Continuing their exercise to facilitate better understanding for the students and faculties to get insight of real floor issues of MSMEs (Micro Small Medium Enterprises), students of Gujarat Technological University on Tuesday went to GIDC clusters in Gandhinagar, Kalol, Rajkot and Morbi.

Fifteen days ago, they had taken their Shodh Yatras to Naroda, last week it was Vatva. The students and professors are both focusing on developing innovation products as well as processes for the industries after interacting with them. GTU students will convert these industry-defined projects as their final year thesis work to deliver effective solutions and empower the MSMEs.

The students met the industry people and understood their problems relating to environment, health, machinery, energy and solid waste disposal. These were documented. Documenting of the problems faced by the industries across the state is under way. This will continue till April end. From May to July, the students and faculty will analyse the problems and then come up with solutions.

GTU Vice Chancellor Akshai Agarwal said, “Big industries have their own R&D that provides them solutions to their problems. However, small industries don’t have the manpower or the expertise to improve on their machinery or product as they concentrate on recovering their production costs. Even if one per cent of research projects based on industry needs turn out to be a success, then GTU students would have delivered quite a few innovative solutions to MSMEs of the country.”

Students also get to learn the practical problems faced by the industries, their research now is based on demand, said Agarwal. Earlier, they did research, but it did not take into account the needs of the industry, he said.

Hiranmay Mahanta, managing director of Techpedia, said, “Students and faculty are involved in solving the problems of the industries, locally. Through Techpedia we take it online to the world. Suggestions and solutions from

experts across the world will help better the product. Through this we intend to bridge the communication gap between the researcher and the industry.”