NITI Aayog’s Innovation Index is out, Karnataka, Delhi and Sikkim top ranked

The India Innovation Index ranks states based on their index score, recognition of opportunities and challenges, and assisting in tailoring governmental policies to foster innovation.

NITI Aayog’s first ever India Innovation Index is out and Karnataka stood first among major states in the exercise that examines the innovation capabilities and performance of Indian states. Delhi topped the rankings amongst Union Territories and Sikkim topped the ranking amongst hilly states.

Employees test mobile phones on an assembly line in the mobile phone plant in Tamil Nadu. (Bloomberg)

The India Innovation Index ranks states based on their index score, recognition of opportunities and challenges, and assisting in tailoring governmental policies to foster innovation. The primary aim of this index lies mainly in the evaluation of the innovation environment of the nation’s states and union territories.

Five enabler parameters are used while making the index to evaluate innovation inputs and the output is used measuring two performance parameters. Human capital, investment, knowledge workers, business environment, safety and legal environment have been identified as enabler parameters. In order to judge the performance parameters are judged on the basis of knowledge output and knowledge diffusion.

NITI Aayog vice chairman Rajiv Kumar said the index will further drive a culture of innovation across Indian states and help create a conducive ecosystem for innovation to flourish across the country. “Such an index will not only help states to devise their own strategy for fostering an innovation climate, it will also enable them to benchmark their performance with other states,” he added.