**Summary:**
The Ministry of Mines has recognized seven Centers of Excellence (CoEs) under the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) to promote Research and Development (R&D) across the critical mineral value chain. This decision, approved by the Project Approval and Advisory Committee (PAAC) on July 31, 2025, aims to bolster the nation's science and technology capabilities in critical minerals, essential for clean energy, mobility transition, advanced technology, and strategic sectors. The PAAC was co-chaired by Shri V.L. Kantha Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Mines, and Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology (DST).
The recognized CoEs, comprising four IITs (Bombay, Hyderabad, ISM Dhanbad, and Roorkee) and three R&D labs (CSIR-IMMT Bhubaneswar, CSIR-NML Jamshedpur, and NFTDC Hyderabad), will operate on a Hub & Spoke model, fostering collaboration and leveraging core competencies. Each CoE is mandated to include at least two industry partners and two R&D/academic partners, resulting in a network of approximately 80 industry and academic "spokes." Funding for the CoEs will be project-based, sourced from government R&D schemes, industry, and venture investors. The initiative seeks to achieve Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) of 7-8, focusing on pilot plant and pre-commercial demonstration.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Mines: The Indian government ministry responsible for the administration and regulation of mines and minerals.
National Critical Mineral Mission: An initiative by the Ministry of Mines to promote research and development in the critical minerals sector.
Shri V.L. Kantha Rao: Secretary, Ministry of Mines, and co-chair of the Project Approval and Advisory Committee (PAAC).
Prof. Abhay Karandikar: Secretary, Department of Science Technology (DST), and co-chair of the Project Approval and Advisory Committee (PAAC).
IIT Bombay: Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, recognized as a Centre of Excellence under the National Critical Mineral Mission.
IIT Hyderabad: Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, recognized as a Centre of Excellence under the National Critical Mineral Mission.
IIT ISM Dhanbad: Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad, recognized as a Centre of Excellence under the National Critical Mineral Mission.
CSIR IMMT, Bhubaneswar: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, recognized as a Centre of Excellence under the National Critical Mineral Mission.
Ministry of Mines
Mines Ministry Recognizes Seven Centres of
Excellence to work under the National Critical
Mineral Mission
Recognized Centres of Excellence to promote R&D
in entire critical mineral value chain
Posted On: 01 AUG 2025 3:47PM by PIB Delhi
The Ministry of Mines has recognized 7 institutes – 4 IITs and 3 R&D Labs – as Centres of Excellence (CoE)
under the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM). This follows the approval granted by the Project
Approval and Advisory Committee (PAAC) in its meeting held on 31.07.2025 under the co-chairmanship of
Shri V.L. Kantha Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Mines, and Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of
Science & Technology (DST). The recognition of CoEs in an important step for fulfilling a key objective of
the NCMM, which is research and technology development in critical minerals.
Critical raw materials form the crucial supply chain for emerging sectors of clean energy and mobility
transition, in addition to advanced technology and strategic sectors like electronics, defence, space, etc. In
order to develop, demonstrate and deploy technologies in an end-to-end systems approach, it is essential to
conduct R&D so as to reach higher Technology Readiness Levels (TRL), of TRL 7 / 8 pilot plant and pre-
commercial demonstration. The CoEs will undertake innovative and transformational research to strengthen
and advance the nation’s science and technology capability in the area of critical minerals. The CoEs will be
funded on a project basis by various government R&D schemes, industry and venture investors.
The names of institutes/ labs which have been recognized as CoEs under NCMM are given below:
1. IIT Bombay
2. IIT Hyderabad
3. IIT - ISM Dhanbad
4. IIT Roorkee
5. CSIR – IMMT, Bhubaneswar
6. CSIR – NML, Jamshedpur
7. NFTDC, Hyderabad
Each CoE will operate as a consortium, on a Hub & Spoke model, to leverage R&D in critical minerals and
pooling the core competence of each constituent under one umbrella. The CoE (Hub Institute) was mandated
as per the CoE guidelines to bring in at least two industry partners and at least two R&D/ academic partners in
the consortium. The 7 recognized CoEs have together brought in around 80 industry and academic/ R&D
spokes.
As part of the process to recognize CoEs, the Ministry had earlier called for proposals from eligible institutes,
and had undertaken an elaborate two-tier evaluation and approval process.
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Shuhaib T(Release ID: 2151287)