Policy Update
Urvashi Singhal
Introduction
CRTDHs are Common Research & Technology Development Hubs established by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), under India’s Ministry of Science & Technology. Launched in 2014–15, these CRTDH hubs aim to support micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by providing them access to R&D facilities, prototyping, skill development, and innovation infrastructure—resources they often lack. These CRTDHs are located at IITs, NITs, CSIR Labs. CRTDH encourages research and development by providing common infrastructural facilities, pilot facilities, technology support, and training to MSMEs and Startups in Affordable Healthcare, New Materials/Chemical Processes, Electronics/Renewable Energy, Environmental Interventions, and Low-cost Machining.
CRTDH Statistics
| Number of patents filed | 73 |
| Technologies Developed | 102 |
| Number of MSMEs engaged | 1209 |
| Number of Start-Ups engaged | 63 |
| Man Powered Trained | 2518 |
| MSMEs Sensitized | 1976 |
| Total CRTDHs | 18 |
| Area | 2,08,354 Sqft |
Source: https://ncrtdh.in/#/
Background
Source: https://ncrtdh.in/static/media
The program arises from a policy acknowledgment that MSMEs, which represent a lion’s share of India’s industry and employment base, are seriously constrained from accessing high-end R&D facilities, qualified technical talent, and innovation networks.These constraints prevent them from competing with local large-scale firms as well as international suppliers.
Focus Areas
CRTDHs were set up across five thematic sectors:
- Electronics / Renewable Energy
- Affordable Health
- Environmental Interventions
- Low-Cost Machining
- New Materials / Chemical Processes
Key Problem Addressed
MSMEs often:
- Cannot afford in-house R&D laboratories, testing and prototyping equipment.
- Struggle to comply with quality standards, environmental norms, and intellectual property (IP) processes.
- Operate in isolation from academic and research institutions.
This R&D and innovation gap led DSIR to create shared infrastructure hubs to bridge the divide between academic research and industrial application, particularly tailored to the needs of MSMEs.
Functioning
These are established to encourage and foster collaboration between industry and research institutions.CRTDHs provide a platform for innovation, skill development, and technology transfer, aiming to boost the competitiveness and productivity of MSMEs.
Major roles of CRTDHs:
- R&D Support: They offer infrastructure, equipment, and expertise to carry out research and development work.
- Technology Transfer: They facilitate transfer of technologies that have been developed in research institutions to MSMEs.
- Development of Skills: They also have skill development and training programs to boost MSME staff capabilities.
- Incubation Support: They provide assistance for incubation of new start-ups as well as innovative businesses.
Key benefits for MSMEs to collaborate with CRTDHs:
- This helps MSMEs to develop new and enhanced products and processes.
- MSMEs become more efficient and productive, leading to an increase in competitiveness in the global market.
- This helps in increasing the employment rate in the MSME sector.
Key examples of CRTDH Activities:
- Developing and customizing technologies for specific industries, such as the dye and textile industries or healthcare.
- Providing testing and analysis support for quality assurance.
- Offering IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) support.
- Facilitating the use of bio-pharmaceutical ingredients.
- Developing cost-effective advanced materials for shielding microwave radiation.
Performance
Chintan Shivirs on CRTDHs Empowering MSMEs
- IIT Kharagpur
Date: July 27, 2023
Description: First in the series, inaugurated by DSIR Secretary Dr. N. Kalaiselvi alongside IIT Kharagpur’s leadership, emphasizing academia–industry collaboration to drive MSME innovation
- CSIR‑CMERI Durgapur (Low‑Cost Machining hub)
Date: September 12, 2023
Description: Third in the series, focused on fostering R&D in low‑cost machining and strengthening stakeholder ties.
- CSIR‑IITR, Lucknow
Date: August 24, 2023
Description: Second in the series, highlighted academia–industry collaboration under a futuristic innovation theme.
- DPSRU, Delhi
Date: October 13, 2023
Description: Brought together DSIR leadership, MSMEs, and university teams to present CRTDH R&D services and conduct discussions and exhibitions
- CSIR‑IMMT, Bhubaneswar
Approx. September 15, 2023 (as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav)
Description: Focused on identifying grand challenges and solutions for MSMEs in materials and chemistry, attended by DSIR, CSIR-IMMT leadership, MSMEs, and trade bodies.
Impact
Since the previous decade, the CRTDH program has significantly expanded India’s capability for innovation in MSMEs by making access to high-quality R&D facilities and domain expertise universal.
With 18 hubs established across priority sectors such as low-cost healthcare, renewable energy, chemical processes, and machining, CRTDHs have helped hundreds of MSMEs generate new products, improve existing processes, and comply with regulatory norms. The centers have initiated a number of hands-on training schemes, skill-developing sessions, and product testing facilities, promoting tighter links between academic research and industrial use. Initiatives like the Chintan Shivirs—organized across institutions such as IIT Kharagpur, CSIR-IMMT Bhubaneswar, and DPSRU Delhi—have further cemented academia–industry collaboration, evoking response from scientists, entrepreneurs, start-ups, and policymakers.
The engagements have helped bridge critical gaps in innovation, environmental regulation, and intellectual property awareness among small and medium enterprises. Although comprehensive statistical data are limited, the qualitative data of increased MSME activity, localized technology development, and ongoing outreach programmes bear testament to the increasing footprint of CRTDHs in building an extended and autarkic innovation system in India.
Emerging Issues
Though strategically important, CRTDHs are confronted with a number of emerging challenges that restrict their potential.The principal challenge is low MSME awareness, particularly in Tier II and Tier III cities, concerning the availability and utility of CRTDHs.The consequence has been under usage of facilities in some areas.Second, due to the absence of uniform performance indicators, it is hard to measure the impact across all uniformly or measure the long-term results.
Coordination imbalances between host institutions and MSME clusters in local areas occasionally impede on-time provision of services.Budget constraints and modest freedom in operational expense budgets can also impact responsiveness and sustainability of hubs. Additionally, limited visibility of digital profiles, lack of centralized information platforms, and decentralized outreach activities limit the capacity of the hubs to scale at the national level.
Lastly, industry–academia collaborations remain difficult to sustain in the lack of structured incentive mechanism/systems
Conclusion
The CRTDH program is a Strategic leap towards filling the gap between industrial use and scientific studies, particularly for India’s large and diverse MSME sector. By providing joint access to advanced infrastructure, technical knowledge, and innovation networks, CRTDHs have enabled small businesses to become more competitive, sustainable, and independent.
Though the program has made significant progress through sectoral hubs, collaborative schemes, and outreach activities such as the Chintan Shivirs, it will take the effort of overcoming upcoming challenges pertaining to awareness, utilization, coordination, and impact assessment to translate its full potential. Institutional linkages need to be strengthened, governance streamlined, and digital access improved to further expand and strengthen the initiative’s impact. As India strives for innovation-led and inclusive growth, CRTDHs will remain instrumental to democratise technology and promote regional industrial growth.
References
N-CRTDH. (n.d.).
Desk, S. E. (2023, September 12). Chintan Shivir concludes on empowering MSMEs in low-cost machining. SME Street. https://orissadiary.com/chintan-shivir-on-crtdh-empowering-msmes-concludes/
Desk, S. E. (2023a, August 25). IITR Lucknow concludes ‘CRTDH Empowering MSMEs’ Chintan Shivir. SME Street.
Urvashi Singhal is a master’s student at DTU, simultaneously pursuing actuarial science. She is currently working as a research intern on an ICSSR project focused on menstrual leave policy.
Acknowldegment
The author sincerely thanks Ms. Aasthaba Jadeja and the IMPRI team for their valuable support.
Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
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