Panjab University has been selected by the department of science & technology (DST) New Delhi, as one of the nodal centres in the region for establishing the Technology Enabling Centre (TEC) at Panjab University.

Facts :

• Panjab University is all set to cater to the northern region as a technology enabling centre (TEC), making it to the list of five centres to be launched by the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
• As many as five centres across the country have been shortlisted, including PU, IIT Delhi, IISc Bangalore, Entrepreneurship Development Institution in Ahmedabad and Baba Ambedkar University.
• Initially, these centres will be supported by DST with a fund of Rs 1 crore per year for five years, and thereafter the centres will have to be self-sustained.
• According to DST, the criteria for selection to get the TEC status includes patent awareness, IP holding, MoU or MoA with industry/clusters, availability of proof of concepts, ready prototypes, incubator activity or some other technology related activity.
• To shift the mindset of policy makers as well as scientists from research publications to generation of technologies and patents, DST established a Centre for Policy Research at PU.
• Some of the key activities covered under this centre will include Mining of Technologies being developed at various labs in University, assessment of technical gaps faced by MSMEs, evaluating maturity of the identified technologies (products and processes) for further development; carrying out market studies for their market potential of prototypes and leads; recommend Pilot stage development and co-development of the Technologies with established institutions/industries to make those market ready.
• The TEC at Panjab University will serve the industry by preparing technology status and demand report, assist start-ups in raising funds and forging partnerships and so on.
• Periodic workshops/seminars will be organised in collaboration with industries. An interactive portal supported with databases will be developed to evolve an on line process of partnership and technology search. TEC will bring out newsletter and bulletin on quarterly basis.
• This centre is mandated to make evidence-based recommendations by studying authenticated documents and interacting with industry personnel, industry associations, policy makers and regulators, funding agencies, university professors and scientists of national research laboratories.

Analysis :

• The objective of TEC will be to create an ecosystem for technology conversion at the university and provide a platform to network researchers with other institutes, national laboratories and industry.
• The focus of the Centre will be on providing an enabling eco system, process and support for taking the lab level early leads to the development of marketable products.
• The award of TEC is seen as a natural progress of PU from the earlier awards of DIC, CPR, Bio incubator and CIIPP at PU.
• CIIPP, along with the CPR at Panjab University has already been striving to promote industry academia partnerships at PU.
• Recently, an Institutional Innovation Council has also been constituted at PU for fostering collaborations between the faculty and industries in the region.
• The award of TEC to PU is an important recognition that the university holds in promoting innovations for social good.