AICTE invites entries for Vishwakarma award to promote innovative solutions for societal challenges

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has invited entries from engineering students and technical education institutions for Vishwakarma Awards 2019, which will be for providing innovative, low cost solution for societal challenges.

This year the theme of the award is 'How to enhance the income of a village'. According to census 2011, nearly 69 per cent of our population lives in rural areas. Therefore, our rural landscape forms the most crucial component in the economic development of India. The value addition in such a large market offers tremendous potential for societal impact with monetary gains as well. Hence, the overall prosperity of our Nation lies in the development of its rural areas, AICTE said in a note.

The award will be in two categories Chhatra Vishwakarma Awards for Outstanding Innovative Team (Students and Mentor) and Utkrisht Sansthan Vishwakarma Award for exemplary Institutional intervention. For Chhatra Vishwakarma Awards students need to provide an innovative solution to How to enhance the income of Villages through intervention of Technology/Management practices. Livelihood, waste management, crop waste management, value addition to rural handicraft and agro industry, farm and flock, water, land and energy are the sub-themes which the students can select under this award category.

As an incentive to encourage students to participate in this award, each student will be awarded 'AICTE Activity Points' as defined in the AICTE Internship Policy.Similarly, Utkrisht Sansthan Vishwakarma award aims to motivate, recognize and honour the AICTE approved institutions and institutions to raise their performance in the specific domain leading to significant contribution for the growth and development of villages in vicinity.

This award will be evaluated based on academic intervention, practical intervention and impact created in the society. AICTE instituted this award to promote innovative spirit and scientific temperament for holistic development of society through stakeholders of its approved institutions.