A Scheme to Identify and Promote Creative and Innovative Ideas and Innovations of IGNOU Students.

The National Centre for Innovation in Distance Education (NCIDE) aims at promoting the culture of innovation in the University. One of the main objectives of the Centre is to identify, recognize and nurture the innovations among its stakeholders. The centre is trying to reach out to all its stakeholders, including faculty members and especially students. In case of the students of IGNOU, it has been observed that they are involved in the development of innovative products, however, the instances are few, and often go unnoticed. Needless to mention, there may be many innovators among the students of IGNOU, and there is a strong need for a mechanism to recognise and acknowledge their innovative efforts. Keeping this in view, in 2018 IGNOU initiated a scheme to identify, document, recognize and promote such creative and innovative initiatives by the IGNOU students, spread across the country.

The basic objectives of the scheme are :

●        to identify grassroots innovations and technical ideas of IGNOU students.

●        to provide a national level platform for the IGNOU students to showcase their innovations.

●        to catalyse and promote development of creative and innovative ideas and products by the students.

●        to inculcate an innovation driven culture of entrepreneurship among the students of IGNOU.

●        to build linkages between the grass-root level innovations by the IGNOU students with the R&D framework existing in the country.

●        to document such grass-root innovations and create a web based database of the same, and

●        to make wider publicity of such innovations through all possible ways and means.

Most importantly, this type of support to the innovative and creative students of IGNOU will boost the morale of distance learners and will motivate them in doing something innovative. Secondly, they will feel encouraged and proud to be the students of IGNOU as they would be getting similar opportunities in ODL also as in the formal universities. Thirdly, IGNOU will be recognized as a university actively engaged in encouraging and promoting a culture of innovations among the distance learners, who have certain different skills than their counterparts in the formal system, as many of them are working class or employed.

Under this scheme entries are invited from all the bonafide students of IGNOU. The students are requested to submit their innovations in the prescribed form. After screening and evaluation of the entries received three best innovators are given the Best Innovation Award, Cash Prizes, Certificates and Mementoes.

●      Student Innovation Award – 2022

In 2022 entries were invited by the NCIDE from IGNOU students for the Student Innovation Award – 2022. After evaluation by a Committee of Experts, Six best entries were selected for the Student Innovation Award – 2022.

First Best Innovation Award-2022 : Mr. Shiekh Fayaz Ahmad, a student of MA in Entrepreneurship at IGNOU has developed a Low-Cost Livestock and Poultry Feed Composition and Method of Preparation thereof, an innovative composition to provide a low-cost protein-rich livestock and poultry feed comprising of apple pomace, azolla, maize, grain, wheat bran, deoiled rice bran, mineral mixture, and salt. The protein content in the composition is more than the conventional feed. It is economic, environment friendly, can be used as livestock as well as poultry feed and contains favourable Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acid ratio and has more nutrients and antioxidants than the conventional feed. For his innovative product development, Mr. Shiekh Fayaz Ahmad is conferred with the First Best Innovation Award-2022. He is awarded with a cash prize of Rs. 10000/-, a certificate and trophy.

Second Best Innovation Award-2022 : Mr. Abhijeet Kumar, a BCAstudent of IGNOU has developed a prototype of an innovative Sleep Detection while Driving which can be installed in vehicles, and will continuously monitor the yawning and eye movement of the drivers. As soon as the system detects yawn or sleepy eyes/eye movement then an alarm starts ringing, the system can also control what action is to be taken to slow down or stop the vehicle. Mr. Abhijeet Kumar is awarded with the Second Best Innovation Award-2022 with a cash prize of Rs. 7000/-, a certificate and trophy for his innovation.

Third Best Innovation Award-2022 : Mr. Vishal V. Vastava, a BCA student of IGNOU has developed a prototype of hosting a Web Over Radio. Through his innovation, the web based content can be transmitted through radio waves even in remote areas without the internet. Mr. Vishal V. Vastava is awarded with the third Best Innovation Award-2022 a cash prize of Rs. 5000/-, a certificate and a trophy for his innovation.

Mr. Ajay Kumar Choubey, a student of ACPSD (Appreciation Course on Population and Sustainable Development) at IGNOU has developed a Manually Operated Briquetting Machine. By this machine waste like stubble, sawdust, paper, biomass, can be converted into briquettes which can be used as fuel. The machine is low cost, manually operated, and easy to assemble. Briquettes which are produced can be used in restaurant, boiler based industries, or various commercial purposes. Mr. Ajay Kumar Choubey is awarded with a Consolation Best Innovation Award-2022 a certificate and trophy for his innovation.

Mr. Sahil Kushwah, a BCA student of IGNOU has developed and implemented an anime social and streaming platform “Animick” where users can watch short animated videos on WeebPlay section, collaborate, chat and videos call their friends with end to end encryption. Mr. Sahil Kushwah is awarded with a Consolation Best Innovation Award-2022 a certificate and trophy for his innovation.

Mr. Tarun Raj Kumar, a BCA student of IGNOU has developed a prototype of Pharmacy Assistant and Robot, which can detect open boxes and locate medicines. It works on voice commands and uses Machine Learning Algorithm based prediction of Medicines, inventory optimization, fast moving, forecasting dashboard and graphs making. Mr. Tarun Raj Kumar is awarded with a Consolation Best Innovation Award-2022 a certificate and trophy for his innovation.

●      Student Innovation Award – 2021

In 2021 entries were invited by the NCIDE from IGNOU students for the Student Innovation Award – 2021. After evaluation by a Committee of Experts, five best entries were selected for the Student Innovation Award – 2021.

The First Award was given to Mr. Puran Mal Bankoliya, a student of the Bachelor Degree (BA) Programme of IGNOU for designing and developing an innovative fixture process for temperature stub fit-up with pipes.

The Second Award was given to Mr. Anoop Kumar Prasad, a student of the Master of Arts (Political Science) (MPS) Programme of IGNOU for his innovation named Smart Asthma Alert  System that can alert the asthma patients to take quick-relief medication.

The Third Award was given to Mr. Prem Kumar Rathod, a student of the Post Graduate Diploma in Rural Development (PGDRD) Programme who has designed and developed An Innovative Surgical Method to Operate Post-Traumatic Residual Deformities of a zygomatico- maxillary-orbital Complex.

The winners were awarded cash prizes of Rs.10,000, Rs.7,000, and Rs.5000 respectively along with Trophy and Certificates.

In addition to this, two Consolation Awards were also given to encourage the innovators.

The First Consolation Award was given to Mr. Venkata Dinesh Dintakurthi, a student of Post Graduate Diploma in Sustainability Science (PGDSS) Programme of IGNOU for developinga UPSC Radio Podcast (Telugu).

The Second Consolation Award was given to Mr. Kunal Ambasta, a student of Post Graduate Diploma in Hospital and Health Management (PGDHMM) Programme of IGNOU for his innovative process KEYA-AI System which is a total Offline Complete Home Automation System and is simple and easy to use anywhere without requiring internet, WiFi or Bluetooth.

●      Student Innovation Award – 2020

In 2020 entries were invited by the NCIDE from IGNOU students for the Student Innovation Award – 2020. After evaluation by a Committee of Experts, four best entries were selected for the Student Innovation Award – 2020.

The First Award was given to Mr. Shubhajit Bhattacharya. He has developed a two-wheeler for people with disability who don’t have both hands.

The Second Award was given to Ms. Shrutee Bepari. In her innovation, she made a solar tracking system and has utilized the solar power collected by the solar panel to charge a battery and drive an electric fence along with an automated sprinkler system.

The Third Award was given to Mr. Yugal Kishor. He has developed an innovative device, which is a contactless Ultraviolet (UV) disinfecting system.

A Consolation Award was given to Mr. Milindshekhar Chandrashekhar Gupta. He has developed a new bulletproof material, which is designed to stop the ‘Steel Core Bullets’.

 

●      Student Innovation Award – 2019

In 2019 entries were invited by the NCIDE from IGNOU students for the Student Innovation Award – 2019. After evaluation by a Committee of Experts, four best entries were selected for the Student Innovation Award – 2019.

The First Award was given to Dr. Animesh Mohan, a student of DNHE Programme of IGNOU. He has developed an innovative device named Janu Avagaha Instrument for the Ayurvedic treatment of Osteoarthritis of knee joints.

The Second Award was given to Mr. Vivek Tripathi, a student of PGDTP Programme of IGNOU. He has developed a mobile app named Hindi-TED with innovative content, which focuses on learning of Hindi through Translation, Examples and Dictionary.

The Third Award was given to Mr. Kailash Kumar, a student of the PGCIATIVI Programme of IGNOU. He has developed an innovative device named Eye Rotation Pendulum for easy and hassle-free exercise for vision improvement.

A Consolation Award was given to Mr. Ankit Kumar Saw, a student of B.A. Programme of IGNOU. He has developed a Hand-Made Economy Car by using discarded scraps of motorcycle and cars.

 

●      Innovator Students of IGNOU-2018

The scheme has been launched in 2018 and following four students were awarded the Student Innovation Award 2018 on the occasion of the Foundation Day of the University, i.e. November 19, 2018.

The First Prize was awarded to Mr. Mukesh Chand Meena, a student of Post BSc. Nursing Programme of IGNOU, he has developed seven innovative Mobile Android Apps on Medical Awareness.

The Second Prize was awarded to Mr. Jaivardhan Singh Rathore. He is a PhD student of Foreign Language at IGNOU. He has developed an innovative French Song Book “Chantons en Francais” Learning French through Songs. His innovation is based on the Musical Intelligence Theory and teaches French to beginners to master the language competencies.

The Third Prize was awarded to Mr. Ajay Kumar Sharma, a student of BSc. He has developed Farmer Friendly Biogas Bottling Machine. This machine is portable which is very useful in rural areas.

A Consolation Prize was awarded to Mr. Deepak Sharma, a student of MCA Programme of IGNOU. He has developed IGNOU Space App – An Innovative Android App for IGNOU Students. The app provides a one-stop platform for learner support services, such as information on Courses, Question Papers, Examination and various updates.