Does Output-Driven Research Culture Hinder Social-Outcome-Focused Funding? Insights from the STI Hub Program of DST

This paper assesses the funding process of India's Department of Science and Technology’s (DST) Science Technology and Innovation (STI) Hub program, focusing on how well the submitted proposals align with the goals of the program and how the quality of the proposed research is assessed by reviewers while recommending proposals for funding. Qualitative research methods, including semi-structured interviews with the STI Hub program head, program review committee head, and focus group discussions with review committee members, were used in the evaluation of the research assessment process. The alignment and quality of the project proposals were determined by how well they addressed the STI Hub program’s stated objectives. Analyzing the STI Hub's objectives helped develop 19 indicators essential to fulfill the program's goals. 200 proposals were evaluated to determine if they addressed these indicators, providing insights into the quality of submitted proposals and their alignment with the program goals. Our findings suggest that the alignment of proposals with project goals is not encouraging, highlighting the challenge of balancing publication-driven academic research with the need for immediate social impact and participatory research approaches in research proposal design. The research assessment process needs better formal guidelines, a structured assessment method, and transparency. The reputation of the institution and principal investigator, as well as the perspectives of review committee members, influence decision-making. The findings highlight the need for a better understanding of the STI Hub program’s objectives among reviewers and a shift in academic attitudes to value various outcomes beyond journal publications and institutional reputation. The findings of this paper will help guide the design and implementation of future social impact initiatives by Indian STEM funding agencies.