Clarification on the closure of proposal invitations under the RDI scheme by the Technology Development Board (TDB)

Technology Development Board (TDB), which works under the Ministry of Science and Technology, has officially closed the invitation for proposals for the recently released Research Development and Innovation (RDI) scheme. The board cited several practical and regulatory reasons behind this decision. The main reasons include an influx of applications exceeding the expected number of proposals, time‑related constraints in the evaluation process, and the limited fund available for selected projects. The board also clarified that all received proposals have undergone detailed technical and financial evaluation and that transparency and fairness were prioritized in the selection process.

The clarification mentioned that even after the closure, support in the form of grants and loans will continue for the selected projects, while rejected proposers will be provided with a detailed report on the status of their application and the reasons. TDB also said that there is a possibility of issuing a new call under the RDI scheme in the future, with clearer guidelines and timelines, taking into account the experiences of the previous round. This step has been taken to provide stability to the Indian innovation ecosystem, accelerate the commercialization of research, and ensure necessary financial assistance to start‑ups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

This clarification has helped re‑establish confidence in the scheme among industry, academic institutions and investors. Stakeholders are now expected to cooperate in preparing for the upcoming phases and to adhere to the new guidelines to be issued by TDB, so that the pace and competitiveness of technology‑based innovation in India can see a notable increase.