JNTU-H announces student start-up policy

The Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad (JNTUH) on Thursday announced the launch of a student start-up policy from the ensuing academic year in line with the National Innovation and Start-up Policy by the union education ministry. Announcing the policy, IAS officer Jayesh Ranjan, incharge vice-chancellor of JNTUH, said that it will play a crucial role to support student-led innovations and tech start-up incubation. As part of this policy, consideration of student innovation and entrepreneurial activities as a mini/major project will be given.

“It will allow students to work on Innovative prototypes/problem validation, case study report, projects on openended problems, participate in social entrepreneurship right from first year to earn credits equivalent to mini-project,” an official communication from the university said.

Students will be allowed a maximum of 10 per cent exemption in all years to participate in events, bootcamps, conferences etc. Students will be allowed gap year facility after the second year subject to the condition of completion of the degree within the stipulated time. Application and prior approval by the review committee within the first one month of the semester is mandatory.

Students will be able to specialise in minors such as entrepreneurship, innovation and products, design engineering by earning 18-20 credits over and above the credits for the award of the BTech degree. The courses are related to be taken through MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) over the fifth and sixth semesters. Engineering institutions will be ranked by the university on innovation and entrepreneurship index annually.