Guwahati: The three-day North East Research Conclave (NERC) 2022, which began today at IIT, will aim to create an atmosphere favourable to the development of indigenous local technology and ideas, as well as to provide the scope and set the groundwork for entrepreneurship.

Inaugurating the NERC, Union Education and Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stated that the conclave will build ties between industry, academics, and policymakers, as well as further energise the research, start-up, and entrepreneurial ecosystems in the resource-rich Northeastern Region states and the country.

The summit will also aim to establish a single platform for academic and industrial cooperation in North East India.

The Union Minister also stated that in order to strengthen the research ecosystem, encourage grassroots innovation, and lead India to self-sufficiency, the government is in the process of establishing the National Research Foundation with a proposed outlay of Rs 50,000 crore in accordance with the recommendations of NEP 2020. He also stated that the North Eastern area has enormous potential to enhance R&I.

NERC 2022 would be a global standard for meeting India's and the world's research and development goals, he added.

In his deliberations, Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that R&D is critical for a rapidly rising country like India. In a developed society, research and development has always been seen as a key building block since it plays a critical part in the process of innovation and growing our knowledge and understanding, he noted.

In his speech, Minister of State for Education Rajkumar Ranjan Singh stated that the North-East Research Conclave offers a venue for entrepreneurs and research institutes to present their discoveries. He stated that this is a highly beneficial project for the North East since it puts policymakers, businessmen, and scholars together on one platform. This huge event would have a significant influence on the educational sector in this region, he continued.

On this occasion, the Government of Assam and IIT, Guwahati inked an agreement to establish the 'Assam Advanced Health Innovation Institute (AAHI).'