Opening new doors for Parliament's library service
Legislating on complex and diverse issues, from economic reforms and climate change to national security and emerging technologies is a daunting task. The key is to have access to world-class research and referral services. The Parliament library is one of the best in the country. Its services are used by research scholars, but only a handful of Members of Parliament (MP) use it, say MPs past and present.
The Parliament Library and Reference, Research, Documentation and Information Service (LARRDIS) is prompt and efficient — an MP recalled how his online query about the speeches made by another MP during his 15-year parliamentary tenure led to all of them being sent to his email inbox within three days. Inputs, however, are limited to what is contained in its now entirely digitised volumes. 'It is not a research organisation or an academic institution,' was how one MP described the role of LARRDIS. But this gap is now filled by organisations such as PRS Legislative Research with its Legislative Assistants to Members of Parliament (LAMP) fellowships.
Of the 800 or so MPs in Parliament, at any given point, only between 40 to 50 MPs have a LAMP fellow. Lauded for its immense value addition and effectiveness, LAMP nevertheless has finite resources — fellows spend a short time with MPs. Therefore, many MPs rely on political aides or external consultants for research. With House discussions devolving increasingly into political combats, many political parties also supply their MPs with talking points. This means that inputs to MP offices can be partisan or lacking in expertise or facts, resulting in debates that may lack analytical depth.
The good, the bad and the ugly of LARRDIS
While LARRDIS has been active in digitising parliamentary records such as creating PDF archives of Lok Sabha proceedings, committee reports, and rare books (even introducing a service in 2023 to share articles written by MPs with others), its services are predominantly reactive. MPs must submit requisitions either in person or online.
The volume of requests by MPs for information surged from 150 in 1950 to over 8,000 in 2019. Yet, LARRDIS operates largely in a silo, with minimal partnerships with universities, think tanks, or consulting firms. This isolation limits its ability to provide proactive, anticipatory policy analysis and predict trends. It has also limited in-house research capacity.
To meet the evolving demands of Indian democracy, there is a need for LARRDIS to evolve into an agile, forward looking, and inclusive research hub, making the best use of some of the premier academic institutes in the country. It will enrich India's legislative process.
Other parliamentary research services
Established parliamentary democracies have dedicated research units that provide lawmakers with authoritative, objective, and timely information. According to the Guidelines for Parliamentary Research Services by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), a holistic research function within the system ensures confidentiality, neutrality and institutional memory.
The European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) collaborates with think tanks, academic partners, and other parliamentary services to build a diverse knowledge repository. It maintains an accessible website housing reports and policy digests. The EPRS tracks global trends affecting the European Union (EU), provides initial appraisals of European Commission impact assessments, and produces 'Cost of Non-Europe' reports assessing benefits of EU-level common action.
Argentina's Scientific Office for Legislative Advice (OCAL) informs Parliament about scientific and technological options by collaborating with external institutions, conducts studies on social challenges, connects legislators with scientists and citizens, and runs training programmes. France's Parliamentary Office for Evaluation of Scientific and Technological Options (OPECST) and Mexico's Office for Information of Science and Technology for the Congress of the Union (INCyTU) serve similar roles.
LARRDIS could emulate this proactive 360-degree approach. Partnerships with academic institutions for policy-relevant studies to address complex and emerging issues such as Artificial Intelligence governance or climate change can be one option.
The IPU highlights such collaborations in countries such as Benin (Africa) and Colombia (South America), where embedding scholars co-author technical papers for enhanced research quality. Egypt attaches groups of specialists and research fellows to parliamentary committees. Sweden has the Association of MPs and Researchers (RIFO), for facilitating dialogue between lawmakers and researchers.
Building an institutional asset
A phased and consultative approach that is aligned with global best practices would be the ideal route for restructuring LARRDIS. LARRDIS's mandate, eligible users (MPs, citizens), turnaround timelines, and confidentiality protocols need to be delineated. Talent from think tanks, academic institutions, consulting agencies, and experts from organisations such as the World Bank, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the United Nations Development Programme can add depth to its work.
This is not merely an administrative reform. It is an investment in the quality of lawmaking, accountability, and governance. For a complex country such as India, the cost of misinformed policy can be staggering. A state-of-the-art research service would bridge the information asymmetry between legislature and executive, enhance the quality of debates, and strengthen the trust of citizens in parliamentary processes.
Swati Sudhakaran is with Chase Advisors, a public policy advisory firm in New Delhi. Abantika Ghosh is with Chase Advisors, a public policy advisory firm in New Delhi. The views expressed are personal
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