Cancer continues to be one of the leading causes of illness and death around the world. In India, the burden of cancer is rising significantly. Addressing this growing challenge requires not only improvements in diagnosis and treatment but also the integration of cutting-edge technologies. So, the Government of India, through the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has launched the IndiaAI Mission to strengthen the country’s artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem. One key initiative under this mission is the IndiaAI-NCG Cancer AI & Technology Challenge (CATCH).
This initiative is a collaborative effort by IndiaAI (under the Digital India Corporation), the National Cancer Grid (NCG), and its Koita Centre for Digital Oncology (KCDO). Its goal is to support the development, validation, and deployment of AI solutions that could transform cancer care in India. It addresses crucial issues such as cancer detection, treatment planning, and patient care, particularly in public health systems that often face resource constraints.
The programme offers funding access to clinical environments for testing and opportunities for wider deployment through the NCG hospital network. By doing so, it aims to promote responsible, scalable, and inclusive cancer care technologies tailored to Indian needs.
This programme would be developed by start-ups, health technology companies, academic institutions, and public or private hospitals jointly or individually. Joint applications from hospitals or clinicians and technology developers would be preferred.
ABOUT IndiaAI and NCG
IndiaAI is an Independent Business Division (IBD) under the Digital India Corporation (DIC) of the MeitY, and serves as the implementing agency for the IndiaAI Mission. This mission is focused on making the benefits of AI accessible to all sections of society, strengthening India’s position as a global leader in AI, promoting technological self-reliance, and ensuing the ethical and responsible use of AI.
NCG is a large network of cancer centres, research institutions, and patient groups in India. It standardises and improves cancer care through evidence-based guidelines, collaborative research, and training.
The Need for AI in Cancer Care
India’s cancer care landscape is affected by challenges such as insufficient diagnostic infrastructure, inconsistent clinical practices, and limited access to quality care across different regions. These problems are especially prominent in public hospitals. Although AI and machine learning have shown great potential in oncology, their real-world use remains limited due to lack of clinical validation, isolated data systems, technical integration challenges, and an absence of large-scale deployment.
Grant and Support Structure
The CATCH programme would provide financial, institutional, and technical support in a phased manner. Each selected team of developers would receive up to Rs 50 lakh in two parts: the first part supports solution development and early-stage validation, whereas the second part covers clinical validation and further deployment. The first tranche of Rs 25 lakh would be disbursed upon signing the agreement and submitting documentation. The second part of Rs 25 lakh would be provided after successful completion of initial milestones. Each phase lasts approximately six to nine months. Successful pilot projects could be eligible for an additional grant of Rs 1 crore for wider deployment across the NCG network or through national implementation pathways.
IndiaAI and NCG may conduct audits and require detailed reporting from the participants.
In addition to funding, participants would gain access to NCG hospitals, expert mentorship, outreach platforms, and ongoing programme oversight. Awardees will have to share lessons learnt through case studies and technical playbooks. They would retain intellectual property rights but must offer preferred pricing on non-exclusive licences to participating hospitals. Anonymised data from their projects must be contributed to AIKosh, India’s AI dataset platform.
Some Features of the Programme
- The CATCH programme would be based on multiple parameters including clinical relevance, AI innovation, data readiness, feasibility of deployment, team expertise, impact potential, and adherence to ethical standards.
- The evaluation committee consisting of representatives from NCG, IndiaAI, and specialists in AI and healthcare would have to ensure that the programme addresses real-world challenges and be capable of integration into hospital workflows.
- Solutions would be based preferably on Indian health data.
- Collaborative applications with clear technical and clinical validation plans would be favoured.
- The programme would fulfil a higher technology readiness level (TRL) score and deployment readiness.
- The AI tools would comply with ethical guidelines and laws, including the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act and biomedical research standards.
Conclusion
The IndiaAI–NCG CATCH represents a timely and much needed initiative in the Indian healthcare innovation landscape. By combining the strengths of AI technology with the clinical expertise of India’s leading cancer care institutions, this challenge seeks to make cancer care more accessible, efficient, and equitable. It not only supports innovation but ensures that such innovation is rooted in real-world needs, scientifically validated, and ethically governed.
Through this structured and collaborative programme, India takes a significant step towards integrating AI in its public health systems and building a model of cancer care for the world.
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