There is a dire need of an innovation culture to be inculcated in India at the Educational Institute Level in order to maintain pace with other countries across the globe.

It is known that the 21st Century is the century of innovation. In honour of the former Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Dr. Satya Pal Singh, the Union Minister of State for HRD, launched the 'Atal' Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) and Innovation Cell at All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), New Delhi on August 30, 2018. This initiative has been established at AICTE premises to systematically foster the culture of Innovation in all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across the country. The aim of the Innovation Cell is to encourage, inspire and train young students by exposing them to new ideas and processes resulting in an inquisitive mindset and innovative activities in their early years in the field through the wide Network of Innovation clubs in Higher Educational Institutions.

Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA): The key to growth is to convert research into innovation. It is thus, mandatory to create a sustainable environment for such research and innovation to take place. The Ministry of Human Resource Development, has introduced the ARIIA, which will rank institutions and universities on the basis of innovation related indicators which are common to the globally used indicators to calculate innovation progress in a country.

The major 5 parameters relied upon for ARIIA are:

  • Budget Expenses and Revenue generated through Innovation and entrepreneurship development
  • Facilitating access to advance centres / facilities and entrepreneurial support system
  • Idea to Entrepreneurship
  • Development of Innovation Ecosystems Supported through Teaching & Learning
  • Best innovative solutions Developed In-house for Improving Governance of Your Institution

The primary objective is to inspire institutions to encourage high quality research, innovation and entrepreneurship. ARIIA will focus on quality of innovations and will try to measure the actual impact created by these innovations nationally and internationally.

Higher Education Institutions are supposed to submit their applications by November 30, 2018 and the results for ARIIA will be announced in April, 2019.

Compiled by: Adv. Sachi Kapoor | Concept & Edited by: Dr. Mohan Dewan

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