Tamil Nadu leads India's research and patent race, tops NITI Aayog scoreboard

NITI Aayog has launched a scoreboard mapping research and patent performance across 36 states and Union Territories. The comparison tests whether higher education spending and academic output are yielding measurable innovation.NITI Aayog launches India S&T Scoreboard to map science and innovation across states and UTs.New Delhi,Nov 5, 2026 13:42 ISTTamil Nadu leads Indian states in research publications and patent applications, while Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka also feature among the top contributors, according to the India Science and Technology (S&T) Scoreboard launched by NITI Aayog.The data provides a state-wise picture of research activity and raises questions about the link between higher education spending and innovation.Tamil Nadu recorded 44,611 research publications in 2024-25, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 29,298 and Maharashtra with 28,947. Karnataka recorded 27,970 publications, while Delhi had 24,417.The patent data also places Tamil Nadu at the top, followed by Maharashtra and Karnataka. Uttar Pradesh and Telangana are among the other states with a significant number of patent applications. State / UTResearch publicationsPatent applicationsHigher education institutionsTamil Nadu44,61116,04861Uttar Pradesh29,2985,375123Maharashtra28,9478,56791Karnataka27,9708,41390Delhi24,4172,61229RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS AND PATENT APPLICATIONS The difference between publication and patent rankings offers an insight into how states are performing across different areas of research.Uttar Pradesh ranks second in research publications but fourth in patent applications. Maharashtra and Karnataka feature among the leading states in both categories.Research publications indicate academic output, while patent applications reflect efforts to protect inventions and new technologies. However, patent filings do not necessarily result in commercial products or successful businesses.The comparison raises questions about how much research conducted in universities and institutions is being converted into patents and products.DOES HIGHER EDUCATION SPENDING MAKE A DIFFERENCE?The NITI Aayog scoreboard brings together data on research publications, patents, startups, research funding, higher education institutions and state science and technology policies.It covers 36 states and Union Territories and includes information on 1,260 higher education institutions, 356 centrally funded research and development institutions, 38,553 deep-tech startups and 390 incubators.The data can be compared with state-wise spending on higher education to examine whether states investing more in universities and research infrastructure are also recording higher research output.However, the number of institutions or the amount spent on higher education alone may not explain research performance. Faculty strength, research facilities, funding for projects and industry partnerships also influence the output of universities.RESEARCH QUALITY AND COMMERCIAL OUTCOMESThe scoreboard also includes indicators such as research citations, journal quality and international collaboration. These can help assess the quality and reach of research beyond the number of papers published.India recorded 2,23,005 research publications and 62,934 patent applications in 2024-25. Its Category Normalised Citation Impact (CNCI) stood at 0.89, against the global average of 1. The share of Indian publications among the world's top 10 per cent most-cited papers was 8.5 per cent.The state-wise data provides a basis for examining whether research output is translating into patents, startups and commercial applications. It also allows governments to compare their research ecosystems and identify areas where more investment may be needed.The key question is whether states can convert spending on higher education and research institutions into measurable scientific and technological outcomes.- Ends