Promote culture of innovation and entrepreneurship: University Grants Commission
COIMBATORE: The University Grants Commission has asked colleges and universities to promote the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among students. The apex regulatory body for higher education in the country also said that there was no dearth of grassroots innovators in the country and efforts must be made to facilitate their growth.
The start-ups, innovators and entrepreneurs from across the country have appreciably applied their creativity to address social issues, UGC secretary Rajnish Jain said in his letter to the Vice-Chancellors of universities across the nation.
The UGC also listed specific steps needed to be taken in higher education institutions for the promotion of a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, which includes encouraging students to visit incubators, holding entrepreneurship focused events, where successful entrepreneurs are invited to interact with students among others.
In addition to this, the UGC has also asked colleges and universities to set up entrepreneurship cells and adding entrepreneurship to curriculum, apart from encouraging setting up of incubators at higher education institutions. Asking universities to set up intellectual property centres, the UGC was also in favour of establishing innovation labs on the model of ‘Atal Tinkering Labs’.
The UGC has also told universities and colleges to encourage organisations of boot camps, mentoring and investor sessions and associate with various initiatives carried out by Startup India.