IIT Delhi To Allow Phd Students To Start A Startup Instead Of Thesis

Doctoral students from India’s top tech and engineering schools will get help to convert their thesis into start-ups.

These startups will be provided a monthly compensation “at par with the industry salary” to pursue their start-up journey along with seed capital, free mentoring, accommodation and access to IIT-Delhi labs

B.K. Panigrahi, a professor at the IIT-Delhi, said doctoral students who have done research on deep technology in areas like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, sustainable energy, blockchain technology, infra security will get a chance to work more on their ideas and develop it into companies. “IIT-Delhi will handhold them with all kind of facilities and compensation for three years. Since deep technology subjects needs expertise, it was natural to think about doctorate students,” he said.

Panigrahi said the move will also will also push doctoral fellows to think about an alternative career beyond academics and may be motivated to create jobs than just seek jobs.

IIT-Delhi also said that they are setting up a separate incubation centre at Sonepat, Haryana to incubate around 50 companies every year.

“The next focus of IITs will be on creating entrepreneurs so that successful research works can be converted into usable products. The present initiatives are part of that,” said M. Balakrishnan, deputy director of IIT-Delhi.