The revered Union Ministry of Human Resource Development has recently launched TechEx – a technology exhibition – held at IIT Delhi. The aim of this exhibition was to showcase and promote the products and prototypes created under the IMPacting Research INnovation and Technology (IMPRINT) and Uchhatar Avishkar Yojana (UAY) schemes endorsed by the Human Resource Development Ministry.
The Genesis and Vision of Uchhatar Avishkar Yojana
Uchhatar Avishkar Yojana, also known as UAY, was initially announced with an ambitious objective – to foster high-level innovation that would directly address the needs of the industry while simultaneously improving India’s competitive edge in the manufacturing sector. One of the central tenets of this scheme is to promote a robust partnership between academia and industry. A unique aspect of this industry-academic collaboration is that the industry shares part of the research cost.
Additional Initiatives to Foster a Rich Research and Technology Ecosystem
The government has taken appreciable strides towards bolstering the country’s research and technology ecosystem. These efforts range from establishing Research Parks and offering prestigious research fellowships to setting up institutions dedicated to nurturing innovation.
Establishment of Research Parks
The Government has sanctioned the creation of Research Parks at several prestigious institutions across the country including IIT Kharagpur, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Kanpur, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Gandhinagar and IISc Bengaluru.
Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship
This scheme offers an opportunity for meritorious students to gain direct admission into Ph. D programs at prestigious institutions such as IITs, IISERs and IISc.
Nationwide Initiatives such as Smart India Hackathons
Smart India Hackathons showcase a nationwide initiative to provide students with a platform to address real-world problems. These hackathons revolve around pressing societal issues and challenges.
Self Employment and Talent Utilization (SETU)
SETU is a techno-financial, incubation, and facilitation program formulated to support all aspects of startups, particularly those operating within technologically-driven areas.
Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC)
This council is designed to promote an innovative ecosystem within Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs).
| Scheme/Initiative | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Uchhatar Avishkar Yojana(UAY) | To Promote high-level innovation in manufacturing sector |
| Research Parks | To bolster Research and Technology environment |
| Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship | To allow direct admission for meritorious students into Ph.D. programs in prestigious institutions |
| Smart India Hackathons | To provide students with a platform to solve real-world problems |
| SETU | To support all aspects of startups |
| Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC) | To promote an innovative ecosystem within HEIs |
Other Initiatives
Beyond these efforts, the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development has also initiated a number of other schemes. These include the Trainee Teacher Scheme, for motivating and sponsoring top graduate engineers to pursue part-time M.Tech and Ph.D. programs; VAJRA (Visiting Advanced Joint Research Faculty), which attracts NRIs and overseas scientific community to contribute to research and development in India; and Prime Minister’s Science, Technology & Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) which serves as an overarching body that assesses the status of specific S&T domains, comprehends challenges, formulates immediate, mid, and long-term interventions, and presents a roadmap to the Prime Minister.
