| Cluster Innovation Centre, University of Delhi (DU CIC) | |
| Image Alt: | Logo of Cluster Innovation Centre with the University of Delhi logo on the right and the name of the centre on the left. |
| Motto: | botrum innovationis centrum |
| Motto Lang: | la |
| Mottoeng: | Evolving Senses, Dissolving Boundaries[1] |
| Established: | 2011[2] |
| Director: | Prof. Shobha Bagai |
| Undergrad: | 350+ |
| Postgrad: | 40+ |
| Faculty: | 20+ |
| Doctoral: | 15+ |
| Campus: | Urban |
| Free Label: | Acronym |
| Free: | DU CIC |
The Cluster Innovation Centre (DU CIC, Hindi:) is a Government of India funded centre established under the aegis of the University of Delhi. It was founded in 2011 by Prof. Dinesh Singh, the then Vice Chancellor of the University of Delhi, and introduced Innovation as a credit-based course for the first time in India.
Cluster Innovation Centre at the University of Delhi was established as a pilot program upon the recommendation of National Innovation Council (NInC). NInC proposed to identify and facilitate the development of 20 University Innovation Centres across the country where innovation would be seeded through said Cluster Innovation Centres.[3]
Cluster Innovation Centre (CIC) was setup with the objective of fostering an ecosystem of innovation and connecting research with application for the benefit of society. The CIC aims to support application-oriented research to solve real world problems by developing ideas into innovative applications that can be commercialized successfully. The CIC will focus on developing affordable innovations that reach a large number of people and at the same time are commercially viable to be sustainable and relevant.The main objectives of the Cluster Innovation Centre are:
Cluster Innovation Centre was set-up to offer highly innovative, state of the art courses. Currently, it offers two undergraduate programmes, one postgraduate programme and doctoral research programmes.
CIC offers a pioneering four-year Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) programme in Information Technology & Mathematical Innovations. This unique course integrates Mathematics and Information Technology (IT) to foster an innovation mindset among students. Emphasizing interdisciplinary connections, it encourages the development of innovative products and processes.[4] Students have the opportunity to get a minor degree in one of the following streams:
The curriculum focuses on the application of theoretical knowledge imparted in the classroom, promoting hands-on, project-based learning facilitated by teacher mentoring and peer collaboration. Graduates are equipped with creative and leadership skills, prepared to contribute solutions to industry and society, potentially as entrepreneurs driving innovation and research in the Engineering Kitchen: Innovation Lab.
The Bachelor of Arts (BA [Hons.]) programme in Humanities & Social Sciences offered by CIC under the Meta College[5] concept is a four-year interdisciplinary undergraduate degree aimed at transcending traditional boundaries. Emphasising creativity and analytical skills, the curriculum integrates various courses in Humanities and Social Sciences, encouraging students to engage deeply with diverse subjects. A hallmark of the program is its flexibility through the 'design your degree'[6] and 'meta-college' concepts, allowing students to tailor their academic journey by selecting courses from a wide array offered across Delhi University's constituent colleges.[7] [8]
The program distinguishes itself through its hands-on, research-based, and innovation-oriented projects, complemented by virtual learning, internships, and collaborative group activities. It promotes learning beyond classrooms, fostering an inter/trans-disciplinary approach that provides a holistic understanding of societal challenges and their solutions. By connecting academic learning with practical applications in society and industry, the curriculum aims to cultivate social entrepreneurship and innovative thinking among students.
Aligned with the National Education Policy, 2020 framework, the program sets ambitious objectives. These include fostering critical thinking, promoting undergraduate research, and developing solutions to complex social issues through practical interventions. Projects undertaken by students are geared towards addressing real-world problems, such as urban slum development and village social issues, often in collaboration with governmental and non-governmental organisations like Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Aman Biradari, Delhi Police and National Association of the Deaf.
The "design your degree" initiative empowers students to shape their academic path under mentorship. Students can choose to major in one of the following streams and select courses from them accordingly:
This interdisciplinary approach is facilitated by Cluster Innovation Centre, enhancing students' exposure to diverse knowledge streams and expert resources available throughout Delhi University. The meta-college concept further enhances this flexibility, allowing students to benefit from the University's extensive educational resources while challenging conventional institutional boundaries.
The Master of Science (M.Sc) programme in Mathematics Education is a collaborative two-year postgraduate initiative jointly offered by the University of Delhi and Jamia Millia Islamia, with administrative oversight from the Cluster Innovation Centre (CIC) at University of Delhi. This unique program aims to revolutionise the pedagogy of teaching mathematics, particularly at the school level, by integrating innovative learning methods such as storytelling, projects, group work, and participative learning. Technology is also emphasized as a crucial tool for learning enhancement. The curriculum not only covers fundamental concepts of mathematics but also promotes interdisciplinary connections with subjects from Humanities and Social Sciences, fostering a holistic educational approach.[9]
Under the Meta University concept, the M.Sc (Mathematics Education) program emphasises transdisciplinary learning and encourages fresh perspectives in teaching and learning processes. It offers a blend of theoretical insights and hands-on experience, utilising various platforms including classrooms, virtual environments, and project-based learning. Students benefit from a diverse curriculum by taking courses at both Jamia Millia Islamia and University of Delhi, complemented by practical learning experiences such as school internships and innovation projects. Mentors, chosen for their expertise, play a pivotal role in guiding group projects that span across institutions.
PhD is offered in the following streams as mentioned in the list below.[10] An interdisciplinary approach is followed in the research programmes offered. The PhD programme offered by CIC comes under the Faculty of Technology (DU FoT).
The following table lists the PhD supervisors currently at CIC, along with their specialisations.[11]
Before 2022, admissions were based upon the Delhi University Entrance Test (DUET) which was a written test conducted in Computer-based Test (CBT) format with multiple-choice questions. After the introduction of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) in 2022, the college's entrance exam-based admission system came under the process of the University of Delhi. The criterion of admission is cutoff based upon CUET-UG exam for undergraduate courses[12] and CUET-PG for postgraduate courses.[13]
The admissions to the PhD programme are based on the scores obtained in the National Eligibility Test (NET) of the University Grants Commission (UGC),[14] conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). The NTA also conducts the CUET-UG and CUET-PG exams.
Currently, the annual tuition fees for the academic programmes (w.e.f. academic session 2024-25) are as follows.
The Cluster Innovation Centre is currently located inside the University Stadium building of the University of Delhi. This stadium is located inside the Delhi University Sports Complex, that in-turn is adjoint to the Administrative Block cum Faculty of Science of the University's North Campus. The campus area of this block is 67 acres (27 ha). This block also hosts the Faculty of Technology, and the Law Centre I (LC1) of the Faculty of Law.
CIC also has a Design Innovation Centre under its administration which was established under the Ministry of MSME, under the scheme "Support for Entrepreneurial and Managerial Development of SMEs through Incubators"[18] [19] The DIC operates within the framework proposed by the National Innovation Council, which envisioned the establishment of similar design innovation centres in prominent educational institutions like IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Guwahati, and IISc Bangalore. These centres, following a 'Hub and Spoke' model, are designed to bring together academia, industry, and society to identify and develop impactful innovations.[19]
DIC runs a Technology Business Incubator which provides labs, provides laboratory/workshop facilities and other infrastructural as well as mentorship assistances to the selected innovation-based startups in a PPP mode.[20]