MHRD & DST IMPacting Research INnovation and Technology (IMPRINT-2) – Applications Invited
MHRD and DST official notification for 2018 IMPacting Research INnovation and Technology (IMPRINT-2). Interested and eligible can apply online for the call via SERB. IMPRINT-2 official call for applications from faculty members and researchers in all Government of India funded Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), check details on the same below:
This call expires in :
What is IMPRINT?
India, a mighty global economy which will soon be crowned the youngest nation in the world faces multiple daunting challenges in terms of energy/physical/cyber security, potable water scarcity, environment and climate change, poverty, affordable health care for billions, etc. A vast majority of these tasks demand engineering intervention and technological innovation. A clarion call was made by the Honourable President and Prime Minister to address all engineering and technological challenges faced by the nation through a nation-wide unique initiative called IMPacting Research INnovation and Technology (IMPRINT) launched on November 5, 2015 from the Rashtrapati Bhavan. IMPRINT India was a multi-stakeholder mission programme aimed at bridging the gap between scientific knowledgebase created through fundamental and applied research and fruitful translation of the same through engineering invention and technogical innovation for the betterment of
society.What is IMPRINT-2?
IMPRINT-India initiative was both novel and unique. Despite unprecedented interest, wide spread enthusiasm and unique scope and utility of the initiative, a need was felt to sharpen the focus, streamline the process of review and allotment, and showcase the fruits of innovation pursued and achieved through IMPRINT in public domain by creating a ‘knowledge portal’. Thus, IMPRINT has now graduated into the next edition, IMPRINT-2, with wider scope, simpler guideline for participation and better synergy among investigators, partners and collaborators. It is also realised and appreciated that IMPRINT-2 should be undertaken in a more inclusive manner by expanding the catchment of implementing institutions, by adopting a more demand-driven strategy of solution development and by incorporating the specific externalities of the states of India so as to make end-user translation and technology adoption easier. SERB in the DST is proposed to be made the nodal agency for implementing the IMPRINT-2.
Scope of IMPRINT-2
In order to simplify and streamline the process, attract wider participation of stakeholders including industry and sharpen the focus, a new and revised version of IMPRINT, IMPRINT Round 2 has now been envisaged which will be steered jointly by MHRD and Department of Science & Technology (DST) (through Science and Engineering Research Board, SERB). Core mandate of IMPRINT-2 will remain as:
- Develop products/processes and viable technologies for addressing the identified challenges in the different domains
- Formulate and develop focused translational projects against identified technology thrust areas by various stakeholder ministries
- Evolve new technology transfer models for enabling technology diffusion to industry and stakeholders
- Continuously monitor and refine the challenges and gaps in the various technology domains and map the same against the needs and strengths of the stakeholder ministries vis-à-vis academic and R&D institutions
- Align the programmers and projects with the needs of various industry sectors and the States of India in order to achieve end-user translation
- Facilitate building capability and competence in identified technology thrust areas in the various HEIs and universities in order to plug the demand-supply gap of human resources in specific areas of need.
- The faculty members and researchers in all Government of India funded Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), especially IITs/NITs/IISERs/IIITs/CUs, who are pursuing research in engineering and technology are eligible to submit proposals in IMPRINT-2 as the Principal Investigator (PI).
- IMPRINT-2 shall maintain an appropriate inventory of stakeholder needs and map the same against various products/technologies/knowledgebase likely to be developed under the initiative.
Important features of IMPRINT-2:
- Principal objective is to translate knowledge into viable technology
- About 425 projects with up to Rs 2 crore budget will be supported
- MHRD and DST are equal partners to steer the scheme
- IMPRINT-2 is open to all MHRD funded HEIs / CFTIs
- 27 ministries of GoI remain partners of IMPRINT-2
- Projects with industry support will be preferred
Eligibility
Who can apply
The faculty members and researchers in all Government of India funded Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), especially IITs/NITs/IISERs/IIITs/CUs, who are pursuing research in engineering and technology are eligible to submit proposals in IMPRINT-2 as the Principal Investigator (PI).The PIs should be confident of developing and demonstrating new and novel technology solutions borrowing from already established and documented knowledge base. The following points will be given priority during the project evaluation:
The PIs should be confident of developing and demonstrating new and novel technology solutions borrowing from already established and documented knowledge base. The following points will be given priority during the project evaluation:
- Projects which address any of the ‘themes’ identified by one of the 10 Technology Domains and ‘topics’ proposed by stake holder Ministry or Departments.
- Projects which qualify as translational research initiatives leading to viable technology, prototype or working model development.
- Projects with industry participation or startup company involvement that may lead to developing commercially viable products and thereby creating jobs.
Implementation of IMPRINT-2:
The SERB (Science and Engineering Research Board) of the Department of Science & Technology (DST) would be the nodal agency for implementing the IMPRINT-2 initiative working along with the National Coordinator (Prof. Indranil Manna, IIT Kharagpur) of IMPRINT. The SERB will create a separate vertical (Steering Committee) under its overall set up with allocated resources and a time bound action plan for selection, funding and management of research projects under IMPRINT-2.
Nature and quantum of support:
Two successive calls for proposal will be issued during 2018 and 2019 for projects with up to 36 months duration. Projects with clear translational objective and mandate and with industry support in cash will be preferred. While financial support for project staff, contingency, consumables and domestic travel is permissible, support under equipment head, particularly for expensive and sophisticated equipment purchase and facility creation will be discouraged. Utilization of funds must comply with GFR 2017, C&AG audit rules and purchase norms of the host institution.
How to Apply:
For successful online submission of the application the following points may be noted:
- All applications for IMPRINT-2 will be submitted online through SERBOnlineportal of SERB.
- Applicant should first register into the SERBOnline website . click here to register
- After successful registration , user will be sent a confirmation mail on registered emaiID .User must click on the url provided in the mail to confirm registration.
- After log-in, go to Menu –> Proposal Submission –> Form Submission. Select scheme “Impacting Research Innovation and Technology (IMPRINT-2)” and Click on “Start Submission” button.
- Some of the details of proposal like Co-PI and Collaborator(s) details, Industrial partners, Technical details, Budget (Manpower,Consumables,Travel, Equipment, Contingency, Overheads), reference materials have to be entered at the time of proposal submission.
- Biodata of Principal Investigator has to be uploaded in single PDF file not more than 10 MB . Download Template
Important timeline/dates / Selection and notification:
The call for submission of preliminary projects proposals for IMPRINT-2 (in prescribed format) will be opened and remain operational through an on line submission portal (www.serbonline.in) from 23rd March 2018 to 10th April 2018. The PIs of the shortlisted projects will be invited after May 11, 2018 to submit the final and detailed project proposal (through the same on line portal in a prescribed format) within a month. The proposed important time lines are as follows:
- Call for proposal: 23 Mar to 10 Apr, 2018 (submission through on line portal)
- Registration of PI: 23 Mar to 10 Apr, 2018
- Peer review: 10-30 April, 2018
- Review meetings: 1-10 May, 2018
- Announcement of shortlisted proposals: May 11 (Technology day)
- Final proposal: June 1-30, 2018
- Final peer review: July 1-31, 2018
- Final selection: Aug 1-15, 2018
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