Pune: Maharashtra Ranks Third in Research Publications, Second in Patent Applications, NITI Aayog Data Shows

Pune, 11th November 2026: Maharashtra has ranked third in the country in terms of research publications, behind Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, according to the India Science and Technology Scoreboard recently released by NITI Aayog. The state recorded 28,947 research publications during the financial year 2024-25. However, Maharashtra secured the second position in patent applications, with 8,567 applications filed during the same period.

According to the scoreboard, Tamil Nadu topped the list with 44,611 research publications, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 29,298. Maharashtra stood third with 28,947 publications, while Karnataka and Delhi recorded 27,970 and 24,417 publications, respectively.

In terms of patent applications, Tamil Nadu ranked first with 16,048 applications, followed by Maharashtra with 8,567 and Karnataka with 8,413 applications.

Research activities in Maharashtra are largely concentrated in pharmaceuticals, medical technology and healthcare, followed by sectors such as critical minerals and mining. The report also highlights the role of public and private funding in supporting research activities in the state.

Around 45% of research receives funding from the private sector, while the Maharashtra government contributes only 16%. The state’s share of funding for research conducted in government laboratories stands at just 8.5%. Meanwhile, government funding supports around 19% of research undertaken in academic institutions.

Highlighting the challenges facing the state’s research ecosystem, Kiran Kondabagil, director of the Agharkar Research Institute, said the geographical concentration of research institutions was a major concern.

“While Pune and Mumbai, and to some extent Nagpur, have important research institutions, students from other parts of Maharashtra do not have easy access to well-equipped laboratories or guidance from experienced researchers. Many colleges also lack the necessary research infrastructure and faculty members actively involved in research,” he said.

Kondabagil added that research opportunities need to be distributed more evenly across the state. Students from district-level colleges should be given opportunities to undertake internships at leading research institutions. Faculty members in smaller cities also need mentoring, while laboratories and research equipment at established institutions should be made accessible to students and researchers from other colleges.

Students face career uncertainty

Students aspiring to pursue research careers also face several challenges, including the long duration of PhD programmes, relatively low stipends compared to private-sector salaries, irregular fellowship payments and limited opportunities for permanent employment. The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) has further added to uncertainty among students about pursuing research as a career.

“Maharashtra has several national research institutions and colleges with a strong research tradition. However, more efforts are needed to increase the number of researchers and research publications. Despite having a larger higher education student population than Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra lags behind the state in the number of researchers and research publications,” Kondabagil said.