New Delhi: In a major push towards advancing science and technology research in the country, the government has sanctioned the establishment of research parks at several top-tier educational institutions, minister of state for education Subhas Sarkar said.

The move aims to augment the research ecosystem and strengthen academic-industry collaborations.

The approved institutions include IIT Madras, IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Kanpur, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Gandhinagar, and IISc Bangalore. Notably, the research parks at IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur, and IIT Delhi are already functional, while others are nearing completion.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, the minister said that the main objectives of these research park are to have research collaboration with top-rated industries, to enable entrepreneurship and incubation of students and building strong academic linkages for the same, to increase outreach of academic content to industry and enabling industry to add value to academic programme through close collaborations etc.

To achieve the various objectives of research parks, these are normally established at higher educational institutions of the country, he added.

With a focus on boosting the outreach of academic content to the industry, the research parks aim to facilitate knowledge-sharing and continuous learning between researchers and industrial experts. The close association between academia and industry is also expected to enhance the employability of graduates and align their skills with industry requirements.