MUMBAI: The Modi-led central government is putting its might behind the AVGC (animation, visual effects, gaming, comics &XR ) component of the media & entertainment sector. It has followed up its announcement a couple of weeks ago about the setting up of a National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) in Mumbai by getting the plan cleared by the union cabinet.
The NCoE is planned to be set up as a section 8 company under the Companies Act 2013 with equity participation from the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & industry (Ficci) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Indian government. More than Rs 500 crore is to be pumped into the centre by the government, possibly through the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). .
Provisionally named the Indian Institute for Immersive Creators (IIIC), the center aims to revolutionise the AVGC sector and foster innovation in immersive technologies. It is planned to be modelled after the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) with a sharp focus on creating content for India and the world.
A press release issued by the ministry of information & broadcasting on 29 September said that the idea is to create “a world class talent pool in India to cater to the Indian as well as global entertainment industry and make India a global hub for AVGC.”
With rapidly evolving technology and increasing internet penetration all across the country, coupled with one of the cheapest data rates, the usage of AVGC-XR globally is poised to grow at an exponential pace. This is bound to create abundant opportunities, particularly through the National Centre of Excellence (NCoE).
Some of its key objectives are:
* Focusing on creating Indian IP
* Leveraging India’s cultural heritage in new age
* Create a multiplier effect in the industry
* An industry led initiative, in partnership with state and academia
* Integrated focus on education, skilling industry, development, innovation
* Hub and spoke model of development to be followed
* IIIC as the hub and several centers as its spokes dedicated innovation and research fund to promote start-up ecosystem.
The NCoE is being planned to provide a fertile platform for immersive tech – including virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, 3D modelling, animation, comics and gaming – by offering cutting-edge training and integrate India’s rich cultural heritage with modern technology, fostering the creation of indigenous intellectual property (IP) and building the future of India’s digital creative economy.
The target is to create an estimated 500,00 jobs, with students gaining practical experience through industry-driven courses, ensuring they are job-ready upon graduation. Those graduating will be provided with internships while start-ups will be mentored.
It may be recalled that union minister of finance & corporate affairs Nirmala Sitharaman had announced in the 2022-23 budget that an AVGC task force would to created. The NCoE is one of the recommendations of the task force.
