Bhubaneswar, Feb. 22: Vice-chancellors of technological universities and principals of engineering and professional colleges of the state have been directed to set up innovation and incubation centres in their institutions.

This was discussed during a video-conference chaired by the technical education secretary C. S. Kumar last week.

The authorities of these institutions have been asked to submit a detailed report about the centres by the end of this month, said a senior official of the department.

The aim is to encourage entrepreneurship among the students as well as the locals. There is a general perception that risk is attached with entrepreneurship. We want to change this perception by providing support," said the official.

Incubation centres support, mentor and provide resources to individual entrepreneurs, especially students and locals. This enables the entrants to get expert advice and technical guidance that they need to know before starting their ventures or start-ups.

It may be noted that while many prestigious business schools and engineering colleges have incubation centres, the institutions in Odisha are yet to have such facilities. Barring a very few institutes, most technical and professional colleges do not have any incubation centres.

Officials said the colleges would be sent guidelines and the standard operating procedures about starting the centres. In few of the colleges where incubation centres are in place, the students identify local and region-specific problems and come up with solutions that also have commercial value. Besides students, the alumni as well as local entrepreneurs can use the incubation centres to start their businesses.

Seminars and other awareness programmes are also held from time to time to generate ideas and interests among the youth.

The conference also insisted that reading rooms should have at least 50 computers. If there is space constraint in reading rooms, one classroom can be converted into a reading room. The department also asked all colleges to have their own placement cells. Grievance redressal cells should also be empowered.

It was decided that the grievance petition received by the Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT) shall be reviewed every week by the registrar and detailed reports will be submitted to the technical department.