Source: PIB| Date: March 26, 2026
The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change, chaired by Rajya Sabha MP Shri Bhubaneswar Kalita, presented its 407th Report on the Demands for Grants (2026-27) of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) on March 25, 2026.
The report, adopted on March 24, provides a detailed review of the Department's financial management, flagship schemes, autonomous institutions, genomics initiatives, and human resource issues.
Budget Trends and Utilization: From Volatility to Improvement
The Committee highlighted fluctuating budget patterns in recent years. In FY 2024-25, the DBT saw its allocation rise from ₹2,275.70 crore at Budget Estimates (BE) to ₹2,460.13 crore at Revised Estimates (RE), yet actual expenditure reached only ₹1,998 crore — reflecting about 19% underutilization. In FY 2025-26, the BE of ₹3,446.64 crore was cut by 17.8% to ₹2,830.45 crore at RE, but the Department achieved an impressive 96.23% utilization (₹2,723.68 crore) by early February 2026.
The flagship Bio-RIDE scheme (Biotechnology Research Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development) — which integrates research & development, industrial & entrepreneurship development, and a new biomanufacturing & biofoundry component — performed strongly, utilizing 94.88% of its RE allocation. Overall DBT allocation for 2026-27 remains nearly flat at around ₹3,446 crore, with Bio-RIDE continuing as the dominant share (over two-thirds of the budget).
Key Takeaway: The Committee appreciated the sharp improvement in spending efficiency but urged realistic BE projections, better engagement with the Ministry of Finance to avoid steep RE cuts, and institutionalization of monitoring mechanisms that drove the 2025-26 success. It stressed multi-year planning to reduce volatility and ensure that increased allocations translate into outcomes rather than notional figures.
Focus on Bio-RIDE: Scaling Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Bio-RIDE, approved by the Cabinet in September 2024, aims to bridge academic research and industrial application while boosting biomanufacturing. The panel recommended a robust real-time monitoring framework tracking not just spending but outcomes: patents and technologies licensed (R&D), startup survival/growth rates (Industrial & Entrepreneurship Development), and industry utilization plus scaling success (Biofoundry).
Additional suggestions include:
- A dedicated "Venture Development Program" under BIRAC for mentorship and industry linkages to help BioNEST incubator startups move from proof-of-concept to commercial scale.
- A mission-mode program for affordable healthcare devices (e.g., intraocular lenses, cardiovascular stents) involving clinicians, engineers, and entrepreneurs, with milestone-based funding and early CDSCO navigation support.
These recommendations reflect a push to strengthen India's bio-entrepreneurship ecosystem and accelerate product development in critical areas like healthcare.
Autonomous Institutions and iBRIC Network: Stability with Ambition
The report notes steady budget increases and near-perfect (over 99%) utilization for autonomous institutions, justifying a marginal hike to ₹1,002.13 crore for 2026-27. It advocates multi-year funding commitments for long-term research planning.
The Committee proposed leveraging the Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB) as an "Institution of National Importance" to unify the 13 iBRIC (Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council) institutes and ICGEB through:
- A centralized PhD/admissions portal.
- Credit-sharing and joint coursework.
- A new joint Postgraduate Diploma in Biomanufacturing and Translational Research.
To improve lab-to-market translation, it suggested dedicated pathways for promising discoveries (e.g., Mpox and malaria vaccines, Hemophilia gene therapy), a shared "Foundry for Diagnostics," and using THSTI's upcoming facilities for clinical trials. It also called for large inter-institutional "mission-mode" projects, such as One-Health initiatives for disease surveillance and region-specific efforts in the Northeast combining traditional knowledge with modern genomics and crop improvement.
National Genomics Data Grid: Ambitious Vision, Funding Gap
Building on the GenomeIndia project (which sequenced 10,000 Indian genomes), the Committee strongly endorsed the proposed National Genomics Data Grid (NGDG), targeting 1 million genomes to capture India's genetic diversity. It criticized the lack of dedicated funding in 2026-27 (only ₹20 crore allocated for related translational projects) and recommended launching it as a National Mission with immediate adequate funding.
Further recommendations include:
- A mission-mode sub-program on rare genetic diseases, focusing on founder mutations in endogamous communities and carrier screening kits.
- Pilot projects for integrating genomic insights into public healthcare via collaboration with the Health Ministry and ICMR.
- Interdisciplinary work with the Anthropological Survey of India and Archaeological Survey of India to explore ancient history and cultural evolution through genomics.
Human Resource Challenges: A Critical Bottleneck
The report flags serious staffing shortages. In the DBT headquarters, 24% of sanctioned scientific posts (13 out of 54) remain vacant. Across 15 autonomous bodies, the average vacancy rate stands at 31%, with some institutes severely affected (e.g., NABI at 70.5%, CIAB at 68.8%).
The Committee called for expedited recruitment, a special time-bound drive for worst-hit institutes, finalization of revised Recruitment Rules for BRIC institutions, and reduced over-reliance on contractual staff for core activities to prevent brain drain.
Overall Assessment
The 407th Report strikes a balanced tone: it commends the DBT for marked improvements in financial absorption and project momentum under Bio-RIDE, while pushing for systemic reforms in budgeting accuracy, outcome-oriented monitoring, inter-institutional collaboration, and talent retention. The emphasis on translation — from genomics data to public health applications, and from lab discoveries to commercial products — aligns with national priorities in self-reliant biotechnology, affordable healthcare, and biomanufacturing.
If implemented, these recommendations could help India better harness its biotech potential amid global competition. However, persistent issues like budget volatility, staffing gaps, and the funding shortfall for the ambitious NGDG highlight the need for stronger coordination between the Department, Finance Ministry, and other stakeholders.
The report serves as both a pat on the back for recent efficiency gains and a roadmap for converting increased public investment into tangible scientific, economic, and societal impact.
The full report is available on the Rajya Sabha website (sansad.in/rs). This analysis underscores Parliament's oversight role in ensuring accountable and outcome-driven science funding in a strategically vital sector.
