Archive · 22 Sep 2026
States Strengthen Coordination to Expand Access to Scientific Research Infrastructure
India wants more researchers to be able to use scientific equipment that has been bought with public money.
Government officials said this equipment should be easy to find and access.
A meeting was held in New Delhi to discuss how states can join the I-STEM Portal more effectively.
Nodal officers will help institutions register and list their equipment.
The portal already lists more than 31,000 instruments at nearly 4,000 institutions.
More than 65,000 people are registered to use it.
Sharing equipment can help researchers avoid buying the same expensive tools again.
Officials also discussed One Nation One Subscription, which provides wider access to research publications.
The government called for wider access and better use of publicly funded scientific and R&D infrastructure.
Dr Parvinder Maini highlighted nodal officers’ role in onboarding institutions and listing equipment on the I-STEM Portal.
The I-STEM platform now includes more than 31,000 instruments across nearly 4,000 institutions and over 65,000 users.
Officials from 23 states and four Union Territories discussed integrating state-level research and educational institutions with I-STEM.
Equipment costing above Rs 20 lakh must be listed on I-STEM to support shared access and reduce duplicate investment.
- Who
- Dr Parvinder Maini, state government nodal officers from 23 states and four Union Territories, and representatives from the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser and I-STEM.
- What
- Officials discussed strengthening state participation in the I-STEM ecosystem and improving access to publicly funded scientific infrastructure.
- When
- At the first State Governments Nodal Officers Meeting; the articles do not provide a date.
- Where
- New Delhi.
- Why
- To make scientific infrastructure and knowledge resources more discoverable, accessible and effectively used, while reducing duplication of investment.
- Platform
- I-STEM Portal
- Instruments listed
- More than 31,000
- Institutions represented
- Nearly 4,000
- Registered users
- More than 65,000
- State participation
- 23 states and four Union Territories
- Equipment listing threshold
- Publicly funded equipment costing above Rs 20 lakh
- Related initiative
- One Nation One Subscription