Mines Ministry recognises IISc Bangalore and C-MET Hyderabad as critical-mineral Centres of Excellence
The Ministry of Mines recognised IISc Bangalore and C-MET Hyderabad as Centres of Excellence under the National Critical Mineral Mission, taking the total to nine.
Summary
On 25 October 2025, the Ministry of Mines announced that the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, and the Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET), Hyderabad, had been recognised as Centres of Excellence (CoEs) under the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM). Seven institutes had been recognised earlier, so there are now nine. The Project Approval and Advisory Committee approved this on 24 October 2025; it is co-chaired by the Mines Secretary Piyush Goyal and the Department of Science and Technology Secretary Prof. Abhay Karandikar. Each CoE works as a hub-and-spoke consortium and must bring in at least two industry partners and two R&D or academic partners. The nine CoEs together have about 90 spokes. The aim is to take critical-mineral technologies to Technology Readiness Level 7 or 8, the pilot-plant stage.
Key facts
- New CoEs
- IISc Bangalore; C-MET Hyderabad
- Total CoEs
- 9 (7 earlier + 2)
- Approved by
- Project Approval and Advisory Committee, 24 Oct 2025
- Co-chairs
- Secretary, Mines (Piyush Goyal) & Secretary, DST (Prof. Abhay Karandikar)
- Model
- Hub & Spoke; ≥2 industry + ≥2 R&D/academic partners each; ~90 spokes
- Target
- TRL 7/8
Practice MCQs 2 questions
Which two institutes were recognised as Centres of Excellence under the National Critical Mineral Mission in October 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — IISc Bangalore and C-MET Hyderabad
PIB: the Ministry of Mines recognised IISc Bangalore and the Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET), Hyderabad, besides 7 institutes recognised earlier.
After the October 2025 recognition, how many Centres of Excellence are there under the National Critical Mineral Mission, and on what model do they operate?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — 9; hub-and-spoke consortium
PIB: with 2 new CoEs added to the 7 recognised earlier, there are 9. Each operates as a consortium on a Hub & Spoke model, with at least two industry and two R&D/academic partners; together they have about 90 spokes.