SERB Merit Review Process:Adapting to Emerging Challenges

Merit review is the most trusted process adopted by funding agencies worldwide for selecting high-quality research proposals. Recently, owing to intense competition, the merit review process has come under pressure necessitating the funding agencies to deliberate on issues associated with it. This article describes the merit review process of the Science and Engineering Research Board, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, which funds competitive research grants of about 8 billion rupees a year for supporting research in science and engineering. The issues associated with the merit review process and possible suggestions are discussed.