Maharashtra Ranks 3rd in Research Papers, 2nd in Patent Applications on NITI Aayog’s New Science Scoreboard

Pune, 14th November 2026: Maharashtra ranks third among Indian states for research publications and second for patent applications, according to NITI Aayog’s new India Science and Technology Scoreboard. The state produced 28,947 research papers in 2024-25, behind Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, Punekar News reported.

NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Ashok Kumar Lahiri released the scoreboard on November 3, PTI reported.

Where Maharashtra stands

Karnataka produced 27,970 papers and Delhi 24,417, just behind Maharashtra. The gap between Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh in publications is only about 350 papers, so the ranking could change in the next edition. One PTI report listed a different order for patents, placing Uttar Pradesh second; the Punekar News figures above come with numbers, so we use them.

What Maharashtra researches

The state’s research is concentrated in pharmaceuticals, medical technology and healthcare, followed by critical minerals and mining, according to the scoreboard data reported by Punekar News. Private companies fund about 45% of research in the state, the Maharashtra government about 16%, and government funding to academic institutions about 19%.

Pune’s role

Pune is one of the state’s main research hubs, alongside Mumbai and, to a smaller extent, Nagpur. The city hosts national labs and institutes such as the National Chemical Laboratory, IISER Pune, the Agharkar Research Institute, the National Centre for Cell Science and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, as well as SPPU and a large pharma and auto R&D base in Hinjawadi, Chakan and Bhosari.

Kiran Kondabagil, director of the Agharkar Research Institute, was quoted by Punekar News on the findings.

What a patent application means

A patent application is a request to protect an invention, such as a new drug process or device. Not every application is granted, but the number shows how much new technology a state is trying to protect. Research publications measure papers in academic journals, mostly from universities and government labs.

Why the gap with Tamil Nadu matters

Tamil Nadu leads by a wide margin in both lists. For students and early-career researchers, the scoreboard is a reminder that funding and output are concentrated in a few states. Pune’s universities and labs are well placed to close the patent gap, especially in medtech and pharma, where the city already has strong industry links.

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