Cooperate with India

e delivered in multiple ways, and can be accessed from anywhere and anytime. It will seek to enhancethe learning experience through new and innovative delivery models of education that allow students andinstitutions to collaborate in unprecedented ways.20 Design Innovation CentresSetting up twenty Design Innovation Centres co-located in institutes of national importance to ensuremaximum convergence, optimum utilization of existing resources and infrastructure, and to leverage acontext of academia-industry interaction.Cluster Innovation Centres (CIC) at UniversitiesIn order to make Universities hubs of innovation the Cluster Innovation Centres (CIC) will be created atuniversities/institutions of national repute. This will foster an ecosystem of innovation, and connectresearch with application for the benefit of society. The CIC will provide a platform for the university andits partners to forge linkages between various stakeholders from industry and academia, initiate and assistinnovation activities, encourage innovations in curricula and act as a catalyst and facilitator. The CIC willprovide a range of services and facilities including,Ӱ Ӱ Evaluation of ideas for their innovation potentialӰӰӰӰӰӰAdvice on technical and commercial viabilityӰ Guidance on IPR issuesӰ Assistance on relevant financial schemes and grantsӰ Help innovators find partners and collaborators including funding, business developmentӰ Market the products and processes to end-users.ConclusionsThe establishment of NIC is a move in right direction for government of India, especially given that 2010-20has been declared as a “Decade of Innovation.” NIC indeed has a very ambitious agenda and an aggressivetimeline. Since its inception, NICs track record in defining the roadmap, identifying the programs and getthem started has been impressive. Nevertheless, there are several risks and extremely difficult challenges.To begin with, NIC, despite its enlightened leadership aggressive business approach, continues to be agovernment body and several of its initiatives need to work across multiple government departmentsand agencies, which tend to be bureaucratic and slow. The government initiatives with large financialoutlays tend to attract sectarian interests, and lead to corruption. As a result, much needed financialresources may not reach the programs that would have greater impact. Even if NIC partially overcomesthe challenges and succeeds in creating innovation mindset across India its efforts will transform India intoan innovation powerhouse.40