Institutions Innovation Council

The Institution Innovation Council (IIC) at Mercy College, Palakkad, was established in the academic year 2024–2025 as part of the nationwide initiative launched by the Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India, through the Innovation Cell (MIC). The primary objective of the IIC is to systematically foster a culture of innovation, design thinking, entrepreneurship, and start-up ecosystem within the campus.

Although the council was formally established in 2024–25, structured activities, events, and programmes under IIC commenced actively in the 2025–2026 academic year. Since then, the council has been working to strengthen innovation capacity among students and faculty and to create an enabling ecosystem that nurtures novel ideas, problem-solving approaches, and entrepreneurial mindsets.

Through its initiatives, the council ensures that students gain practical exposure, industry connections, and opportunities to transform ideas into real-world solutions.

Vision

To cultivate a vibrant innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem that empowers students and faculty to become creators, innovators, and leaders who contribute meaningfully to society.

Mission

• To nurture creative thinking, problem-solving capabilities, and entrepreneurial skills
• To promote student-led innovation through mentoring, capacity-building, and idea development
• To collaborate with industries, start-ups, and external agencies for innovation acceleration
• To create a supportive framework for IPR, incubation, and prototype development

Objectives of IIC at Mercy College

• To organize innovation-related activities, events, and workshops throughout the academic year
• To encourage student participation in idea competitions at regional, national, and global levels
• To identify promising student ideas and facilitate mentorship, incubation, and funding support
• To build awareness on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), patents, and start-up regulations
• To establish strong linkages with incubators, research organizations, and industry experts
• To create an innovation-driven culture aligned with the MoE’s Innovation Cell (MIC) guidelines

IIC Governance Structure

The Institution Innovation Council of Mercy College comprises expert members, faculty coordinators, and student leaders working collaboratively to drive innovation-led initiatives on campus.

IIC Council Members (2025–26)

No.	Name of Member	Member Type	Key Role / Position Assigned in IIC
1	Mr. P. Sathyanathan	External Expert	Incubation Centre
2	Ms. Vinitha Joseph	External Expert	Start-Up / Alumni Entrepreneur
3	Mr. Prakhar Srivastava	External Expert	Patent Expert
4	Dr. N. M. Louly	Principal	President
5	Dr. Stency V. S.	Teaching Faculty	Vice-President / Social Media Coordinator
6	Dr. A. Reshma	Teaching Faculty	Convenor / Innovative
7	Dr. Girija R	Teaching Faculty	NIRF Coordinator / IPR Coordinator
8	Dr. Jimcy C. S.	Teaching Faculty	Start-Up / Internship Coordinator
9	Jenisha K. J.	Student	Innovation Coordinator
10	S. Bhadra Narayanan	Student	Internship Coordinator
11	Swetha V.	Student	Start-Up Coordinator
12	Fathima Rimsha	Student	Social Media Coordinator
13	Ashly Sojan	Student	IPR Coordinator

Activities and Initiatives of IIC

The IIC regularly conducts activities under four major verticals recommended by MoE’s Innovation Cell:

1. Innovation Promotion Activities

• Design thinking workshops
• Innovation awareness programmes
• Idea presentation forums and peer learning sessions

2. Entrepreneurship Development

• Start-up mentoring sessions
• Entrepreneur Interaction Series
• Capacity-building on business model development
• Celebration of National Entrepreneurship Day

3. IPR & Technology Transfer Activities

• Seminars on patents, copyrights, and trademark filing
• IPR awareness webinars and workshops led by experts
• Guidance for filing patents and disclosures

4. Incubation & Pre-Incubation Support

• Identification of student ideas for incubation
• Expert mentoring for prototype development
• Linkages with incubation centres and start-up networks

Future Plans

The IIC at Mercy College aims to:

• Establish a dedicated Innovation & Start-Up Hub on campus
• Support students in patent filing and prototype development
• Build stronger collaborations with industry and research institutions
• Organize state-level innovation competitions and hackathons
• Enhance the visibility and impact of student-led entrepreneurial ventures