IIT Delhi, DST NURTURE programme trains over 50,000 SC, ST students in cutting-edge technologies

NEW DELHI: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, has announced the success of the NURTURE Programme. Launched in July 2023, this initiative aims to uplift Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students by providing them with skills in emerging technologies.

The programme, driven by the I-Hub Foundation for Cobotics (IHFC), the Technology Innovation Hub at IIT Delhi, has trained over 50,000 SC, ST students across 600 institutes nationwide in 13 months. The NURTURE curriculum delivers training in technological domains including artificial intelligence, robotics, drone technology, and medical technology.

IIT Delhi NURTURE Programme: Inclusive outreach reaches 50,000

The programme has reached over 20,000 girls and approximately 30,000 boys, through collaboration with organisations focused on girls' education. IHFC, in partnership with over 20 industry and academic collaborators, ensures content delivery and real-world exposure, supported by a training ecosystem and mentors. Participants receive certification, boosting their employability.

“The NURTURE Program reflects our commitment to democratizing access to technology education,” said Ekta Kapoor, Mission Director, Department of Science and Technology. “By focusing on inclusivity, innovation, and employability, we are cultivating a new generation of confident, capable change makers across all strata,” she further said.

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Recently, the Supreme Court formed a national task force to tackle mental health issues among students and prevent suicides. The court also instructed Delhi Police to register an FIR and investigate the deaths of two IIT Delhi students from the reserved category.

A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan was hearing a petition from the parents of Ayush Ashna and Anil Kumar, BTech students who died by suicide in 2023. Both were from the Scheduled Caste (SC) community and were studying Mathematics and Computing.

“For all the foregoing reasons we direct the DCP (South-West District, New Delhi) to register the First Information Report in line with two respective complaints lodged in writing by the kith and kin of the two students who committed suicide and depute any responsible officer, not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police, to undertake the investigation in accordance with law,” the SC observed that it is both the legal and moral responsibility of the educational institution and the police to file an FIR promptly in such cases to ensure justice.