Catalysts for SDG Attainment: Validating the IIC Pathway in Indian Higher Education

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are pivotal in advancing the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In India, the Ministry of Education’s Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC) initiative, launched in 2018, has expanded across 3,000+ HEIs to foster innovation and entrepreneurship. Yet, empirical evidence linking IIC mechanisms to measurable SDG outcomes remains limited. This study develops and validates the “IIC Pathway Model,” explaining how structured IIC activities translate into SDG impacts. Using a mixed-methods approach across eight HEIs in Maharashtra, we analyze two years of IIC activity reports, 240 Yukti-NIR submissions, and 32 interviews with IIC presidents and student innovators. Findings reveal a five-stage pathway: Ecosystem Creation → Capacity Building → Solution Development → Validation & Scaling → Impact Recognition. IICs significantly contributed to SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work & Economic Growth), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action) through student-led prototypes and startups. The study advances literature by proposing an institutional framework that operationalizes SDGs through grassroots innovation, with implications for policy design and HEI governance.