The Ministry of Human Resource Development’s (MHRD) Institution Innovation Council (IIC) is an initiative aimed at fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education institutions (HEIs) across India. The roles and responsibilities of an Institution Innovation Council (IIC) include the following:

1. Promoting Innovation and Entrepreneurship

• Encourage students and faculty to engage in innovative projects and entrepreneurial activities.
• Develop a sustainable innovation ecosystem within the institution.
• Identify, nurture, and support innovative ideas with commercialization potential.

2. Organizing Activities and Events

• Conduct innovation-focused workshops, seminars, hackathons, and startup challenges.
• Organize idea-generation boot camps, prototype development programs, and business model competitions.
• Celebrate National Innovation Day and other innovation-driven events.

3. Capacity Building and Skill Development

• Provide training and mentorship to students and faculty on innovation, intellectual property rights (IPR), and entrepreneurship.
• Facilitate interactions with industry experts, successful entrepreneurs, and investors.
• Promote interdisciplinary research and problem-solving skills among students.

4. Collaboration with External Stakeholders

• Establish linkages with industries, incubators, investors, and government agencies for funding and support.
• Develop partnerships with research organizations and other academic institutions for knowledge exchange.
• Engage with government programs like Startup India, Make in India, and Atal Innovation Mission.

5. Supporting Startups and Incubation

• Encourage students and faculty to launch startups and entrepreneurial ventures.
• Provide guidance on business planning, product development, and market entry.
• Assist in securing funding and grants for innovative projects.

6. Monitoring and Assessment

• Conduct self-assessment and periodic reviews of innovation and entrepreneurship activities.
• Submit reports to the Innovation Cell of the Ministry of Education (MoE’s Innovation Cell - MIC).
• Track the progress and impact of student-led innovations and startups.

7. Promoting Intellectual Property (IP) Awareness

• Educate students and faculty on patents, copyrights, and trademarks.
• Assist in patent filing and protection of intellectual property rights.

8. Facilitating Policy Implementation

• Implement innovation and startup policies as per the National Innovation and Startup Policy (NISP) guidelines.
• Develop institution-specific policies to support innovation and entrepreneurship.

9. Encouraging Problem-Solving Mindset

• Foster a culture of research and development (R&D) to address societal and industrial challenges.
• Organize hackathons and grand challenges for real-world problem-solving.

10. Recognition and Reward System

• Recognize and reward innovative students, faculty members, and teams.
• Promote a culture of appreciation for creative problem-solving and entrepreneurship.