DTE Creating Sustainable Start-Up Ecosystem

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October 26, 2017

Our overall goal is to create a sustainable ecosystem. We are trying to help institutes and universities in providing prototyping, IPR and allied support systems so that they can extend such supports to all innovative teams of students and alumni, KK Nirala, Director, Technical Education, Government of Gujarat, in conversation with Divakar Mukherjee of Elets News Network (ENN).

What role is the Directorate of Technical Education playing to motivate universities under its umbrella to implement the Student Start-up and Innovation Policy (SSIP) in order to harness students’ innovations?

Directorate of Technical Education (DTE), Gujarat is trying to ensure that the SSIP mandate for colleges is strongly implemented across all the institutes under DTE. It is trying to handhold all stakeholders associated with the programme and trying to create end-to-end support system. Our focus is on students and the core thrust is on ensuring that every student does innovative projects and try to be a problem solver. To do so, we are creating tool kits to give training to faculty members and students with the help of experts. We are setting up Innovation and Start- up Clubs, orienting faculty members to create linkages between colleges and local start-up ecosystems and work with academic system to create incentives for student innovators and start-ups. Awards and citations are being introduced to acknowledge efforts of young minds and provide them mentoring as per their need. Focus is also on helping institutions build capacity for supporting innovation and startups in a sustainable manner.

“Awards and citations are being introduced to acknowledge efforts of young minds and provide them mentoring as per their need. Focus is also on helping institutions build capacity for supporting innovation & start-ups in a sustainable manner.”

The Directorate of Technical Education has several policies, how do you ensure a convergence with SSIP?

KK Nirala, Director, Technical Education, Government of Gujarat

We try that students in technical education acquire necessary skills and aptitude to become creative. We are integrating all our programmes in such a manner that it ensures a support system is built around the students. We are building infrastructure, mentor base, quality teaching-learning process and incentives to foster innovation and institutionalise innovation and entrepreneurship endeavours. Right from our efforts in providing exposure to our stakeholders till we help them realise their true potential and harness their creative potential, we are making processes and support system at each juncture. We ensure that each of our policy and intervention complement each other while aiming to achieve broad goals of making students more innovative and enterprising.

Which initiatives of the university under SSIP are unique in terms of impact that they are going to make in upcoming days?

Our overall goal is to create a sustainable ecosystem. We are trying to help institutes and universities in providing prototyping, IPR and allied support systems so that they can extend such supports to all innovative teams of students and alumni. We are also trying to create regional innovation centres in different parts of the state so that students in the vicinity can access to innovation and start-up support in their nearby locations. We are also creating a state-level common facility and resource centre that will help student innovators and start-ups across the value chain and domain. We are also in process of creating a student IPR policy which will help young innovators to benefit from their research and innovations. We will also build capacity of institutes so that SSIP strategies are implemented at the ground level in a decentralised manner. We aim to help in supporting 1,000 innovations for prototyping and 1,000 for IPR every year. We are also trying to benchmark every university and institute for their innovations, start-up efforts so that they can further progress towards achieving excellence by knowing where they stand today and where they need to reach in a given time frame.

“We are establishing a state-level common resource centre this year to hand hold innovative initiatives across universities and benefit over 14 lakh young students in state with world-class innovation and start-up support system.”

Tell us more about the Common Facility and Resource Centre which is being developed at state level to support student innovations and startups.

We are establishing a state-level common resource centre this year to hand hold innovative initiatives across universities and benefit over 14 lakh young students in state with world-class innovation and start-up support system. This will be a single point access for all innovators in the state across 65 plus universities and 3,000 plus colleges where they can access end-to-end facility to take their innovation to impact stage. This will help them to successfully accomplish their journey from “Mind to Market”. All universities, colleges, Innovators and local ecosystem stakeholders can leverage this facility. This centre will house facilities like idea lab, design facilities, fabrication lab, pre- Incubation support & experts from different innovation promoting organisations under single roof. It will be India’s 1st such centre where any innovator from any college, formal or informal sector can come with his/her unique idea/innovation, get support and create impact at ground level. It will also help filing patents, showcase best innovation from the state and have a vibrant activity centre where around 50,000 students, innovators, and start-ups will actively participate every year. Primarily this Innovation Hub will cover wide range of innovations from sectors like a) Social Innovation b) Manufacturing and allied innovation c) ICT and Digital Innovation d) Science, pharmaceutical and allied innovation e) Sectoral and emerging technology driven innovation. Innovators from all districts and regions can reach out to this centre after developing their idea to certain stage and this Innovation Hub will facilitate the next set of support. Through Hub and spoke manner this Innovation Hub will be connected with all university and institute innovation centres, incubators, design labs, mentor network, investor networks, so that collectively it helps to co-create Gujarat as the most innovation promoting state in the nation.

What is your message for those attending the National Student Startup and Innovation Summit, Ahmedabad?

This is a true fillip to the cause and creates a platform for exposure, discourse and add momentum to the student innovation and start-up movement. This will help to share insights from different start- up ecosystems and particularly how the student innovation and start-up ecosystem is evolving across states. This will bring together different stakeholders in innovation start-up ecosystem like innovators, mentors, incubators, academia, investors, policy makers and others. I wish the event a great success and add more energy into the entire student innovation & start-up movement. It will be a landmark in this segment of the entire start-up ecosystem endeavour under start-up India goals.

VIBGYOR: A Launch Pad for Your Child’s Imagination

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Akash

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October 26, 2017

VIBGYOR Group of Schools has always worked to provide academic excellence to students. Our group is built on the dream to honour young people by giving them an environment to grow intellectually, artistically, athletically and morally, says Ashish Tibdewal, CEO and CFO, VIBGYOR Group of Schools, in conversation with Elets News Network (ENN).

How have the practices and methodologies followed at VIBGYOR helped it to be in sync with the rapidly evolving education sector?

There is a lot of scope in the education sector in India with the array of innovative and technology-based educational programmes being introduced. We at VIBGYOR are committed to provide quality education to our students. One of the challenges is to do away with the rote-learning methods, for which we have adopted modern, interactive and experiential methods. It makes learning more interesting for students. Our curriculum is developed by experts and the best educationists. Moreover, adoption of international education standards has made available good quality education to students at VIBGYOR for fostering their talents.

How is VIBGYOR different from other educational institutions?

Ashish Tibdewal, CEO and CFO, VIBGYOR Group of Schools

The quality of education, unique interdisciplinary curriculum, state of the art facilities, ideal teacher-student ratio, safe and secure environment, sports infrastructure and more such offerings caters to the goal – Holistic development of a student. It helps them to explore their potential. These offerings certainly give us an edge over other institutions.

What is the educational Philosophy at VIBGYOR?

John Dewey once said, “Education is not preparation for life, education is life itself”, in line with this, we at VIBGYOR believe in preparing our students as learners throughout their life. Our educational philosophy is based on the holistic approach of learning. The all-round approach means intellectual, social, physical, emotional and spiritual development of children. We nurture students to be skillful thinkers prepared for challenges of the real world.

What special parameters are taken into account by the school while developing the curriculum?

We believe that every child is unique in terms of learning approach, intellectual capacity and personality, and right education may help them to survive and excel in the ever evolving world. The curriculum is meticulously calibrated so that in every subject and at every grade, students enhance their learning every year and simultaneously prepare themselves for the challenges (exams) in the following grades. The curriculum is regularly updated to keep abreast with the newer advancement in teaching pedagogy, educational technology, revised standards and methodologies prescribed by the educational boards.

In order to boost the learning, how do teachers inspire and counsel the students? What are the criteria adopted by the school while recruiting the teachers?

Learning requires regular analysis of delivery methods and its effectiveness. Our Faculty Development Programme follows an approach that ensures efficiency of our teachers is optimum. Our VQUEST team conducts regular audits of classroom teachings and assesses and remediates the flaws. We conduct teacher training programmes regularly to enhance teaching skills and induct teachers with latest methods and innovations in the field of education.

It is important to empower students not only in academics but also in other areas to face real life challenges, what extracurricular activities are organised at school for this?

Our pursuit for excellence in academia has been supported by various sports and performing arts activities conducted at the school. Such regular activities in school make learning holistic and dynamic. We are recognised as one of the few schools in the country to have a structured programme for sports and performing arts. We offer the best-in-class curriculum integrated with sports and performing arts which is developed, managed and delivered by a team of professionals. We train our students in a spectrum of athletic and artistic activities ranging from swimming, skating, football, cricket, basketball, handball, gymnastics as well as music, dance, speech and drama. Students are guided in various streams of performing arts such as Keyboard/Piano, Singing, Guitar, Dance and Drama, to help them find their groove.

Vembark: The initiative by VIBGYO R is a conglomerate of educational clubs and programmes like VHMUN, VHSSRC, VHGC and others that engage students in trans-disciplinary learning activities outside and beyond regular school hours.

VIBGYOR also hosts Viva, an Interschool and Junior College festival that promotes interactive learning through Sports, Cultural, Academic and Artistic mediums.

What is the vision and plans of the group for upcoming years?

VIBGYOR started its journey in 2004. Our aim was to make a difference to the society through quality education. Our passion for creating the best and strong focus towards a greater goal helped us to develop one of the most renowned brands in the education sector with over 25 schools across the country and with 3-4 new centres every year. We have the largest presence in Bengaluru, followed by Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Lucknow, Vadodara, Surat and Kolhapur. In the coming academic year, we are launching 4 new schools, 3 in Bengaluru at HSR Layout, Doddanekkundi, Panathur and 1 in Pune at Hinjewadi.

SSIP – Laying Roadmap To Help Varsities Expand Horizon

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digitalLEARNING Network

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October 26, 2017

SSIP has formed committees at the State-level in which leaders and experts in finance, incubation, designing, marketing, etc., are involved to help universities in creating a broad roadmap, says Anju Sharma, Principal Secretary, Higher & Technical Education, and Chairperson, SSIP Implementation Committee, Gujarat, in a conversation with Hemangini Kanth Rajput and Dipen Pradhan of Elets News Network (ENN).

Tell us about the journey behind Gujarat’s achievement in becoming the country’s first State to implement Student Startup and Innovation Policy (SSIP) aimed at harnessing students’ innovation?

An organised effort to support student startups started early in Gujarat. Generally, students across academia are creative enough to solve problems. The only thing required was providing a platform so that they can utilise their skills and abilities to solve problems — and create innovation and enterprises.

About seven years ago, small co-working facilities with preincubation activities to support student innovation had already begun in universities and campuses of Gujarat. On an average, every year around 100 plus student startup came as a spin-off from these activities and experiment and support system. It further led to some of the universities to create their own strategy providing impetus to the students.

Anju Sharma, Principal Secretary, Higher & Technical Education, and Chairperson, SSIP Implementation Committee, Gujarat

In 2014-15, we observed a critical mass happening. It received a further boost with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Startup India”. AICTE had been taking a keen notice of experiment happening in these universities to support startup and innovation in Gujarat.

Thus, in 2016, it drafted a National Student Startup Policy. Meanwhile, the Department of Higher & Technical Education took a giant- step to support this innovation and startup system across universities and formed Student Startup & Innovation Policy with worth Rs 200 crore support to create innovation and startup infrastructure, incentive, PoC, development of Prototype, Patent filing, Ecosystem building, etc.

As Gujarat had always been an entrepreneurial State, there was an advantage of having the highest amount of incubators, with around 15, in the State granted by different Central Government agencies.

Moreover, with the existence of quality academic education institutions, precedence of risk taking ability along with incubators, investors, mentors, designers in the State —and with existence of all these together led to amalgamation of a movement that eventually created SSIP to support need of the student startups.

“Interestingly, some of the universities used to help the student innovation at their own budget. With SSIP in place, it showed them a direction.”

Since the implementation of the SSIP policy in Gujarat, how has been the response from State universities and colleges?

Interestingly, some of the universities used to help the student innovation at their own budget. With SSIP in place, it showed them a direction: where to move, by when and how. Initially, we received applications from around 20-odd universities for SSIP grant. Around 100 colleges applied in the first phase. On September 26, 2017, State Chief Minister Vijaybhai Rupani distributed grants to 11 universities and 12 colleges. On the other hand, many universities have filed proposals outlining “what they have done” and “what they want to do”. Our core goal is to ensure that these colleges and universities become incubation ready and systematic innovation supporting organisations by next five years. Proposal for receiving grants have been not only from technological university but also from Agriculture, Social Sciences, Liberal Arts Universities. Similarly, the institutions which have come forward are from Management, Commerce, Social Sciences, Agriculture background etc.

Colleges and universities have responded very well. Those who used to already have the student startup ecosystem are gearing-up to the next-level. Those, who have not yet started, are trying to take it forward in every aggression for supporting their startup. Our idea is to help supporting 1,000 Patent filing from the State university and witnessing such participation. There’s been an outstanding response.

On what basis will the university be eligible to receive grant and support of the SSIP?

Our criteria of selecting university depends upon “what they have done” and “what they want to do”, highlighting a clarity on the roadmap. In the evaluation process, proposal submitted by these universities matter. The proposal should have structured data-sets that will be evaluated by the committee at State-level. Criterias that are looked into are “Active Student Participation” (ASP). The university should have at least 2,000 ASPs with five-year Action Plan Milestone, and minimum of 200 ASPs for academic institutions with Action Plan Milestone for three years, to become eligible for SSIP grant. The Action Plan should contain all the parameters mentioning their target on the number of student sensitisation, innovative projects, patent filing teams it would support for prototyping, workshops and conferences, etc. We also ask their significant initiative in the past and its impact. Finally, they propose a ‘Budget Plan’. These are some of the important indicators after which a number of screenings are conducted to award them SSIP support and grant.

Incubation centres play a major role in fostering SSIP. How is the Department of Education, Gujarat, mobilising incubators to join this innovative policy?

One of the crux of the SSIP Policy is to ensure that university supporting the student innovation and startup should have an incubation centre, or incubation setup ready in the next five-year plan. SSIP starts just before the incubation. The support system will ensure a strong pipeline to incubation, if the university wants to setup an incubator. Simultaneously, SSIP also provides insights to the universities while trying to setup an incubator. Furthermore, we are trying to create a network of incubators. SSIP has formed committees at the State-level where leaders and experts in finance, incubation, designing, marketing. etc., have been involved. The committee helps universities to create a broad roadmap and in capacity building. We are also trying to connect universities with these incubators, so that at least one to three incubators each would handhold three to four universities.

Literacy in a Digital World: Whys and Hows

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Akash

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October 25, 2017

Digital literacy means the use of technologies and digital devices to enhance knowledge and skills of any person. Ravindra Yatagiri, Vice President, e-Learning and Dr Alka Dwivedi, Associate Director, e-learning, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES) explores current scenario and scope of digital literacy in India for Elets News Network (ENN).

The world in 21st century is no longer analogous. It has become digital, or one can say digitally beautiful. Now almost all forms of content whether text or audio or video is either digitised or is about to get digitized, and such digital content can be moved from one point on the globe to the other in a matter of seconds. This is no less a revolution. Thanks to World Wide Web and Internet!

In this digital world the term ‘Literacy’ has acquired an added dimension. It is workable definition has irreversibly expanded to incorporate ‘the ability to use IT based systems and the ability to use software and web-based applications on computers or similar electronic devices’.

But then, there is a contrasting narrative going on silently in the background. At one end the world moves with such dizzying speed and at the other end there are millions of our brethrens, who are stuck in misery, poverty and are leading undignified lives. They have no idea where the world is going and they find themselves helpless in getting out of their situation because their illiteracy will not allow them to improve their lot. Neither will it let them get in touch with today’s modern world.

On hindsight, the literacy rate in India is still only 76%. It implies that more than 31 million people are still deprived of basic literacy skills, who cannot read or write any language. Their employment avenues are limited to manual labour or blue collared jobs.

Even those who are able to acquire some level of education bear the brunt of crumbling education system. They are barely better off than the illiterates, as testified by PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) scores. The last time Indian students participated in this global assessment organized by Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) we realized that the scores on reading, mathematics and science, of our 15 year olds were more than their counterparts from Kyrgyzstan. The rest of the 71 participant countries were better off than India, in terms of the learning skills of their students.

This is the scenario after seven long decades of democratic rule in the country. All these years, while we were focusing on ‘ garibi hatao’ or ‘ mandals and kamandals’ we overlooked the fact that Science and Technology was busy reshaping the world we are a part of. Now the digital bus has arrived and it is time to board it. Everything is getting digitised whether it is information systems or communication channels or governance or education or commerce.

In this digital world the term ‘Literacy’ has acquired an added dimension. It is workable definition has irreversibly expanded to incorporate ‘the ability to use IT based systems and the ability to use software and web-based applications on computers or similar electronic devices’.

Bill Gates once observed that technology applied to an efficient operation will magnify efficiency and technology applied to inefficient process will magnify the inefficiency. Illiteracy creates a lot of misery for the individual and the society. And as technology is getting progressively weaved into the socio-economic fabric of the society the debilitating impact of illiteracy is magnified manifold.

Our current position is amply clear to us and we also know what future awaits us if we stand here any longer. We need to move and move fast enough to stop the demographic advantage turning into demographic disaster.

To kick start the efforts the government needs to take into account the digital version of illiteracy and work towards eradicating it with a sense of responsibility and urgency.

Today a learner needs to be given not only skills to read and write but also the skills to sustain in a digital world. Digitization is bringing incremental changes in the way citizens interact with the state and its agencies and also in the way they interact with each other. All changes are not smooth and neatly planned. When a sudden demonetisation takes place the ones who can understand and appreciate the change and march along are the ones who are literate as well as have an exposure to digital way of things.

This possibly, can be done by employing a two pronged strategy. At one Level the government can strengthen the existing system. It can work towards increasing student enrollment ratios, by increased budgetary allocation, improved infrastructure, supportive policy framework, removal of bureaucratic hurdles and creating, implementing and monitoring academic administrative systems.

At another level the government can inject the digital component into the system. It can harness the power of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) to improve the quality of education. Recently, two education projects viz. National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL) and ‘Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds’ (Swayam) have given a lot of hope in higher education space. Similar initiatives can be taken for primary and adult education. The process has to start by training the trainers. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) can be developed by established Institutions and educationists. These can be used in teachers’ training in a traditional format, blended mode, or even in virtual classes. Objective is to provide quality training to large number of teachers in a short span of time. Using ICT in ‘Training the Trainer’ program will also initiate the teachers into digital teaching.

Next step in the process is to replicate the same model to teach students. The objective is also quite similar, which is to provide quality education to large number of students and also make them familiar with technology.

The whole idea rest upon the firm resolve of the government to invest sufficiently in setting up the required infrastructure. If necessary, PPP (Public Private Participation) model can also be explored for the purpose.

The ubiquitous mobile phones and smartphones have shown that people are quick to adapt to technology if it is within their reach and serves their purpose. So one can be sure that if government acts with genuine intentions, not only literacy levels will catch up but PISA scores will also improve, showing impact on both quantity and quality front.

SSIP: An Idea that became a Policy

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digitalLEARNING Network

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October 25, 2017

In Gujarat, a large number of thesis and innovative ideas emerge every year. How Gujarat ‘Student Start-up and Innovation Policy’ (SSIP) transforms ideas into new product and services to becoming entrepreneurs, writes Dipen Pradhan and Hemangini Rajput of Elets News Network (ENN).

In 2010, the Gujarat Technological University (GTU) started an experiment to incentivise students academically. Under the experiment, the students were asked to identify a problem at any place, village, industry or organisation during their summer vacation. Students who were able to figure out the problem were awarded four credit points — equivalent to a subject. An additional point was awarded to the students who came up with solutions. The experiment became popular among other universities in Gujarat as well. It led many students to highlight problems. It also helped some of the students to come up with fresh ideas for solving these problems. The experiment boosted the idea — students could become entrepreneurs.

In the next three years, students were encouraged to create a market for their innovations either by becoming an entrepreneur or by selling their technology. This saw a spike in the ‘patent filing’ with 300 patents filed during the period — a six-fold increase in the numbers. From 2012 – 2013, around 20 to 23 students graduating from GTU were setting up their own ventures, of which some were already earning revenue of Rs 2.50 lakh.

Initially, the idea was to motivate innovation among students and provide them with more skills rather than passing out with just a degree in hand.

As many new innovations and researches were being done by students in sectors like manufacturing, information communication technology (ICT), Internet of things (IoT), embedding system, agritech, edutech, etc. For the first time student entrepreneurship was being talked about, but without any financial support to their startups.

GTU formed a Student Start-up Support System (S4) to build a complete Student Startup Ecosystem: culture building, problem-solving, ideation, product design, pre-incubation, etc. S4 provided a supply-line with an access to infrastructure, initial capital and mentoring. In three years, around 1,50,000 students graduated from the university. Initially, the idea was to motivate innovation among students and provide them with more skills rather than passing out with just a degree in hand. Meanwhile, new theories were evolving because, even if the students tried and failed at the age of 20, their innovation could achieve new heights in the market.

GTU then drafted the country’s first comprehensive and strategic, ‘University Student Start-up Policy’ in 2014. This policy has provisions like relaxation in attendance for those who want to build enterprises, a provision to promote girls entrepreneurship, provision to universities for setting up of regional innovation centres, a provision allowing colleges to facilitate start-ups after class hour to name a few.

“Overall this policy provided a legitimate definition for the student start-ups and entrepreneurs. It aimed to facilitate innovations among regular students and alumnus of universities and colleges of Gujarat. The initiative witnessed 90 per cent success rate, of which majority were from the institutions established in the last six years and remotely located colleges of the Tier-II cities of Gujarat,” AICTE Executive Director Hirenmay Mahanta said, adding “All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) drafted National Student Startup Policy – 2016 further provided an additional boost to the legitimacy of this experiment now providing support to student start-ups across AICTE-approved institutions of the nation,”

Student Startup and Innovation Policy (SSIP), Gujarat

Gujarat Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasma held several meetings with Vice Chancellors of the universities in Gujarat on forming a state-level Student Start-up & Innovation Policy (SSIP). The policy was needed to create resources for start-ups, to support the mandate for student start-ups in the State. Gujarat Higher and Technical Education Principal Secretary Anju Sharma had been actively working to expedite the process to frame university-based SSIP with AICTE acting as an umbrella organisation. The idea was to provide a system to support pre-incubation phase of entrepreneurship.

At that time, a policy was much needed that completed the student start-up ecosystem through integration of industry, government and universities. The focus was earlier on entrepreneurs. The Government used to provide funds only to those start-ups (already listed as companies) who have already developed a prototype. The system saw a loop-hole as the expenses accrued during the preincubation phase, which was not refunded. A student, for instance, in manufacturing field needed at least Rs 10,000 to develop a prototype, and more funds for a better one. Gujarat Industry department awards up to Rs 21 lakh of grants to entrepreneurs — a type of support given at the post-prototype stage. The Science & Technology department funds for infrastructure creation, ICT-related innovations. The State’s Centre for Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) is one of the oldest incubators in the country. Gujarat Venture Finance Limited (GVFL), supported by the Government of Gujarat, also provides funds. But, it lacked preincubation link or support to the startups.

“To reach the stage to receive Rs 21 lakhs fund, the start-up needs to have at least Rs 50,000 or 1,00000 lakh rupee to convert the protocol into a prototype or a product. This was the missing link Gujarat wanted to advent. In January 2017 when the Gujarat Government passed the Student Startup & Innovation Policy (SSIP) and allocated a budget of Rs 200 crore per year, of which Rs 100 crore is allocated from the State fund and Rs 100 crore from other resources. The mandate of the SSIP is to put resources in the university for creating student start-up ecosystem to nurture a start-up from preincubation stage to a renowned company. The policy envisage to create a value-chain of culture building, innovation building and setting up of a full-fledged organic incubation mechanism in the next five years,” Mahanta said.

Gujarat SSIP, a state-wide policy aims to supports creativity, innovation and student start-ups across the 60 universities in the State with an enrollment of around 1.4 million students, of which 1,000 students could obtain Proof of Concept (PoC) and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) every year.

The academic start-up has received a significant push in Gujarat. More than 8 out of 10 Technical Business Incubators (TBI), supported by the Gujarat department of Science & Technology (DST), are in universities. Nearly 18 out of 20 nodal institutes are in academic environment. Gujarat Start-up ecosystem has taken a leadership towards setting up a systematic preincubation layer since past three years.

Gujarat University also intervened similar efforts in non-technology sectors through its initiatives. GTU, GU and others during an academic year receive funds to create nearly 30-40 student start-ups each for hand holding at their early stage. Gujarat Startup incubators and the ecosystem at large is believed to fetch a quality pool of potential start-ups from university and handhold them to become success stories of tomorrow.

Gujarat has developed an end-to-end innovation ecosystem involving three different support schemes from the Department of Education, the Department of Science & Technology and the Department of Industry — put in place and positioned in a manner that it complement each other’s offering, and through synchronisation, create optimum impact.

SSIP: A university-based policy

Universities in Gujarat submit a roadmap outlining its plans for what it wants, are doing and its competencies to obtain the SSIP support. The state-level committee then examines the proposal. Once approved, the government colleges are liable to get funds up to Rs 40 lakh grant per year and a private institution/college would get upto Rs 20 lakh. The funds can be utilised on helping students producing a POC, designing, filing patent, conducting workshops and programmes, etc.

The practice was simultaneously being practised few universities in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, too. Odisha, Jharkhand are also scaling the idea in their context.

The policy was first implemented in Gujarat Technological University (GTU). After the implementation, it has set funds for two needs: for students who needed fund for prototype building during their pre-incubation phase; for filing Patent. In Gujarat, a sum of Rs 15,000 approximately is required for filing a patent.

Mahanta says, “AICTE is serious to mandate every State to adopt a policy like SSIP, Gujarat. 3-4 states have approached for assistance in designing a similar policy in their respective state universities. Although the ecosystem of SSIP would differ from State to State due to geography, culture, resources, demography differences, the policy shows the basic path for implementing the SSIP.”

GTU Student Start-up Ecosystem

Every month GTU issues a notice inviting applications from innovative students on their Innovation Council Cell website. At least 30 to 35 applications are being received on a monthly basis from both university affiliated and non-affiliated colleges or institutions, said its members.

A student approaches Design Clinics of the GTU Innovation Council with an ‘idea’. The experts on the relevant fields evaluate the ‘idea’ to check its feasibility in the market. If the ‘idea’ fails its feasibility chance, through Idea Generation Methods, the Council provides training on ‘basics to form an idea’ which is again validated in the Design Clinic. After idea validation, the Council helps the innovator in building a prototype or designing the Proof of Concept (PoC). The innovator is invited to the Startup Clinic where mentoring is provided. Patent Cell trains students skills required for making Patent Search and Analysis Report (PSAR) and Patent Drafting Exercise (PDE). The Council has a ‘Patent Clinic’ to check if the prototype needs Patent Filing or just to register the design for copyright, trademark, design registration, etc. The Council then assists on conducting ‘Market Research’ in which it helps them to achieve a target of gaining 100 User Traction or customer validation — a must criteria as set by the Council. Once they achieve the target, the council helps them obtain Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) or Private Limited registration. The GTU is currently trying to involve Venture Capitalists to invest, for which the aforementioned needs a proper check.

The GTU has assisted more than 150 start-ups on their pre-incubation phase of prototype building. These startups were affiliated to various institutions and nodal agencies. For GTU affiliated college/ institution, it has so far incubated 47 startups, of which 14 received fund, seven commercialised their product and 26 are at early stage of getting validation in the market. Out of 480 colleges affiliated to GTU, 30 have recognised incubation centres to help the Student Startups.

Salient features of Gujarat SSIP

Setting up Innovation and Pre incubation facilities across 200 academic campuses
Currently, Gujarat receives about 650 patent filing comprising around 40 % filings by academia. The SSIP supports 1,000 student innovators and researchers to get IPR support.
Grassroots innovators comprising school dropouts and other inclusive innovators have been made adjunct faculty members. GTU has 14 members currently getting a cross-learning opportunity ( Knowledge reach economical people also to be part of academic system).
Universities in Gujarat are encouraged to give academic credit to students for scouting community, SME, rural, urban challenges and also convert some of them as the subject of their projects so that impact reaches to end-users.
In GTU around 2,000 students does real life project based on challenges by Small industries and try to work around their pain points.
During Smart India Hackathon program by MHRD, participants from colleges from Gujarat won the highest numbers of awards. Total 135 awards were given across 29 ministries in 26 host venue nationally out of which student teams from Gujarat won 8 national awards.
Gujarat on September 26, launched its own Hackathon in which challenges sourced from different ministries and departments and students across universities incentivised to participate and develop digital solutions.
Recently, one Gujarat student Start-up “Straut” developed technology in solar thermal engineering got 1st prize/gold medal at MIT Climate change Innovation Award among 700 plus university participation globally.

‘Gujarat Developing Education World of Global Standard’

By

digitalLEARNING Network

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October 25, 2017

**Bhupendrasinh Chudasama**, Education Minister, Government of Gujarat

The State government is very much concerned to prepare universities attain global standards. Several steps are being taken by KCG for the same, says Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, Education Minister, Government of Gujarat, in conversation with Elets News Network (ENN).

What priorities is your government stressing on to fulfil the broad agenda of education sector under the State’s Development Model?

We are working at all three levels of Education: Primary, Secondary and Higher. We are putting continuous emphasis on maximising enrollment in primary schools through “Shala Praveshotsav” and “Kanya Kelavani”. The priority of the Department is to ensure “no dropouts” till 10th standard. The Department holds continuous teacher training programmes along with monitoring schools through Gunotsav. NAMO e-Tablet has been launched recently by Gujarat Chief Minister Vijaybhai Rupani through which we aim to promote e-Education and Digital Learning. The Department after the launch of Student Startup and Innovation Policy (SSIP) is continuously working to encourage Startups to become job providers rather than job seekers. The Education Department is focusing continuously on Skill-based Education and Vocationalisation through GKS, SCOPE and spreading academic reforms by establishing an umbrella body – KCG.

“We are putting continuous emphasis on maximising enrollment in primary schools through “Shala Praveshotsav” and “Kanya Kelavani”.”

What are the interventions the Government is making for ‘Skilling’ and ‘Employment’ of youth across the State universities?

The Government is keenly working on this through the following:

5-lakh grant per college for 80 Government colleges — Setting up Finishing Schools giving special training for 100 hours to make students corporate-ready, and enhance employability — Student Workbooks to be distributed for regular practice at no charge.

SCOPE is a unique initiative offering various options for learning English language at a very low-cost.

DELL also supports skill enhancement.

GKS has variety of courses for all Sectors and Vocations.

UDISHA clubs are established in every college and funds are allocated for conducting placements.

SAPTDHARA offers students opportunity for holistic development and honing special skills.

What steps are being taken across universities to prepare them to attain global standards and ready them to feature in the top 200 universities in the world?

The State is very much concerned about this. Several steps are being taken by KCG for the same which conducts Academic and Administrative Audit, a state version of NAAC enhancing accreditation of universities and colleges. Under RUSA, we are trying to improve infrastructure of colleges and universities. A large number of minor and major research projects are being encouraged by professors to bring improvement in curriculum – making them LOOC based. Gujarat is the only state to achieve 100 per cent success to have database of all the State colleges and universities.

What are the future initiatives the Government is planning to boost the education sector of the State?

State Academic Institute Interface offers “Corporate ready” and “Industry ready” courses. In the days to come, Technical Education will receive a major boost through collaboration with MNCs. The Education Department aims to promote digitsation of universities for academic and examination reforms. The Department is sanctioning an amount to the tune of Rs 40 lakh grant per college (Government and Grant in Aid) and Rs 20 lakh for other education institutions to encourage entrepreneurship and Startup. Under Rashtriya Uchchattar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), we have submitted a proposal for research and innovation sectors.

Highlight your intervention in R&D, innovation and Start-up domain.

We are having a very structured approach to promote innovation & Student Start-up Culture across our universities. In the context of state universities we took the leadership in the nation in setting university based innovation ecosystems. I have personally interacted with all Vice Chancellors, Innovators, Start-ups and ecosystem enablers quite often to understand how could assist them further. As a result of this we have developed India’s 1st of its kind Student Start-up Innovation Policy, SSIP to help student innovators & start-ups across Universities with 200 cr support system.

Each University has been given a mandate and guideline to further contextualize it and develop suitable innovation & student start-up support system. We will help setting up pre incubation facilities across 200 plus institutions in next 5 years in the states and making efforts to see that most of the universities to organically set up their Incubation facilities in this period. We are creating path to link academia-industry & governance.

We have launched “Smart Gujarat for New India” Hackathon which is 1st such attempt by any state in the nation. We are trying to create an innovation-centric policy at all layers and wish to see that 1% of our graduates should turn out to be either self employed or entrepreneurs in near future. We are making efforts to cocreate with all existing stakeholders in state and national innovation & start-up ecosystem. We are making efforts to create a decentralized innovation & student start-up support system so that students start-ups across any part of the state and domain can leverage SSIP support system.

JEE Main 2018: CBSE announces date for pen & paper based test

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By

Akash

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October 24, 2017

Joint Entrance Exam Main (JEE Main) 2018 pen and paper based test date has been announced by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). JEE Main 2018 will be conducted on 8 April, 2018.

JEE Main 2018 entrance will be conducted in two modes: One the pen and paper based test or offline mode and other is computer-based test or online mode. The board is soon expected to announce the date for computer-based test.

JEE Main is the first stage of the exam conducted for admission to Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). For admission to premier engineering colleges of India, students also have to qualify JEE Advanced after passing the JEE Main.

JEE Main – the largest engineering entrance exam in the country acts as an entrance test for admission to undergraduate engineering courses (B Tech) institutes like NITs, IIITs, central and state funded universities/institutes and various private universities and institutes.

Last year, about 12 lakh candidates had registered for the JEE Main 2017 exam, of which the pen-based and computer-based test were scheduled on April 2 and April 8 respectively. Its result was declared on April 27 and around 2.21 lakh candidates had made their way into different engineering colleges in India.

Ensure free books to EWS students or face action: Delhi Govt warns private schools

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digitalLEARNING Network

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October 13, 2017

The Delhi Government will take strict action against private schools in the National Capital if they do not provide textbooks and uniforms free of cost to Economically Weaker Section (EWS) students.

The Directorate of Education (DoE) has issued a letter directing schools authorities to ensure compliance of the provision in RTE Act and provide free textbooks, writing material and uniform to the child attending school under EWS and DG category. Strict action will be taken against the defaulting schools.

It is mandatory for to reserve 25 per cent seats for admission to students belonging to the EWS and Disadvantaged Category (DG).

The government reimburses Rs 1,598 per student to private schools in lieu of giving admission to students who belong to this section.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan announces slew of offers to promote girl education

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By

Akash

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October 12, 2017

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced slew of offers to promote girl education in the state.

Addressing “Ladli Shiksha Parv”, the Chief Minister said, “Today we are celebrating Laadli Shiksha Parv to make girl child’s education easier. The government will provide Rs. 31,000 crore to the families of our daughters and implement laws so that their education is not affected.”

Chouhan, on this occasion, has awarded scholarship of Rs 2000 each to 65000 girl students who got admission in Class VI.

The scholarship will be provided to girls under Ladli Laxmi Yojana – A scheme introduced by Government of Madhya Pradesh. The objective of the scheme and scholarship is to lay a strong foundation of girls’ future by improving their educational and economic status. The scheme is expected to bring positive change in social attitude towards girl child.

Chief Minister Chouhan inaugurated the scheme on April 1, 2007.

“Girls are strengthening the society and country with their efforts and state’s every girl is becoming strong through Ladli Laxmi Yojna,” said Chouhan.

He announced that girls with equal or above 85 per cent score in class 12 board exams will be given free books, a bicycle and a laptop. He also announced that the girls will also be given relaxation in selection criteria for police recruitment.

“We have decided to reduce height criteria of 158 centimetres before next police recruitment so that more and more daughters can apply,” said Chouhan.

Under the Ladli Laxmi Yojana, the government will provide scholarship of Rs. two thousand to girls after admission in standard VI, Rs. 11000 for admission in Class XI, and Rs. 12000 for admission in Class XII.

The government will also give Rs. 1 lakh to those girls who have attained age of 21 years, provided they are not married before the age of 18 years and have appeared in Class XII examination.

Centre approves benefits under 7th Pay Commission for teachers

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By

digitalLEARNING Network

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October 12, 2017

The Union cabinet has given approval for pay scale revision as per the recommendations of the Seventh Central Pay Commission for central government employees.

With this, the salaries of college and university teachers will increase in the range of Rs 10,400 to Rs 49,800. This will benefit nearly eight lakh teachers in higher educational institutes under the purview of the University Grants Commission and in centrally funded technical institutions.

The new pay scales will be effective from January 1, 2016, and the revision will witness growth rate in the range of 22% to 28%.

Union Minister for Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar said that this newly proposed pay structure is expected to improve the quality of higher education and also attract and help retain talent. The annual central financial liability for the same will be around Rs 9,800 crore.

Post the Cabinet meeting, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said that the government has extended the benefits of the Seventh Pay Commission for the teaching faculty of central and state universities and aided colleges.

The revised pay package will also cover teachers of 119 centrally funded technical institutions, viz., IITs, IISc, IIMs, IISERs, IIITs, NITIE, etc.

For the institutions funded by the state government, the revised pay scales require adoption by the respective governments. The Central government will bear the additional burden of the states on account of revised pay scales.

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