ANRF selects 10 institutions for convergence research centres
The Anusandhan National Research Foundation selected ten institutions to host Convergence Research Centres of Excellence, mixing social sciences and humanities with science and technology. The call drew 945 proposals; Co-PIs span 20 collaborating institutes. The programme cites NEP 2020’s multidisciplinary push and Viksit Bharat 2047.
- Selected
- 10 Convergence Research Centres of Excellence
- Proposals
- 945 received
- Collaborators
- Co-PIs from 20 institutes (Central/State universities, IITs, NITs, private universities, R&D labs)
- Themes
- archaeology/traditional knowledge; digital humanities; rural development; health/psychology; languages/emerging tech for social issues
- Policy links
- NEP 2020; Viksit Bharat 2047
ANRF Convergence Research Centres of Excellence: what happened?
Hard problems rarely sit in one department. ANRF’s convergence centres pay for teams that put historians next to climate scientists, or Sanskrit scholars next to AI labs.
- Host institutes include IIT Gandhinagar, NIAS Bengaluru, IIT Madras, NIT Agartala, IHD Delhi, IIT Dharwad, IIM Jammu, IIT Kanpur, Chanakya University and others listed in the PIB note.
- Each Centre needs intra- or inter-institution collaboration across public or eligible private partners.
What is ANRF aiming at here?
- Centres that integrate social sciences and humanities with science and technology on complex societal challenges.
Why does ANRF Convergence Research Centres of Excellence matter?
- Research policy: Multidisciplinary CoEs under ANRF.
- NEP fit: Breaks silos between knowledge domains.
What can Prelims ask on ANRF Convergence Research Centres of Excellence?
- ANRF Convergence CoEs: 10 selected; 945 proposals; 20 collaborating institutes.
How to use this in Mains
- As per PIB (2026-05-20): ANRF selected 10 institutions for Convergence Research Centres of Excellence that combine science with social sciences and humanities.
- Social problems need research that crosses disciplines.
Quotable data pointANRF selected 10 institutions for Convergence Research Centres of Excellence that combine science with social sciences and humanities.
PIB: S&T: ANRF CoEs, 20 May 2026
Exam angle
Prelims: ANRF.
Practice MCQs
Original practice questions (not PYQs).
ANRF selected how many Convergence Research Centres of Excellence?
Answer (b) & explanation
PIB (ANRF), 20 May 2026.
The Convergence CoE call received how many proposals?
Answer (a) & explanation
PIB (ANRF), 20 May 2026.
Questions students ask about this
How many Convergence Research CoEs did ANRF select?
Ten.
How many proposals came in?
945.
What policy documents does the programme cite?
NEP 2020 and the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
Keep studying
Go deeper
Official source: PIB: S&T: ANRF CoEs, 20 May 2026
facts from cited sources only; faculty review pending