ANRF Announces PAIR Networks with 18 Hubs, 106 Spokes Selected

21 Apr 2025 CW Team

The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has announced the formation of PAIR Networks—a nationwide alliance of 18 Hub institutions and 106 partnering Spokes—under its flagship Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR) programme.

The initiative is designed to connect higher education institutions with leading research centres through structured collaboration and mentorship, thereby reinforcing India’s research and innovation ecosystem.

The call for participation received an enthusiastic response from the academic community, with 30 top-tier institutions submitting Hub proposals and 166 institutions expressing interest as Spokes. Following a rigorous evaluation process, 18 institutions have been selected to act as Hubs and to spearhead collaborative research, innovation and capacity-building efforts in partnership with 106 Spoke institutions nationwide.

Strategic Structure for Inclusive Research Growth To foster focused engagement and broaden the programme’s reach, the selected networks have been divided into two strategic categories:

Category A: 7 Hub institutions with 45 Spokes Category B: 11 Hub institutions with 61 Spokes

Advancing NEP 2020 Vision Anchored in the principles of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the PAIR programme reflects ANRF’s mission to unlock the latent research potential of India’s academic sector. It aims to create vibrant ecosystems of innovation, transforming participating institutions into hubs of excellence and global relevance.

The complete list of selected institutions is available in Annexure-I.

Infrastructure Transport

15 May 2025

Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Set to Launch by 2028

India’s first bullet train is set to revolutionize high-speed travel along the western corridor, with the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project aiming for a 2028 launch. This announcement marks a major milestone in India’s infrastructure goals, as it promises to reduce travel time between the two economic hubs from eight hours to just three.Spanning a planned 508-kilometre stretch, the corridor stands as a flagship example of Indo-Japanese collaboration in technology and engineering. Once operational, the train is expected to transform intercity mobility and place India among the select..

Mumbai-Gandhinagar Train Service Enhances Passenger Capacity

The Mumbai Central–Gandhinagar Capital Vande Bharat Express has increased its passenger capacity by adding four additional AC chair car coaches to meet the growing commuter demand on one of India’s busiest business corridors. This upgrade, effective from 11 May, raised the train’s seating capacity from 1,128 to 1,440 passengers, allowing it to serve 936 more passengers daily in both directions. The increase was described as a practical measure to accommodate the surging demand on the busy Mumbai–Ahmedabad–Gandhinagar route, which regularly operates at over 150 percent seat occupancy...

Delhi Plans 12 Sewage Plants to Clean Najafgarh Drain Efficiently

Delhi’s ambitious plan to improve the water quality of the Yamuna River has gained significant momentum as the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has begun work on 12 new sewage treatment plants (STPs) aimed at reducing the volume of untreated sewage being discharged from the Najafgarh Drain.This initiative forms part of the ongoing efforts to clean the Yamuna and restore the river’s health, which has long been a critical environmental issue for the national capital. Given the alarming pollution levels in the Yamuna, experts and officials consider this project a vital step toward addressing the persist..