....... ­F.NO. 21-10S/201S-TS.ll/TC

Government of India Ministry of Human Resource Development

Department of Higher Education Technical Section-I

Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi Dated the 22nd December 2015

To All Directors of IITs All Council members of IITs

Sub: Guidelines for Uchhatar Avishkar Yojana

Sir, With a view to promoting innovation of a higher order that directly impacts

the needs of the Industry/industries and thereby improves the competitive edge of 6thIndian manufacturing, and as decided in the IIT Council meeting on Oct 2015,

the following guidelines have been issued for considering industry-sponsored, outcome-oriented research projects:

1. Objectives: a. To promote innovation in areas that are directly of relevance to the

manufacturing and design industry b. To spur innovative mindset in the students and faculty in premier

technological institutes c. To bring a coordinated action between academia and the industry d. To strengthen the laboratories and research facilities in the premier

technological institutions. e. To have outcome-based research funding.

2. Applicability: The scheme would be applicable to the projects proposed by the Indian Institutes of Technologies initially. The projects should have collaboration between the academia and industry - within or outside India.

3. Project proposals: The projects under this programme shall have the following essential features:

a. The project shall have been initiated by Industry/Industries or jOintly by the Industry and the Institute.

b. It should address a specific need of the industry/industries and there should be clear expected outcomes from the project.

c. Normally it would be expected that the project would result in registering of a patent.

d. At least 25% of the project cost should be committed by the Industry/industries prior to the project being considered.

e. The project should have been considered and approved by the internal approval mechanism of the institution.

f. The projects should be uploaded on the IIT Council website for which IIT Kanpur will make special arrangements.

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. g. All projects which are received before 15th Febrauary each year would be considered for funding in the following financial year.

4. Project components: The project proposal can cover the following:

a. The cost of hiring high quality manpower (in case not available in the institution).

b. Cost of procuring essential equipment ifnot available. c. Maintenance/consumables and all such expenditure that is needed to

run the experiments. d. Cost of collaboration/consultations required for the project. e. 30% institutional charges.

5. Project financing: Whereas there would be no limit on the project size, the overall annual investment would be limited to Rs. 250 Cr each year. Every item listed in the project would need to be justified. The following will be the funding pattern of the projects selected:

a. 25% by Industry/industries b. 25% by participating Department/Ministry c. 50% by MHRD.

6. Project approvals: a. All projects that are submitted by 15th February each year will only be

considered for funding in the coming financial year. b. A Project Approval Committee (PAC) under the Chairmanship of

Secretary (HE) with participation of the Department of Science and Technology and the participating Ministry/Department would consider

1st .the project proposals (after undertaking peer review) between to 15th March each year.

c. The list of selected projects would be announced in the last week of March each year.

7. Releases and monitoring: a. The project funding would be released in two half-yearly instalments:

first in April and the next in October each year. b. The funding under this programme would be over and above the normal

plan funding provided to the institution. c. There shall be a half-yearly monitoring of the progress in these projects

during October and February each year. This will be done by the same inter-ministerial committee constituted for this purpose.

These guidelines would come into immediate effect and the projects for funding in 2016-17 may be sent for consideration before 15th Feb 2016.

Yours Sincerely,

~~))VR. Subrahmanyam

Additional Secretary (TE) Copy to: Secretary DSTISecretary DBT

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