What is MoE IIC?
The Ministry of Education has established an innovation cell to encourage students to work on new ideas and promote them as start-ups. The cell works closely with the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education institutions. This innovation cell impacts some of the top private universities in India.
Institutional Innovation Councils have been founded by MIC in over 2700 institutions until December, 2021.
The Centre of Attention of MoE IIC:
- The goal is to create a thriving local innovation ecosystem.
- HEIs have a mechanism to help new businesses get off the ground.
- Prepare the institute for the Atal Ranking of Institutions Framework for Innovation Achievements.
- Create a functional ecosystem for idea scouting and pre-incubation.
- Students’ cognitive abilities should be improved.
MoE IIC’s Purpose:
- To carry out various MIC-mandated innovation, intellectual property, and entrepreneurship-related activities in a timely manner.
- Share success stories and identify and reward innovations.
- Create a mentor pool for student innovators by holding regular workshops, seminars, and interactions with entrepreneurs, investors, and professionals.
- Make connections with your peers and organisations that promote entrepreneurship at a national level.
- Create an institution’s innovation portal to highlight innovative projects undertaken by faculty and students at the institution.
- Organise hackathons, idea competitions, mini-challenges, and other events with industry participation.
IIC council members- Roles & Responsibility:
- 1. Faculty Representation:
Teaching and non-teaching faculty can both be represented. A single faculty member can serve on the IIC council in multiple capacities.
1.1. President –Faculty representative will be nominated by Head of the Institute.
1.1.1 View President
1.2. Convenor – Preferably Incubation in charge of institute or Faculty with Entrepreneurship Experience or Interest.
1.3. Innovation activity coordinator
1.4. Start-up activity coordinator
1.5. Internship coordinator
1.6. IPR activity coordinator
1.7. Social Media Coordinator
1.8. ARIIA Coordinator (optional)
1.9. NIRF coordinator (optional)
1.10. Members – No limit
- Expert Representation: Members (Minimum 3 representative from following)
2.1. IP Expert/ Patent Expert
2.2. Startup / Alumni entrepreneur
2.3. Expert from nearby Industry/ Industry association/ Ecosystem Enablers
2.4. FI/Bank/Investor/Angel Investor/VC
2.5. Nearby Incubation Centre
What are the opportunities for students under MoE IIC?
Students have the opportunity to participate in MHRD’s various innovation-related initiatives and competitions as a result of these activities. Students interact with well-known businessmen and academics on a regular basis. They are given chances to develop their ideas.
MoE IIC Identify and reward innovations and share success stories. Organise periodic workshops/ seminars/ interactions with entrepreneurs, investors, professionals and create a mentor pool for student innovators. Network with peers and national entrepreneurship development organisations to find out more about student-led start-ups. Students from top colleges for MBA in India gain excellent exposure and opportunities for their entrepreneurial ideas through this system.
There are various posts for students in MoE IIC for Student Representation. These Student Representatives will help Faculty coordinators to carry out various activities. Student coordinators will serve as an intermediary between the IIC and institute students. He or she will grasp the concept, idea, and method for active participation in IIC activities and pass it on to all students. He or she will volunteer for IIC initiatives and assist faculty coordinators as needed. The various posts include:
- Innovation coordinator –Up to 10 Members
- Startup coordinator –Up to 10 Members
- Internship coordinator –Up to 10 Members
- IPR coordinator –Up to 10 Members
- Social Media coordinator –Up to 10 Members
- General Members- No Limit
The main objective of MIC is to encourage, inspire, and nurture young students by assisting them in developing new ideas and prototyping them during their formative years.
What is an IIC Innovation Ambassador?
It is vital for faculty members to play the role of mentor or guide young minds in their endeavour of innovation and entrepreneurship, and it is equally important for mentors to have adequate mentoring skills. Provided that Indian HEIs lack the potential to mentor students on IPR, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, the Institutions Innovation Council of the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell aims to build mentoring capacity of IIC members through a series of training programs and appoint the trained IIC members as “IIC – Innovation Ambassadors.”
The faculty who participated in these skills training will connect to the network as “IIC-Innovation Ambassadors,” representing as mentors in their respective IICs, assisting other IICs as a resource person in organising various programs related to innovation and startup, and spreading awareness of innovation and startup to students and faculty. There will also be some incentives for Innovation ambassadors for the services provided during the post-training period and for connecting directly with the Ministry of Education’s Innovation cell, as well as reward points for IICs who participate in this process.
The Innovation Ambassador’s role is to:
- Act as a mentor in their respective IICs;
- Serve as a resource person for other IICs; and
- Spread the message of innovation and entrepreneurship to students and faculty.
Who can participate?
- IICs have upgraded/completed their council as per the IIC2.0
- IIC Faculty/Staff member nominated by IIC.
- Flexible and volunteer to offer service.
- Preference should be given to the members with prior experience in Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
How to apply?
- Login in IIC Portal
- Complete MY COUNCIL information
- Click on Innovation ambassador menu
- Nominate one member for each training program
MIC-Led Activity:
MIC plans various activities on its own or in collaboration with partner organisations and government departments from time to time. The MIC Driven Activity tab on the IIC portal is where these activities are scheduled.
The Mentor-Mentee scheme for IIC institutions has the goal of enlisting high-performing IIC institutions to act as mentors to IIC institutions in need of guidance and support. During the IIC 4.0 calendar year, this twinning program will help IIC institutions facilitate knowledge exchange and resource management by providing inter-institutional collaborations and peer mentoring support.
Mentor institutions will receive funding from the MIC/AICTE to provide mentoring and help organise prescribed activities for mentee institutions, allowing them to lead and streamline their campus Innovation & Entrepreneurship (I&E) ecosystems.
Conclusion
The need for innovation is imminent. Our nation is dependent on independent thinkers and innovators who can push the boundaries of development. Many top colleges of engineering in Maharashtra will greatly benefit from this venture of the MoE. They will be able to provide students with better research and entrepreneurship opportunities through this program. Students and colleges alike must make the most of this initiative.