Request for EOIs: ICMR-NCAHT Collaborating Centre of Excellence (India)

Deadline: 19 March 2025

The Indian Council of Medical Research and National Centre for Assistive Technology are inviting Expression of Interest for establishing Collaborating Centres of Excellence.

ICMR has established the National Centre for Assistive Technology (NCAHT) in collaboration with AIIMS-Delhi and IIT-Delhi, with partners like Saksham NGO, NISHTrivandrum, and IIT, Madras; with the Objectives of finding the landscape of AT, mapping manufacturers, fostering innovation, validating existing technologies, ensuring reimbursable AT interventions, improving awareness and use of AT, enhancing the National capacity of the service providers, developing policy briefs or guidance documents, and develop standards of ATs through Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

Henceforth, it is proposed to establish the NCAHT across six regions (East, West, North, South, North-East, Central) of India, Guided by the “5 Ps” approach—People, Personnel, Products, Provision, and Policy— which aims to transform assistive technology (AT) development, accessibility, and policy implementation to ensure inclusive healthcare for all.

Purpose

To strengthen the ecosystem for AT.
To enhance access and equity for people with functional impairment.
To advance sustainable policies and provisions.

Duration

Duration: 3 years

Categories for Organisations

Public, Private, NGO, academia and research institutions, including medical colleges, universities, engineering colleges, NIPER, IISER, IIM, IIIT, CMET, CDAC, NID, NIFT, CLRI, CFRI, MSME tool rooms, STPI, SAMEER, Med Tech Parks, parasports academies, NI-MoSJE, etc.

Eligibility Criteria

Indian research institutes or organizations as cited above & others can submit the EoI, provided it fulfils the criteria mentioned below:
- A research team of an institute with cutting edge biomedical research experience led by a senior PI.
- Excellent track record in health research in terms of impactful publications.
- Demonstrated collaboration with or contribution to ICMR.
- Willingness to contribute to the objectives and activities of ICMR-NCAHT on an honorary basis, such as adjunct faculty for help in capacity development, assisted with proposal development workshops etc.
- Willingness to work with ICMR-NCAHT on national priorities related to public health.
- Categories of research teams to be included: basic research, translational research, clinical research, laboratory-based research, population-based research.