IIHS organises National Student Challenge (NSC) 2012

Updated on: Saturday, December 15, 2012

The three winning solutions of the Transform Urban India - National Student Challenge (NSC) 2012, were announced recently. An initiative by the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS), the finals were held at their Bangalore campus on December 6. The first prize was shared between teams Mool-a-Roop and Kumej both from Balwant Sheth School of Architecture, NMIMS University Mumbai. The runner-up was team Urbana from IIT- Kharagpur.

The campaign, designed to elicit innovative ideas and solutions for urban issues from students across the country, received an overwhelming response of 107 entries out of which 23 teams were selected. These teams looked to provide solutions to a number of real-world problems identified by them in the urban space such as sustainability of infrastructure, waste management, transportation challenges, eradication of slums and education among many others. In the month leading up to the event, the teams went through an intensive process of mentoring by subject matter experts and entrepreneurs to fine tuning their solutions, before being presented at the event semi-finals held on December 5.The shortlisted teams presented their solutions to a panel of eminent policymakers, practitioners, academics and experts.

The three winning teams will receive a grant of Rs 300,000 each to help implement their solutions along with technical support from IIHS. Additionally cash awards of Rs 60,000 each were awarded to the winning teams Kumej that proposed to create a light, collapsible floor-seater primarily aimed at underprivileged students and Mool-a-Roop who conceptualized an alternate system of public transport for metro cities. The runner-up team Urbana who received a cash award of Rs 20,000, presented a solution on building a comprehensive waste collection cum recycling system with a modular scalable business model in Kolkata, but also applicable to any other urban setup. Their basic idea was to generate revenue out of waste and include multiple stakeholders as partners in the process.

NSC 2012 was supported by Rockefeller Foundation, along with Godrej Properties and Shri VV and Smt KV Mariwala Charity Trust as the Implementation Grant Partners and CIIE MentorEdge and TiE Bangalore as the Mentor Partners.

To know more about the competition visit, www.transformurbanindia.com.

More Education news

• Karnataka department of higher education to further strengthen protection to women students and employees
• Heads of government and private schools directed to keep a close watch on the behaviour of teachers
• Chairman of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions submits his report
• Everyone will be given due representation says Goa CM
• Pune Education Department to hold meetings with schools to ensure a smooth RTE implementation
• Health and Medical Education, Forest and Home departments within the ambit of Public Services Guarantee Act
• 'value education' courses in engineering colleges to inculcate better values and character building
• students challenge new NET gidelines
• Proposed multi crore edu city project nearing completion
• 21 engineering colleges affiliated to the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University to seek accreditation
• MBBS and PG medical seats to be increased by 50% and 100% respectively from academic year 2013-14
• M S University's faculty of fine arts mired in controversy over a painting hurting religious sentiment
• IICA inks MoU with Bangalore-based National Law School of India University for forging academic partnership
• President asks private players to contribute in improving the standards of higher education
• First technical and medical university at picturesque Apatani Plateau in lower Subansiri district
• Prayas scheme to be extended to 4 more districts
• Jamia Millia Islamia Professor gets Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellowship
• Japans new government will not waive tution fee to pro-Pyongyang high schools
• Most Israeli high school students found accessing Mobile phone during class hours
• UGC notifies the procedure and criteria for declaration of result for NET to be conducted on 30.12.12