DK administration, NIT-K sign MoU for setting up a consortium of local education institutes as civic think tanks

The Dakshina Kannada district administration and the National Institute of Technology – Karnataka (NIT-K), Surathkal, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Tuesday for establishing a consortium of local education institutes as civic think tanks.

The Dakshina Kannada district administration and the National Institute of Technology – Karnataka (NIT-K), Surathkal, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Tuesday for establishing a consortium of local education institutes as civic think tanks.

The consortium, starting with engineering colleges, supports the district administration through research, design, and youth-led interventions in finding solutions to the local challenges identified by the government departments during the administration. For example issues related to solid waste management (SWM) and how to overcome them.

M. P. Mullai Muhilan, Deputy Commissioner and B. Ravi, Director, NIT-K signed the MoU.

Speaking on the occasion, the Deputy Commissioner said that a dedicated platform will be launched soon to invite all local education institutes to contribute innovative solutions and products for challenges sourced from various departments.

The initiatives will be supported and mentored with a focus on nurturing them into “pilot-ready implementations and eventually socially-driven startups.”

By involving in finding solutions to the challenges posed by the government departments, students gain the opportunity to work on real-world challenges helping them to acquire key competencies for a meaningful career, Mr. Muhilan said.

“By bringing the region’s brightest minds to the forefront of civic action, Dakshina Kannada is setting a national precedent in collaborative district development,” he said.