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Science & Technology 22 September 2026 · Event date: 21 September 2026
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Office of PSA convenes first ‘State Governments Nodal Officers Meeting’ to strengthen state-level coordination for wider access to Scientific and R&D infrastructure

Office of PSA convenes first ‘State Governments Nodal Officers Meeting’ to strengthen state-level coordination for wider access to Scientific and R&D infrastructure
Official visual from the source release · Source: Press Information Bureau

The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser convened the first State Governments Nodal Officers Meeting for the I-STEM Portal on September 21, 2026. Chaired by Scientific Secretary Dr. Parvinder Maini, the meeting gathered nodal officers from 23 States and 4 UTs to strengthen state-level coordination, encourage institutional onboarding, and optimize the use of publicly funded scientific infrastructure. The I-STEM portal currently hosts over 31,000 instruments across nearly 4,000 institutions with more than 65,000 registered users.

Why It Matters

This is relevant for competitive exam candidates tracking governance initiatives in science and technology, digital public portals, and research infrastructure developments by the Government of India.

UPSCSSCState PSC

In Simple Words

The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser hosted its first State Governments Nodal Officers Meeting for the I-STEM portal to boost state-level coordination in research and development. The initiative aims to onboard state institutions, list publicly funded scientific equipment costing over 20 lakh, and reduce investment duplication.

Launched in January 2020, the I-STEM platform has grown into a national resource featuring more than 31,000 scientific instruments across nearly 4,000 institutions. The meeting focused on integrating state universities, research labs, and technical colleges with the national platform to help researchers, startups, and MSMEs access specialized scientific facilities efficiently.

Key Points

  • The first State Governments Nodal Officers Meeting for the I-STEM Portal was held on 21st September 2026.
  • The meeting was chaired by Dr. (Mrs.) Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, Office of PSA.
  • I-STEM was conceived by the Office of the PSA and launched by the Prime Minister in January 2020.
  • The platform features more than 31,000 scientific instruments across nearly 4,000 institutions with over 65,000 users.
  • Publicly funded equipment costing above 20 lakh is listed on I-STEM for shared access.
  • The meeting included representatives from 23 States and 4 UTs.
  • Dr. Vishal Choudhary provided an overview, and Dr. Harilal Bhaskar conducted the platform orientation.
  • Other existing portals like the CSIR ANALYTICS portal are being integrated with I-STEM through API linkages.

Exam Angle

Chairperson
Dr. (Mrs.) Parvinder Maini
Launch Year of I-STEM
January 2020
Equipment cost threshold for listing
Above 20 lakh
Participants
23 States and 4 UTs

A. January 2020

Source: Press Information Bureau

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