Quick answer: The India S&T Scoreboard is an online dashboard built by NITI Aayog that puts science and technology data for every State and Union Territory side by side. It was unveiled on 3 November 2026 in New Delhi by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Ashok Kumar Lahiri, and is hosted at sts.niti.gov.in.
Why the India S&T Scoreboard is in the news
According to a Press Information Bureau (PIB) release, NITI Aayog launched the “India S&T Scoreboard” on 3 November 2026 at the Civil Services Officers’ Institute (CSOI) on KG Marg, New Delhi. Vice Chairman Ashok Kumar Lahiri released it in the presence of Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Member (S&T), NITI Aayog; Prof. Umesh V. Waghmare, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology; and Dr. T. Srinivasa Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences.
The problem it tackles: research and innovation data has been scattered across many sources, so a State could not easily tell where it stood. The Scoreboard puts ecosystem, publication and patent data on one dashboard with year-wise trends. Lahiri linked it to “cooperative and competitive federalism” and urged all States and UTs to use it.
Key facts about the India S&T Scoreboard
- Launched by: NITI Aayog; ThePrint reports it was built by NITI Aayog’s Science and Technology Division.
- Date and place: 3 November 2026, CSOI, New Delhi.
- Unveiled by: Ashok Kumar Lahiri, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog (the Prime Minister is the chairperson of NITI Aayog).
- Coverage: all States and UTs; Swarajya puts the number at 36.
- Inputs tracked: higher education institutions, R&D institutions, deep-tech start-ups and incubators.
- Outputs tracked: research publications and patents, with indicators for quality, impact, collaboration and open access.
- Three sectors compared: Academia, Government R&D Labs and Industry.
- Data period on the live site: FY2021-22 to FY2024-25; publication indicators are drawn from Web of Science / InCites.
- Other features: side-by-side comparison of States, detailed State profiles, and a record of State S&T policies and best practices.
- Link to national goal: the PIB release ties it to the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.
The 11 priority research areas on the Scoreboard
The Scoreboard’s own dashboard groups output into 11 research areas. These are worth noting because they mirror the technologies India treats as strategic.
| No. | Research area (as named on sts.niti.gov.in) |
|---|---|
| 1 | Agriculture & Food Security |
| 2 | AI and Cyberphysical Systems |
| 3 | Biotechnology and Biologics |
| 4 | Critical Minerals and Mining |
| 5 | Electronic Component Manufacturing & Semiconductors |
| 6 | Energy (Clean Fuel & Renewable Tech) |
| 7 | Geospatial & Space Technologies |
| 8 | Pharma, Med-Tech and Health |
| 9 | Telecommunications and Networks |
| 10 | Transportation & Smart Mobility |
| 11 | Water, Ocean Technologies and Land Resources |
Where India stands: the numbers behind the Scoreboard
ThePrint’s report on the launch placed the platform against India’s wider research record. It said India ranked 38th in the Global Innovation Index this year, against 81st in 2015, and that the country is third in the world in scientific publications and sixth in patent filings. The share of resident applicants in India’s patent filings has risen from 25.5 per cent to 56 per cent.
The same report flagged the weak spot: about 67 per cent of India’s research papers between 2001 and 2020 came from roughly 450 centrally funded institutions. By making State-wise gaps visible, NITI Aayog wants States, State S&T Councils and State universities to carry more of the load. Next steps, it said, are periodic data updates, closer work with States and, later, global comparisons.
Exam angle: how NDA, CDS and CAPF can ask this
- NITI Aayog basics are standard polity-and-economy GK: it replaced the Planning Commission and was formed on 1 January 2015, with the Prime Minister as ex-officio chairperson.
- Expect “which body launched” or “matching” questions pairing the S&T Scoreboard with NITI Aayog, and on India’s rank in the Global Innovation Index (38th, up from 81st in 2015).
- Cooperative and competitive federalism is a recurring theme in CAPF essay and general studies papers; this launch is a ready example.
- The research-area list (semiconductors, critical minerals, space, AI) overlaps with defence technology topics that appear in CDS and AFCAT general awareness.
Practice MCQs
Q1. The India S&T Scoreboard, launched in November 2026, was developed by:
(a) Department of Science and Technology (b) NITI Aayog (c) Ministry of Education (d) CSIR
Answer: (b) — NITI Aayog launched it on 3 November 2026.
Q2. Which three sectors does the Scoreboard compare?
(a) Academia, Government R&D Labs and Industry (b) Centre, States and UTs (c) Public, private and cooperative (d) Defence, space and atomic energy
Answer: (a) — the PIB release names these three sectors.
Q3. NITI Aayog replaced which body?
(a) National Development Council (b) Finance Commission (c) Planning Commission (d) Inter-State Council
Answer: (c) — NITI Aayog was formed on 1 January 2015 in place of the Planning Commission.
Q4. How many priority research areas does the India S&T Scoreboard track?
(a) 7 (b) 9 (c) 11 (d) 22
Answer: (c) — the dashboard lists 11 research areas.
Frequently asked questions
What is the India S&T Scoreboard?
It is an interactive NITI Aayog platform that brings together science and technology data for Indian States and UTs, covering institutions, start-ups, publications and patents, so that States can benchmark themselves.
Who launched the India S&T Scoreboard and when?
NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Ashok Kumar Lahiri unveiled it on 3 November 2026 at the Civil Services Officers’ Institute, New Delhi.
What is the website of the India S&T Scoreboard?
The Scoreboard is available at sts.niti.gov.in.
Why did NITI Aayog create the Scoreboard?
Research and innovation data was fragmented across sources, so States could not measure their position. The Scoreboard combines that data on one dashboard to support evidence-based policy.
Which research areas does the Scoreboard cover?
Eleven areas, including AI and cyberphysical systems, semiconductors, critical minerals, clean energy, space technologies, health and agriculture.
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Sources: PIB (NITI Aayog), 3 Nov 2026, India S&T Scoreboard, ThePrint, Swarajya. Facts as reported up to 5 November 2026.
Featured image background (representative): Al124aa / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
