Dr Jitendra presents ASPIRE StartUp awards, financial support to 53,021 students

STATE TIMES NEWS

NEW DELHI: Union Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh on Friday presented INSPIRE awards to 60 StartUps and financial support to 53,021 students. The award is instituted by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Govt of India, and these innovators will be extended complete incubation support for their entrepreneurship journey.
Dr Jitendra said, during the year 2020-21, while the country like rest of the world was battling with the severe impact of COVID-19, the annual INSPIRE Awards – MANAK (Million Minds Augmenting National Aspiration and Knowledge) competition attracted an unprecedented 6.53 Lakh ideas and innovations from all States and UTs of the country.
He said, the scheme touched an unparalleled level of inclusivity by representing ideas and innovations of 702 districts of the country (96%) including 123 out of 124 aspirational districts, 51% representation from girls, 84% participation from schools located in rural areas of the country and 71% of the schools run by the State / UT Governments.
Dr Jitendra informed that out of 6.53 lakhs, 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 which they submitted for the scheme. As a next step, they competed at respective District Level Exhibition and Project Competition (DLEPC’s) and State Level Exhibition and Project Competition (SLEPC’s) and now a total of 556 students have made their way to 9th National Level Exhibition and Project Competition (NLEPC).
Dr Jitendra said, every year, from all recognized eligible schools, amongst the school students of 10-15 years of age, studying in class VIth to Xth, a million ideas are aimed to be scouted and a lakh to be identified for further value addition and an opportunity to compete and move ahead on account of their inherent merit in their incubation trajectories.