The Design Clinic Scheme for the MSME Sector is an initiative of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and India’s leading design institute, the National Institute of Design. This program is launched under the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Program (NMCP). The main objective of the program is to provide MSMEs in India with expert advice and cost-effective solutions to real-time design problems and improve their competitiveness in global markets by developing new products or adding value to existing problems.
Objectives
Some of the objectives of the scheme are as follows:
- For improving the manufacturing competitiveness of Indian MSMEs through design
- To promote export and substitute import by creating innovative product
- To assist the MSMEs by engaging external design expertise in the form of consultancy
- Provide financial support to take up design activity
Purpose
The Design Clinic design experience program for the MSME sector has two objectives:
- to raise awareness of the value of design and to mainstream design learning 5 in micro, small and medium-sized industries.
- Increasing the competitiveness of MSME products and services through design.
Design Project
The Design Requirements Assessment Survey forms the basis for discussion between the specialist consultants and the individual units of the cluster to prepare the project application for funding. Financial support will be provided to the MSME for the recruitment of consultants and design professionals and other eligible posts within the project.
The objectives of the design projects are detailed below:
- Facilitate MSMEs’ access to design expertise in the form of consultancy
- Facilitate the development of new design strategies and design-related products and services by MSMEs through the project intervention
- Achieve visible impact and effectively develop the capacities of local businesses
Design awareness
Design awareness is conducted through needs analysis workshops, seminars and surveys for participating members of the selected clusters. These activities will help raise awareness and general awareness of the value and power of design for business.
Eligibility criteria
- The local industrial designer, academic institution, design company and local MSME in collaboration are eligible to apply as a co-applicant for Design Clinic program financial support.
- An MSME can apply as a co-applicant with the consent of the design companies or the academic institution. Lead Applicants, subject to the following conditions:
- The Industrial Designer, Academic Institution, Design Company, Academic and Applicant MSME must be corporations incorporated in India under the laws of India with ongoing operations;
- The requesting industrial designer/scientific institution is responsible for carrying out the design project.
- The requesting design, the design company and the requesting MSME in a project request may not be partners or related persons or agents or employees of the other before the presentation of the other Application
- The project team members represent the industrial designer/design company, whether they are directors, shareholders, managers or team members of the applicant MSME.
The criteria for qualifying MSME applicants under the Design Clinic program are listed below:
- The MSME must have been a profitable business for the past three years of operation.
- The MSME must demonstrate export performance or export potential.
- The PMAC may set relaxation criteria for this purpose.
Criteria for qualifying the design of the applicant, the design company under the Design Clinic program.
- The recognized design institute must have demonstrated experience and qualifications in the field of the problem it intends to solve for the MSME applicant.
- It is the responsibility of the designer or design company to complete the project on time and within the agreed scope.