CSC ropes in IIT Delhi for innovation labs in rural areas

New Delhi: In a move aimed at promoting innovation among the Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs), the Common Services Center (CSC), which is a special purpose vehicle under the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has partnered with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi to establish a design and innovation lab for conducting research on design-led innovations related to leveraging livelihood and enhancing their all-round entrepreneurial outlook.

As per the MoU signed between the CSC Academy and IIT Delhi, a design & innovation lab would be set up at the Department of Design, IIT Delhi for conducting research on design-led innovations related to leveraging livelihood and enhancing their all-round entrepreneurial outlook.

Known as 'Design and Innovation in VLE's Indigenous Network Ecosystem (DIVINE) Lab', it will provide continuous research into the rural entrepreneurial ecosystem and design new products and services for the VLEs. It will also develop digital content for new skilling and education courses for VLEs.

The network of VLEs operates amidst in complex and infrastructurally underserved areas serving the last mile with poor connectivity and low digital literacy. The partnership will provide them with understanding and academic support to solve problems and challenges of growth.

"The CSCs and the VLEs are driven by an entrepreneurial spirit. They are adaptive, based on the local community environment. They work on digital connectivity in areas with limited access and they also solve problems on a day-to-day basis for a diverse range of customers or citizens. The Design Lab will benefit from IIT Delhi's unparallel expertise and experiences of hardened and creative VLEs who will bring hyper-local realities and challenges of delivering services to the partnership," said Dr Dinesh Tyagi, Managing Director, CSC.