What happened
The Government through DST, TDB and ANRF reiterated governance and conflict-of-interest safeguards for Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund disbursals. The Government stated that funding decisions follow approved implementation guidelines and due process.
Background and earlier position
RDI Fund implementation guidelines recognise that experts able to evaluate cutting-edge technologies may also have prior experience in the innovation ecosystem through professional or investment associations. The Government’s position is that prior association is managed via disclosure and proposal-specific recusal, not blanket exclusion.
What changed now (clarification added in the latest reiteration)
The latest Government reiteration clarified COI operational rules: association with an innovation ecosystem entity is not treated as a violation by itself; disclosure and complete recusal are required for the concerned proposal where conflict exists; TDB Investment Committee COI rules link an Investment Committee member’s ownership in an ETE to a restriction on that ETE’s project submission during the member’s tenure.
Related current affairs
- RDI Fund conflict-of-interest policy protected by stringent safeguards; stakeholder inputs sought; disbursal and SLFM selection underway
- Conflict of interest in start-up panel ‘unavoidable’: Pathak
- Conflict of interest in selecting expert panels to disburse public funds for technology start-ups is ‘unavoidable’: Pathak
- Minister in R 23S: Potential conflict of interest in RDI fund disbursement