IN 2018, the Ministry of Education (MoE), erstwhile MHRD through MoE's Innovation Cell (MIC) launched the Institute's Innovation Council (IIC) program in collaboration with AICTE for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The primary objectve of the same was to encourage the culture of innovation and start-up/entrepreneurial ecosystem in educational institutions.

IICs' are expected to play a major role in not only involving the faculty and staff but also young students towards innovation and enterpreneurship-related activities. This would be accomplished through various programmes  involving diiferent steps of entrepreneurship like ideation, proof of concept, design thinking, IPR etc. This is enviosoned to create an innovation boosted eco-system on the academic campuses.

Major focus of IIC:

• To create a vibrant local innovation ecosystem.
• Start-up/ entrepreneurship supporting Mechanism in HEIs.
• Prepare Institute for Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements Framework. (ARIIA)
• Establish a functioning ecosystem for scouting ideas and pre-incubation of ideas.
• Develop better cognitive ability among students.

Functions of IICs:

• To conduct various innovation and entrepreneurship-related activities prescribed by Central MIC in a time-bound fashion.
• Identify and reward innovations and share success stories.
• Organize Hackathons, idea competition, mini-challenges, problem-solving proof of concept development etc. with the involvement of industries.
• Network with peers and national entrepreneurship development organizations.
• Create an Institution’s Innovation portal to highlight innovative projects carried out by the institution’s faculty and students. 
• Organize periodic workshops/ seminars/ interactions with entrepreneurs, investors, professionals and create a mentor pool for student innovators.