Design Innovation Center (DIC)
What is DIC?
DIC stands for Design Innovation Center. This new program has been initiated and funded by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) under the scheme “National Initiative for setting up of Design Innovation Centers, Open Design School & National Design Innovation Network”.
Savitribai Phule Pune University is one of the first organizations to participate in the scheme, acting as a DIC hub. In collaboration with Vigyan Ashram, a DIC ‘spoke center’ has been started at Pabal. This website represents the structure and content of the Vigyan Ashram DIC (VADIC).
A brief overview of DIC
DIC will incubate ideas which are useful for society. Efforts will be made to convert these ideas into products. Requirement of users will be taken into account from the conceptualization of idea to making final products.
DIC wants to promote culture of design at college level. Our rural areas are facing with various development problems. These problems are great opportunities for creative minds. DIC aims at training youth to taken on these challenges and come out with useful solutions.
Focus areas of DIC
DIC @ Vigyan Ashram focuses on following areas:
Agriculture
Sensors technology
Computer graphics and product design
Environment and Watershed
Who can join DIC program?
DIC is open for all individuals with prior permission and training. If you have a great idea or you are looking for technical solution for common problem facing society, DIC @ Vigyan Ashram is perfect place for you. You can enroll by contacting us directly here.
Functioning of DIC
Benefits of DIC courses
- Students will learn practically and can acquire more skills
- Students can develop their own firm
- There will be more job opportunities due to acquired skills
- Opportunity to work with industrial entrepreneur
Course Details
- ‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.’ – Chinese proverb.
- Great design = clever engineering + art
- Immersion in the art of design environment, where design thinking and the joy of design appreciation is promoted.
- Technical facilities for advanced prototypes.
- Peer group with like minded and passionate members.
- Exciting clients who need master designers for their products.
How courses are conducted?
- Each course has been decided into many modules that are planned to span the course duration.
- Modules are completed in the form of assignments for each. by the students through
- Knowledge gathering by online videos, interesting papers, etc.
- Practical skill development through hands on practice.
- Documentation of the learning experience on blog.
- Contracts with clients are promoted. These contracts also cover many modules of the prescribed syllabus and thus no need for re-doing the assignments. This arrangement results in:
- Commitment of both parties to finish the project at high quality level.
- A realistic experience for the student.
- Building up of contacts and design profile for the student.
- Earning for the student as well as low cost design and development service for the clients.
- A major project is assigned with the objective that the design student will make a commercial product/service out of it.
- Mentors from industry and academia are invited to interact with students. This happens each week.
Fellowship
In DIC Vigyan ashram give few fellowships for selected students. Fellow is the graduate person with experience or he can be a fresher. He will be selected through interview and will get some stipend after 2 or less month of joining the DIC. People who are enthusiastic and passionate about technology, making, innovating are get selected as a fellow; they must have zeal of learning.
DIC fellow / research assistants work :
- To work on rural technology development project in the areas of food processing, agriculture, water & waste management, product design and sensors technology.
- Project will be selected based on the need of the society.
- A full time commitment where the candidate has to work at DIC everyday, 6 days per week.
- Participate in the projects of DIC faculty members.
- Participate in the social life of Vigyan Ashram
Benefits to Fellows / R&D Assistant :
- Practical hands on experience in real life environment.
- To learn skills and design software/ digital fabrication
- They will learn practical aspects of design and innovation under mentorship of experts.
- You can enroll for DIC exam from Pune University by paying exam fees. You can get certificate from Pune University.
- All support to incubate your own enterprise.
- Opportunity to learn by doing various hands on assignment.
- Opportunity to get fellowship for socially relevant R&D projects.
We encourage and will support fellows to incubate their own enterprise based on their innovation that will be developed while working in Vigyan Ashram. We are looking for fellows with entrepreneurship zeal.
Internship
Testimonials
Chetan Kadam
If you’re looking for a place that gives you the freedom to fail, the liberty to explore, and the tools to turn ideas into reality, then DIC Vigyan Ashram, Pabal is for you. The ‘learning by doing’ approach builds practical skills and sharpens your problem-solving mindset. By the time you leave, you’ll carry with you a scientific temperament and the confidence to make a difference.
Nachiket Admane
As a Design Engineer intern at Vigyan Ashram’s DIC, I had the chance to bring sustainable and innovative ideas to life while solving real-world problems. The internship boosted my design capabilities and inspired me to pursue impactful engineering that contributes to society. It was a deeply enriching experience that shaped my professional journey.
Chaitanya
During my internship at DIC, I worked on hands-on projects that combined design thinking with practical applications. I used tools from the Fab Lab and workshops to develop solutions in product design and sustainable technologies. The experience sharpened my technical skills and taught me the real-world impact of innovation. The supportive mentorship and creative atmosphere encouraged my problem-solving and critical thinking abilities.
Siddhesh Sakore
The fellowship at Vigyan Ashram’s Design Innovation Centre (DIC) transformed my perspective on social issues and helped me discover my true purpose. It gave me the motivation to create meaningful, community-driven solutions and address pressing environmental challenges. My journey at DIC shaped my passion for social innovation and sustainability.
