Research expenditure expanded to include clinical trials and regulatory approval costs, extending deductions to biotech businesses and approved persons. The amendment broadens eligible recipients by adding a specified person (approved by the prescribed authority) alongside universities and IITs, and expands eligible businesses to include those engaged in bio-technology. For drugs and pharmaceuticals, 'expenditure on scientific research' is expressly stated to include costs of clinical drug trials, obtaining regulatory approvals under central or state law, and filing patent applications, thereby treating these regulatory and patent filing costs as qualifying research expenditure.