Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) is an initiative of Ministry of Education (MoE), to systematically rank all major higher educational institutions and universities in India on indicators related to “Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development”. All recognized HEIs of India are eligible to participate in the ARIIA ranking. The methodology considers all major parameters/indicators used globally to rank education institutions for innovation output. ARIIA also measures some parameters which are India specific.

The ARIIA parameters are organized in major broad parameters with seven indicators. Each broad head has an overall weight assigned to it. Within each head, the various sub-heads also have an appropriate weight distribution. The overall score is computed based on the weights allotted to each head. The overall score can take a maximum value of 100. The institutions are rank-ordered based on their scores. Assessment of innovation and startup ecosystem in HEIs is based on seven parameters with certain weightages allocated as below:

• Budget, Expenses to Support & Revenue Generated (20 Marks),
• Infrastructures & Facilities to Support Innovations and Start-ups (10 Marks),
• Awareness Activities for Promoting Idea Generation and Innovation (20 Marks), 
• Promotion and Supporting Entrepreneurship Development (20 Marks),
• Intellectual Property (IP) Generation, Technology Transfer and Commercialization (14 Marks),
• Innovative Learning Methods & Courses (10 Marks),
• Innovations in Governance of the Institution (6 Marks). 

The methodology framework of ARIIA considers parameters and sub-parameters on the following major areas:

I&E MIND-SET DEVELOPMENT

• Number of co-curricular events related to Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) conducted by the HEI,
• Number of co-curricular events related to I&E organized by external organizations where student’s/faculty members of HEI were sent to participate/represent,
• Number of awards won by the student and faculty innovations at State/National/International Level. 

I&E TEACHING & LEARNING 

• Number of full-fledged programs/courses in Innovation / Entrepreneurship / Intellectual Property offered by the HEI (Diploma/ UG/ PG/ PhD),
• Number of short-term Certificate courses or Elective group(s)/ Major or Minor Specializations/ Core Credit courses offered by the HEI in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) of minimum 30 contact hours, 
• Number of I&E related MDP, EDP, FDP, Employment Generation Skill Development Programs (Approved by Regulatory bodies of HEIs or government agencies) of minimum 30 contact hours,
• Number of full-time faculty who have completed any specialized training program of I&E (MDP, EDP, FDP, Certificate course of minimum 30 contact hours) conducted by State and Central government agencies, knowledge agencies, 
• Number of entrepreneurial skill development/employment generating training programs conducted by the HEI for external participants (local residents, community members, alumni etc.),
• Number of full-time faculty with a degree in entrepreneurship/innovation/ IPR and (or) received training on I&E, and IPR. 

I&E INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES 

• Number of active Ideas/ Innovation centric Student Clubs in the HEI with access to co-working space/ work-stations for students with facilities & equipment available for I&E activities,
• Existence of dedicated infrastructures and facilities at HEI to support Innovation, Entrepreneurship and IPR, 
• Existence of Pre-incubation centres such as Tinker Lab/ EDC/ IEDC/ New Gen IEDC/ etc. with minimum space of>= 600 sq.ft. floor area,
• Existence of Incubation Unit with minimum space of >= 1500 sq. ft. floor area, 
• Existence of Research Park/Innovation Park with minimum Space of >= 5000 sq. ft. Floor area,
• Existence of Centre of Excellence with Advance Tools & Equipment with minimum space of >= 1000 Sq. ft.,
• Existence of IPR Cell / Patent Facilitation Unit / Technology Transfer Centre at the institute, 
• Number of dedicated staff to oversee I&E activities under the leadership of a senior professor/Head of the institute,
• Number of empanelled external experts/ agencies for mentorship regarding IPR, innovation development and enterprise development,
• Number of faculty members/ staff of the HEI deputed on committees of other HEIs to mentor and support the establishment of their I&E eco-system.

INNOVATIONS DEVELOPED 

• Number of Innovations TRL 0-3 and/or Number of non-technical Innovations (scouted and evaluated) registeredwith thedepartments of HEI/ pre incubation/Incubation centre,
• Number of Innovations TRL 4-6, 
• Number of Innovations TRL 7-9,
• Number of ideas or innovative projects implemented in the community/Social Innovations,
• Number of ideas or innovative projects/TRLs/Social Innovations implemented with financial support from HEIs, 
• Number of awards won by the student and faculty innovations at State/National/International Level in I&E relatedevents. 

STARTS-UP ESTABLISHED 

• Number of Start-ups with CIN / Entrepreneurial Ventures with at least GST number started by students/faculties/ Staff/Alumni and facilitated by HEI/EDC/ Pre-incubation/ Incubation/ Research Park etc.,
• Number of Start-ups with CIN /Entrepreneurial Ventures with GST number started by the external beneficiaries(i.e.excluding Student, Faculty & Staff) who had received Employment Generating Skill Training Program conducted by the HEI/EDC/Pre-incubation/ Incubation,
• Number of Faculty as Founder or Co-Founder with DIN,
• Number of Start-ups with Annual Turnover of Rs. 50 Lakhs or 10 employees. 

COLLABORATION AND INVESTMENT FACILITATION

• Total amount raised by innovators pre-Incubated/incubated at HEI from Angel/VC Fund/High Net worth Individual (HNI),
• Total amount raised by Start-ups incubated at HEI from Angel /VC Fund /High Net worth Individual (HNI),
• Total amount of Credit/Loans from Financial Institutions that was facilitated by HEI for innovators/start-ups, 
• Number of Collaborations with incubation units outside the HEI either to provide OR receive Incubation Support,
• Number of Collaborations with other HEIs as mentor/ mentee Institute to promote I&E in the Campus, 
• Number of Collaborations with start-ups /Industry Associations /Knowledge Agencies to promote I&E activities and/or internship opportunities. 

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND COMMERCIALIZATION

• Number of research papers published (Student/Faculty) with Keywords -Innovation, and Entrepreneurship in Scopus journals during the AY 2019-20,
• Number of Copyrights/Designs- Applied during the FY 2019-20,
• Number of Patents Filed & Published during the FY 2019-20,
• Number of Patents Granted (last 3 FYs: 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20),
• Number of Patents held by Pre-Incubated Innovations/Incubated Startups (last 3 FYs: 2017-18, 2018- 19, 2019-20),
• Number of IPs Commercialized/ Technology Transferred during the FY 2019-20. 

I&E EXPENSES AND REVENUE 

• Amount spent on events conducted,
• Amount spent on student/faculty participation in I&E events conducted by external organizations, 
• Expenses incurred in the establishment, maintenance and operation of Pre-Incubation and/or Incubation infrastructure (capital expenditure + operational expenditure),
• Total seed fund/grant disbursed by HEI from its own funds to innovation/ entrepreneurial ventures, 
• Total seed fund/grant disbursed by HEI from its own funds to innovation/ entrepreneurial ventures, 
• Total Seed Fund/Grant received from external sources disbursed to Start-ups (Financial Fields of line items entered in 4 & 5),
• Total grant/funds received from authentic sources such as Govt, Non Govt, CSR bodies etc. towards promoting and supporting innovation, IPR, Start-ups and pre-incubation/incubation activities in the campus,
• Total revenue from Incubation Services offered by HEI to Start-ups/innovators,
• Total revenue generated from commercialization/Licensing of IPs owned by HEIs (It exclude IP commercialization made by incubated start-ups/ Innovators).

PARTICIPATION IN I&E INITIATIVES OF MOE 

• Adopted National Innovation and Start-up Policy at the HEI,
• Establishment of Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC) at HEI,
• Trained Innovation Ambassadors at HEI,
• Participation in Smart India Hackathon (SIH), 
• Facilitated Registration of Start-ups/ Technologies developed from HEIs in YUKTI 2.0 (Young India combating COVID with Knowledge, Technology and Innovation) portal of MIC,
• Participation of Students from the HEI in National Education Alliance of Technology (NEAT) courses.