Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh presented INSPIRE Awards to 60 startups, as well as financial assistance to 53,021 students, according to a statement from the Ministry of Science and Technology.
The award is sponsored by the Government of India’s Department of Science and Technology (DST), and these innovators will receive full incubation support for their entrepreneurial journey.
According to the Minister, the annual INSPIRE Awards – MANAK (Million Minds Augmenting National Aspiration and Knowledge) competition drew a record 6.53 lakh ideas and innovations from all states and UTs of the country in 2020-21.
Representing ideas and innovations of 702 districts
He claimed that the scheme attained an unprecedented level of inclusivity by representing the ideas and innovations of 702 districts (96%), including 123 out of 124 aspirational districts, 51% representation from girls, 84% participation from schools in rural areas of the country, and 71% of schools run by State/UT Governments.
Out of 6.53 lakh, a total of 53,021 students were identified for financial support of Rs 10,000 each so that they could develop prototypes of the ideas that they submitted for the scheme, Dr Jitendra Singh said.
They competed in District-Level Exhibition and Project Competitions (DLEPCs) and State-Level Exhibition and Project Competitions (SLEPCs). A total of 556 students advanced to the 9th National Level Exhibition and Project Competition (NLEPC).
Part of NLEPC
“These 556 students who will be part of NLEPC are the country’s most promising scientists, researchers, scholars, and an overall group of S&T talent in the making,” he said.
According to the minister, dedicated mentoring workshops are organised for these students at top technological institutes such as IITs, BITS, and NITs, among others. This will not only increase their exposure to the latest trends in Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI), but will also coach them to make the best decisions for their innovative technologies and gain insights into what will most benefit their innovation.
According to the minister, the scheme aims to help build a critical human resource pool for strengthening, expanding, and increasing the science and technology R&D base.
