. Aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 and the Sustainable Develop­ment Goals (SDGs), the programme adopts a multidisciplinary approach to address emerging national and global challenges. Its research spans innova­tion and entrepreneurship, technol­ogy commercialization, climate action, sustainable agriculture, environmental governance, pollution mitigation, and transformative technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum tech­nologies, semiconductors, and the bio­economy. By integrating policy analy­sis, impact assessment, advanced data analytics, and foresight studies, NIScPR develops actionable insights that sup­port informed decision-making across government, industry, academia, and society. Through policy briefs, strategic roadmaps, technology assessments, STI indicators, and decision-support tools, NIScPR strengthens the science-policy interface and accelerates innovation-led growth. By translating scientific evidence into practical policy recommendations, Science Policy Research empowers India to build a resilient, competitive, and fu­ture-ready nation where science, sustain­ability, and societal well-being advance together.

NIScPR provides evidence-based policy inputs for national policy mak­ing in several critical thematic S&T areas including sustainability studies, scien­tometrics, benchmarking and foresight studies, entrepreneurship & start-up ecosystem and socio-economic impact & market research. The STI ecosystem is becoming increasingly large, complex, and non-linear. Conventional indicators are no longer sufficient to understand this evolving landscape. At NIScPR, the next-generation STI indicators are being developed that go beyond count­ing publications and patents. NIScPR focuses on measuring quality, causal understanding, and weak signals by in­tegrating scientometrics, artificial intel­ligence, and qualitative approaches to support foresight and evidence-based STI policymaking.

TECHNOLOGY READINESS FOR INNOVATION AND IMPACT

We usually witness that many promis­ing technologies fail before reaching the market because they are not suf­ficiently mature, validated, or aligned with user requirements. To address this challenge, the global scientific commu­nity uses Technology Readiness Levels, or TRLs. TRL is a systems engineering management tool that helps assess the maturity of a technology and determine what needs to be done before it can move to the next stage. Over the last several years, NIScPR has emerged as a national leader in TRL assessment. We have de­veloped generic as well as sector-specific TRL frameworks covering engineering, medical technologies, agriculture, water technologies, and several emerging do­mains including drones. More recently, we have been associated with the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India as a knowledge partner for the TRL Compass initiative.

NIScPR, in collaboration with the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC), is driving the National Establishment for Technol­ogy Readiness Assessment (NETRA) initiative by developing sector-specific TRL frameworks. This collaborative effort aims to standardize technology assessment, accelerate innovation com­mercialization, strengthen industry-ac­ademia linkages, and support evidence-based technology policy and strategic decision making in India.

NKRC: ENABLING EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH AND LEARNING

The National Knowledge Resource Con­sortium (NKRC), coordinated by NIS­cPR, is one of India’s largest and most impactful knowledge resource consor­tia, serving 82 participating institutions across the Council of Scientific and In­dustrial Research (CSIR), the Department of Science and Technology (DST), and the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). Established in 2002, NKRC facilitates seamless access to more than 75 special­ized electronic resources, including schol­arly e-journals, bibliographic and citation databases, standards, and other research information products from leading global publishers that are outside the scope of the PM-One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) initiative. Through centralized licensing and strategic negotiations, the consortium has significantly expanded access to high-quality scientific informa­tion while achieving substantial savings in public expenditure. NKRC also plays a pivotal role in the successful implemen­tation of the PM-One Nation One Sub­scription (ONOS) scheme by facilitating the consolidation and transfer of CSIR’s subscription contributions to the central­ized ONOS mechanism and providing technical, administrative, and coordina­tion support for its implementation. By ensuring equitable access to world-class scientific information resources and pro­moting resource sharing across institu­tions, NKRC continues to strengthen India’s research ecosystem and serves as a successful national model for collabora­tive knowledge resource management. In a significant step towards strengthening access to high-quality scientific, techni­cal and intellectual property information, the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGP­DTM), Government of India, and CSIR-NIScPR signed a MoU on 15 July 2026 for participation in the NKRC. For more in­formation, , visit https://nkrc.niscpr.res.in

NATIONAL SCIENCE LIBRARY AND GATEWAY TO ISSN SERVICES

The National Science Library (NSL) is a government facility of national im­portance, coordinated by NIScPR. NSL houses more than 2.9 lakh collections, including books, journals, theses, stan­dards, and online resources, to support students, researchers and scientists. NSL has reader room service for 70 readers during working hours. NSL was estab­lished by CSIR in June 1963. At pres­ent, it is situated at the NIScPR office on Satsang Vihar Marg, New Delhi. The ISSN National Centre (India) based at NIScPR, has been a member of the glob­al ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) network since 1986. Network activities are administered by the ISSN International Centre in Paris. Each ISSN National Centre representing one of the 93 countries in the network is respon­sible for implementing ISSN activities within its respective country. This cen­tre is responsible for assigning ISSNs to journals and periodicals published in In­dia and for providing information about them to the International ISSN Register. To date, the centre has assigned ISSNs to approximately 27,777 Indian journals and periodicals.

SHOWCASING INDIA’S EVIDENCE-BASED TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE THROUGH SVASTIK

Our country possesses a rich heritage of traditional knowledge and practices. Recognizing the significance of Indian traditional knowledge and its scientific basis, the Prime Minister of India and President of the CSIR Society, Narendra Modi, emphasized the need to effectively communicate information regarding the scientific validation of traditional knowl­edge and practices to the public. CSIR was directed to collaborate with rele­vant stakeholders across the country and spearhead efforts to implement a nation­al initiative focused on ‘Communicat­ing India’s Scientifically Validated Tra­ditional Knowledge’. NIScPR has been designated as the nodal organization for implementing this national initiative. Until now 85 stories based on Indian tra­ditional knowledge with scientific basis have been disseminated through #SVAS­TIK social media platforms in English along with dissemination in 19 Indian and 5 foreign languages. For more in­formation about this initiative, you may visit https://www.svastik.niscpr.res.in

COMMUNICATING SCIENCE, INSPIRING PUBLIC TRUST

In 2023, NIScPR came up with an initia­tive with a unique objective to spread the milestones, breakthroughs and achieve­ments of Indian science. This initiative is known as Science Media Communica­tion Cell (SMCC). The key objective of the SMCC unit at NIScPR is to produce audio-visual and social media content re­garding scientific achievements of Indian laboratories and make it accessible to the general public on a large scale. It also serves as a platform for dialogue among citizens, researchers, scholars, experts, and institutions. It acts as a shared plat­form for sharing and making available to users all science-based content pro­duced by CSIR laboratories and other science departments across the country. This unit ensures the communication of scientific information through print, audio-visual, and social media channels. To know more about SMCC, you can visit http://www.smcc.niscpr.res.in.

NIScPR conducts a PhD programme to guide researchers in the fields of Sci­ence, Technology, and Innovation Policy and Science Communication. To date, 28 researchers have obtained their PhDs through this programme, and 41 students are currently pursuing their research.

In recent years, NIScPR has collabo­rated with leading scientific institutions to organize conferences on significant themes such as Deep Science versus Deep Tech, STI indicators for effective R&D governance, Open science, Human-cen­tric AI, and the Semiconductor ecosys­tem. NIScPR actively participates in sci­entific programmes and conferences of national and international significance; the Raisina Dialogue on Science Diplo­macy Initiative (SDI) is a prime example of this. Since 2017, NIScPR has been coordinating two significant events of the India International Science Festival (IISF) called ‘Vigyanika’ and ‘Science & Technology Media Conclave’.

Recently, NIScPR has also entered into partnership agreements with Re­search and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), Indian National Science Academy (INSA), Andhra Pradesh State S&T Council, National Disaster Management Author­ity (NDMA), National Institute of Ad­vanced Studies (NIAS) and Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM). These strategic partnerships reflect CSIR-NIS­cPR’s commitment to building a collab­orative national and global knowledge ecosystem for science communication and science policy research. By working closely with leading scientific institu­tions, policy think tanks, government agencies, academia, and industry, the in­stitute seeks to co-create evidence-based policy solutions, strengthen research and innovation ecosystems, enhance science communication capacities, promote knowledge sharing, and address emerg­ing societal challenges. Such collabora­tions also enable NIScPR to benchmark its programmes against global best prac­tices while ensuring that its research and outreach remain firmly aligned with In­dia’s developmental priorities and aspira­tions towards Viksit Bharat 2047.

CSIR-NIScPR holds a significant place among the early institutional ini­tiatives for science popularization and policy studies and research in indepen­dent India. Its legacy is intertwined with the nation’s progress. Dedicated to the core objectives of science communication and science policy research, the institute strives to emerge as a globally bench­marked institution that advances India’s leadership in evidence-based policymak­ing, scientific knowledge dissemination, and public engagement with science.

*Dr Geetha Vani Rayasam, an accomplished scientist with vast experience in academia, industry and Government of India, is the Director of CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (NIScPR). Dr Manish Mohan Gore leads the Science Media Communica­tion Cell at CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (NIScPR) and is the Senior Scientist and editor of the NIScPR’s popular science magazine, ‘Vigyan Pragati’.