Background: To address all engineering and technological challenges faced by the nation, a nation-wide unique initiative called IMPacting Research Innovation and Technology (IMPRINT) was launched in 2015. IMPRINT India is a multi-stakeholder mission programme aimed at bridging the gap between scientific knowledgebase created through fundamental and applied research and fruitful translation of the same through engineering invention and technological innovation for the betterment of society.
Salient Features:
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- In 2018 the next edition, IMPRINT-2, with wider scope, simpler guideline for participation and better synergy among investigators, partners and collaborators was launched.
- IMPRINT-2 is made more inclusive manner by expanding the catchment of implementing institutions, by adopting a more demand-driven strategy of solution development and by incorporating the specific externalities of the states of India so as to make end-user translation and technology adoption easier.
- The SERB (Science and Engineering Research Board) of the Department of Science & Technology (DST) is the nodal agency for implementing the IMPRINT-2.
- Principal objective is to translate knowledge into viable technology.
- The average cost of the approved projects is around Rs. 2 Cr.
- MHRD and DST are equal partners to steer the scheme
- IMPRINT-2 is open to all MHRD funded HEIs / CFTIs
- Projects with industry support is mandatory.
- The Uchhatar Avishkar Yojana (UAY) scheme is subsumed with IMPRINT-2.
FRONTIER AREAS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (FAST) SCHEME
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- 36 Centers of Excellence have been set up under FAST Scheme which focuses on frontier research topics.
- The Centre focuses on new and emerging technologies, multidisciplinary and translational research relevant to national development goals.
- Priority is accorded to thematic areas such as energy, water, clean environment, smart materials that promote sustainable development.
GLOBAL INITIATIVE FOR ACADEMIC NETWORKS (GIAN) INITIATIVE
Global Initiative for Academic Networks (GIAN) in Higher Education aimed at tapping the talent pool of scientists and entrepreneurs internationally to encourage their engagement with the institutes of Higher Education in India so as to augment the country’s existing academic resources, accelerate the pace of quality reform, and elevate India’s scientific and technological capacity to global excellence.
Objectives:
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- To increase the footfalls of reputed international faculty in the Indian academic institutes and provide opportunity to our faculty to learn and share knowledge and teaching skills in cutting edge areas.
- To provide opportunity to our students to seek knowledge and experience from reputed International faculty and also learn subjects in niche areas through collaborative learning process.
- Develop high quality course material in niche areas, both through video and print that can be used by a larger body of students and teachers.
- Motivate the best international experts in the world to work on problems related to India.
OTHER INITIATIVES:
SWAYAM Portal
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- Aims:
- To fulfil three cardinal principles of education policy viz. access, equity and quality.
- To bridge the digital divide.
- It is a repository of over 300 high quality massive open online courses (MOOCS), developed by top academicians.
- Everything is available free of cost.
- Aims:
