Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding National Innovation Foundation–India (NIF)?
- 1.NIF is an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology under the Central Government.
- 2.NIF is an initiative to strengthen the highly advanced scientific research in India's premier scientific institutions in collaboration with highly advanced foreign scientific institutions.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Answer & explanation
Answer: (a) 1 only
NIF is an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, so statement 1 is correct. Its role is to strengthen grassroots technological innovations, not advanced research in premier institutions in collaboration with foreign institutions, so statement 2 is wrong.
- ✓ 1. The Government of India describes NIF as an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology (DST). It was established in March 2000 with DST support.
- ✗ 2. NIF serves as India's national initiative to strengthen grassroots technological innovations. It is not an initiative for highly advanced research in premier scientific institutions in collaboration with foreign scientific institutions.
Remember · NIF, established in March 2000, is a DST autonomous body for grassroots innovation. It is not for elite research or foreign collaboration.
Sources
- PIB – National Innovation Portal of NIF-India, Background ↗ “The National Innovation Foundation (NIF) – India, an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India”
- NIF-India – About NIF ↗ · reference work “established in March 2000 with the support of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, serves as India's national initiative to strengthen grassroots technological innovations”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2015, General Studies Paper I. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·
