Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated a new Incubation Centre at IIM Mumbai and urged for deeper collaboration between India’s top academic and scientific institutions—including IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, CSIR, and IIMC—to build sustainable, innovation-led startups. “The age of working in silos is over,” he declared while interacting with students.
The Minister emphasized the need for integration among academia, industry, and government to accelerate innovation and economic growth. He highlighted that greater synergy between public and private sectors is no longer optional—it is a national necessity.
Reflecting on India’s transformation over the past 11 years, Dr. Singh celebrated the rise of women-led development and democratization of civil services. He cited the Aditya L1 space mission led by women scientists and noted that girls now consistently top the Civil Services Examination.
Sharing an inspiring story of a 16-year-old girl from a militancy-affected area who cracked the IIT exam using just a smartphone, he underscored that dreams in India today transcend limitations. “This is the new India,” he said.
Dr. Singh also dispelled the myth that startups require fancy IT degrees, stating, “Aptitude, ideas, and innovation are the true foundation of entrepreneurship.” He reaffirmed that India’s startup ecosystem—now the world’s third-largest—has grown from 350 startups in 2014 to over 1.5 lakh in 2025.
He spotlighted initiatives like:
- India’s ₹1,000 crore venture fund for space-tech startups
- The BioE3 Policy focused on Economy, Environment, and Employment
- The Aroma Mission, with 3,000+ lavender-based rural startups
He praised the National Education Policy (NEP 2020) for enabling flexible, innovation-friendly education and urged youth to tap into hidden potential in sectors like agriculture and biotechnology. With India’s Gross Expenditure on R&D doubling in the past decade, he called this the golden era for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Concluding, Dr. Singh reminded students: “You are the generation that will lead a Viksit Bharat by 2047. This is your opportunity—and your responsibility.”
Source: PIB
