CONFERENCE ON ESTABLISHMENT

Department of Science & Technology (DST) organized a conference at Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), Ahmedabad from 28th –29th December 2015. It was organized in order to evaluate the proposal submitted by colleges for the establishment of Innovation & Entrepreneurship Development Centre (IEDC). A proposal for establishment of IEDC at Dronacharya Group of Institutions (DGI), Greater Noida was submitted to National Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB) on 16th November 2015. DGI, Greater Noida was invited to give their presentation on the proposal submitted.

Prof. TPN Singh, Advisor (R&D) and Prof. (Dr.) H.S. Dua, HOD, ECE attended the meet and delivered the presentation. Following colleges participated in the program :

1. Dronacharya Group of Institutions, Greater Noida

2. Sandip Institute of Technology, Nasik.

3. Sri Venkatesware College of Engineering, Tirupati

4. Chameli Devi Group of Institutions, Indore.

5. Velammal Colleg of Engineering, Madurai

6. Sri Eshwar College of Engineering, Coimbatore

7. National Institute of Technology, Silchar, Assam

8. Thakur College of Engineering & Technology, Mumbai

9. K.S. Institute of Technology, Bangalore

10. Kuppam Engineering College, Chittoor District, AP

11. Sat Kabir Institute of Technology & Management, Haryana

12. SKR Engineering College, Chennai

Selection panel comprised of the following dignitaries :

1. Mr. H. K. Mittal - Advisor, Member Secretary, NSTEDB

2. Mr. Sujit Banerjee – Director, DST

3. Dr. Sunil Shukla – Director, EDII

4. Mr. Pranay Gupta – Incubator Director, IIM Ahmedabad

5. Ms. Bindu Balakrishnan – Director, Scientific & Technological Park, NIT Trichi

In the follow up of the conference, a meeting was held on 30th December 2015 at 10:00 am at EDII conference hall wherein results were announced and the process of establishment of IEDC was discussed in detail. Eight Colleges (S.No. 1-8 for the list above) were finally selected for the establishment of IEDC. Mr. H. K. Mittal explained the process of selection of colleges and emphasized on creativity and innovation as the main focus of the cell. It was informed that the project work should start by 1st April 2016. Financial assistance shall be provided for five projects every year for five years. The utilization of funds and progress report has to be submitted periodically to DST. The focus should be on creating start-ups amongst entrepreneurial inclined students.

It was further discussed that the DST will be organizing a “Grand Challenge” wherein Rs. 10 lacs will be awarded for each deserving project. The Grand Challenge is for the selected eight colleges and should be out of the five projects presented by the college. The scheme shall be implemented by EDII, Ahmedabad and the colleges are bound to give two years of incubation for the selected projects.

EDII shall also be running a two day workshop for IEDC coordinators in June – July 2016 under the aegis of DST on “How to run IEDC”.

Mr. Sujit Banerji spoke on the disbursement of grants and financial approval. The recipient colleges have to register at pfms. gov.in. After receipt of sanction order, selected colleges have to form a local standing committee with identified members and hold a steering committee meeting with participation of DST. The meeting closed at 12:30 pm. Prof. TPN Singh and Prof (Dr) H. S. Dua visited the Centre for Innovation, Incubation & Entrepreneurship of IIM, Ahmedabad to have an insight of the TBI (Technical & Business Incubator). Mr. Neeraj Jain, Incubator Manager explained the origin and progress of the incubator since 2007. Large numbers of young entrepreneurs were at work at the incubator.