Maarg Manthan · Topic 17.6

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

Science & Technology › Science & Technology Policy and Institutions in India · Topic 17.6

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR, is India's largest publicly funded research and development organisation, an autonomous society registered in September 1942 and working under the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. It has a network of about 37 national laboratories, with outreach centres and units across the country. The Prime Minister is its President, the Union Minister of Science and Technology is the Vice President, and the Director General runs the council; Dr N Kalaiselvi became the first woman Director General in August 2022. CSIR's first Director, Dr Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, is the namesake of the science prize. Its achievements include the Swaraj tractor, the Saras civil aircraft prototype, the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library and the challenge to wrong patents on turmeric and neem.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Science & Technology · Science & Technology Policy and Institutions in India

At a Glance

Set up September 1942
President Prime Minister
First Director S S Bhatnagar
Labs About 37
Digital library TKDL
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Science & Technology: Science & Technology Policy and Institutions in India

Where Does It Fit?

This topic follows the account of DST. CSIR is the largest research organisation in the country and a major source of patents and technology, and it works through a different department of the same ministry. Previous topic: Department of Science and Technology (DST). Next topic: Survey of India.

What Is CSIR and How Is It Organised?

Aspect	Details
Founding	Set up in 1942 as the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research under the Board of Scientific and Industrial Research formed in 1940. Sir Arcot Ramaswami Mudaliar and Dr S S Bhatnagar were key figures
Status	An autonomous society registered under the Societies Registration Act, funded by the Government through DSIR
Governing body	The Prime Minister is President, the Union Minister of Science and Technology is Vice President, and the Governing Body is headed by the Director General
Network	About 37 national laboratories, 39 outreach centres, 3 innovation complexes and many units. Headquarters at Anusandhan Bhawan, New Delhi
Staff	Over 3,000 scientists and many technical staff
Fields	Chemicals, drugs, metallurgy, materials, aerospace, oceanography, ecology, mining, electronics and food
Leadership	Dr N Kalaiselvi, appointed in August 2022, is the first woman Director General

What Are CSIR’s Major Contributions?

Traditional Knowledge Digital Library: a database set up in 2001 by CSIR with the Department of AYUSH to document Indian traditional medicine in several languages, to stop wrongful patents
Turmeric case: a US patent on the healing use of turmeric was granted in 1995, CSIR challenged it in 1996 and it was revoked in 1997
Neem and basmati: India also opposed patents on neem and, with other agencies, on basmati rice
Aircraft: Saras light transport aircraft design by the National Aerospace Laboratories in Bengaluru
Agriculture: Swaraj tractor developed by the Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute
Health: drugs, vaccine support, Sickle cell test kits and low cost diagnostics; FELUDA, a paper-strip CRISPR test for COVID-19 in 2020
Materials: development of new alloys, lighter materials and fireworks with green crackers
Digital: supercomputers like Flosolver at CSIR-NAL for weather

What Else Should You Remember?

Green crackers: developed by CSIR-NEERI to reduce pollution
NEERI: National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur
NPL: National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi, which keeps India’s standard time and measurement standards
NCL: National Chemical Laboratory, Pune
CDRI: Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow
CCMB: Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad
NGRI: National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad
NIO: National Institute of Oceanography, Goa
CSIR-IGIB: Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi
CSMCRI: Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Bhavnagar
One Week One Lab: a CSIR campaign launched in 2023 for each lab to share its work with the public
Open Source Drug Discovery: a CSIR initiative of 2008 for open research on tuberculosis and malaria
Funding: CSIR earns revenue from patents and contract research
Patents: CSIR is among the top Indian patent filers
Critics: review committees note slow commercial success
CSIR-800: a programme for rural technologies
Link: the earlier department is in Department of Science and Technology (DST)
Link to awards: see Awards Related to Science in India
Founders: Dr Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar and Sir Arcot Ramaswami Mudaliar were key figures in setting up the council during the Second World War, to support industry for the war effort
Mission mode projects: CSIR runs projects on health, water, energy, aerospace and clean technology
Skill programmes: CSIR integrated skill initiative trains youth in technical skills
Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research: AcSIR, a CSIR linked university for doctoral programmes, was set up in 2011
Technology transfer: CSIR licenses technologies to companies and earns royalties
Societal missions: water purification, rural health kits and affordable housing materials are among CSIR social projects
Hand sanitiser and COVID work: CSIR labs supplied sanitisers, ventilators and testing methods during 2020
Global rank: CSIR features among large government research organisations in the world rankings
Head of governing body: the Governing Body includes secretaries of ministries and eminent scientists

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Year: 1942
Head: PM President, DG
Contributions: TKDL, turmeric, Saras, Swaraj
Current affairs link: One Week One Lab and new DG
Common errors: saying CSIR is under DST or Bhatnagar founded CSIR in 1958

As an analytical point, CSIR has a wide base of laboratories and some famous successes, but the share reaching the market is small. Closer ties with industry, better incentives and clearer missions can improve its impact.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Structure Society, 37 labs
IPR TKDL
Products Tractor, aircraft

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the Survey of India. Next topic: Survey of India.

Key People and Terms

CSIR Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
TKDL Traditional Knowledge Digital Library
NPL National Physical Laboratory
NEERI National Environmental Engineering Research Institute
DG Director General
OSDD Open Source Drug Discovery

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

CSIR set up 1942; Prime Minister is President.
About 37 national labs.
TKDL started 2001.
First woman DG: Kalaiselvi, 2022.
Turmeric patent revoked 1997.

Do Not Confuse With

CSIR and DST Society under DSIR versus department
CSIR and DRDO Civil research versus defence research
TKDL and patent Prior art database versus exclusive right

Memory Hook

Forty-two, PM presides, thirty-seven labs; turmeric won, TKDL guards, Kalaiselvi leads.

Mains Angle

Questions ask for year, head, achievements and TKDL. These points help.

Role Largest R&D
Impact TKDL, products
Reform Industry link

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Discuss the role of CSIR in India’s research system and its contribution to protecting traditional knowledge.”

How to Answer

Origin 1942.
Network Labs.
TKDL IPR.
Reform Market link.

GS Relevance

Prelims: CSIR year, head, labs, achievements, TKDL. GS Paper 3: science and technology institutions, IPR.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CSIR?

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research is India's largest publicly funded research and development organisation. It was set up in 1942 as an autonomous society, works through about 37 national laboratories and is funded through the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. The Prime Minister is its President.

What is the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library?

The Traditional Knowledge Digital Library is a database created by CSIR with the Department of AYUSH in 2001 that records Indian traditional medicine knowledge from ancient texts in several languages. Patent offices around the world use it as prior art to stop wrongful patents on Indian knowledge.

What was the turmeric patent case?

In 1995 the University of Mississippi Medical Center was granted a US patent on use of turmeric in wound healing. CSIR challenged it in 1996 with evidence from traditional texts, and the US Patent Office revoked the patent in 1997. It was the first case of a biopiracy patent on traditional knowledge being overturned.

Who was the first Director of CSIR?

Dr Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar was the first Director of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, and he led the building of national laboratories. The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, started in 1957, was named in his memory. In 2022, Dr N Kalaiselvi became the first woman Director General.

Where are some CSIR laboratories located?

CSIR laboratories include the National Physical Laboratory in New Delhi, National Chemical Laboratory in Pune, Central Drug Research Institute in Lucknow, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad, National Institute of Oceanography in Goa, and the National Aerospace Laboratories in Bengaluru.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 The Prime Minister is the President of CSIR.

True

Ex officio.

2 CSIR was set up in 1958.

False

It was set up in 1942.

3 TKDL helps prevent wrongful patents on traditional knowledge.