Clarification regarding closure of Call for Proposal under Research Development & Innovation (RDI) Scheme by Technology Development Board (TDB)

Attention is drawn to certain media report published yesterday (30^th Sept.) citing shortage of fund as the reason for closure of RDI call by TDB which is not correct. It is clarified that TDB has closed its running call (opened since 4^th Feb. 2026) purely on “Administrative Reason” as notified on its website. There is absolutely no shortage of fund for disbursement to ETEs. TDB had asked for Rs. 500 Cr. for disbursement to ETEs, based on its estimate, for 6-month period. TDB was allocated Rs. 490 Cr. by RDIF. As on 30^th Sept. (6-month period of CFY 2026-27), TDB has disbursed Rs. 375. 69 Cr. to 10 ETEs from its 1^st cohort of 22 ETEs. TDB is still left with Rs. 114.31 Cr. which is yet to be disbursed. It may be noted that, under RDI Scheme, TDB releases matching fund only raised by respective ETEs from non-governmental sources. The actual disbursement by TDB to ETE is limited by the time it takes for them to raise matching funds, post which they send a demand notice to TDB to release RDI fund.       

The key reason to close the call is purely administrative reason amid unprecedented interest from ETEs due to which TDB has received close to 330 project proposals between 4^th Feb. till 30^th Sept. 2026. So far, TDB has evaluated 99 projects received during Feb. & March. 2026 & selected 35 for funding during 1^st cohort (22) & 2^nd cohort (13). The projects received in April & May 2026 is currently under evaluation by TDB. The Investment Committee (IC) & TDB are working tirelessly, conducting numerous group stage meetings to do initial screening & shortlisting of projects for further evaluation by full IC, full IC which meets almost every week.  It is heartening to receive such a strong response and see that India has a large pool of creative people and ideas to translate deep science.

Given the rigorous techno-commercial evaluation process that TDB follows, even after so much effort, TDB could only evaluate about 150 projects (including projects currently under-evaluation) during first 7 months (March to Sept.).  That’s why TDB has decided to take a “PAUSE” & closed its call for the time being which will be reopen shortly after assessment of all projects received till 30^th Sept. 2026.  

The DST/ANRF is in the process of assigning several other SLFM in the very near future.