In 1991, Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) was set up as an autonomous society in the field of Science & Technology under the Mnistry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
This article will provide insights about Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) and its objectives within the context of the Civil Services Examination.
Latest context:
So far, STPI has inaugurated 13 Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in various cities across the country [June 2021]. Recently, STPI has planned to set up 12 CoEs in cities such as Bengaluru, Gandhinagar, Patna, Bhubaneshwar, Gangtok, and Itanagar to develop products and solutions in areas such as health tech, IoT, and SmartAgri. STPI aims to establish CoEs to support and nurture Indian startups and entrepreneurs by encouraging them to create world-class software products. The already existing list of CoEs with their respective locations are mentioned below:
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List of Centres of Excellence (CoEs) and their locations |
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| Electropreneur Park | New Delhi |
| Internet of Things (IoT) OpenLab | Bengaluru, Karnataka |
| Electropreneur Park | Bhubaneswar, Odisha |
| Virtual and Augmented Reality Center of Excellence (VARCoE) | Bhubaneswar, Odisha |
| FinBlue | Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
| NEURON | Mohali, Punjab |
| MOTION | Pune, Maharashtra |
| IMAGE | Hyderabad, Telangana |
| Apiary | Gurugram, Haryana |
| MedTech CoE | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh |
| Internet of Things (IoT) in Agriculture CoE | Guwahati, Assam |
| Animation CoE | Shillong, Meghalaya |
| Emerging Technologies – AR/VR CoE | Imphal, Manipur |
This article will provide more information on STPI, its initiatives & services which will be helpful for both UPSC Prelims and Mains GS 3 paper.
Additionally, aspirants can prepare comprehensively for the upcoming exams using the related links mentioned below:
Facts about STPI for UPSC
| Brief facts about STPI for UPSC Prelims | |
| Under which ministry STPI are established? | Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) |
| When was STPI set up? | 1991 |
| What does STPI concentrate mainly on? | Export of software services |
| How many STPI centres are operational pan-India as of June 2021? | 60 STPI Centres |
| Official Website | https://www.meity.gov.in/content/stpi/ |
About STPI
Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) has been set up to provide a one-stop solution for all the services to the software exporters. The services offered by STPI include:
- Statutory services – implementation of Software Technology Park (STP) scheme and the Electronics Hardware Technology Park (EHTP) scheme by STPI for the development of IT/ITES (IT Enabled Services) industry.
STP Scheme
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- Data communication services – STPI provides for High-Speed Data Communication (HSDC) network called SoftNET for software exporters, local access for international payment gateways, and other related services.
- Incubation facilities – STPI arranges for ultra-modern office facilities for small units and entrepreneurs and Plug-n-Play facilities for startups to stimulate the growth of the businesses.
- Consultancy services – STPI provides these services for various national and international organizations.
As per MeitY, there are a total of 60 STPI centers/sub-centers functioning across the country, and among these 51 centers are located in Tier II and Tier III cities. STPI is in the process of planning and collaborating with respective state governments or local authorities to create more centers provisioned with infrastructure facilities and other services for the advancement of the software industry, thereby increasing exports.
Objectives of STPI
- To encourage and boost software exports from India.
- To nurture the development and export of software and its related services including Information Technology (IT), Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES) / Bio-IT.
- To provide statutory and other promotional services to the software exporters and to implement Software Technology Park (STP) and Electronics and Hardware Technology Park (EHTP) and other related schemes which may be articulated by the Government of India.
- To provide datacom services and other value-added services to IT/ITES industries.
- To encourage MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) entrepreneurs by creating a thriving environment for their ideas and innovations in the field of IT/ITES.
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An initiative has been taken by STPI to establish Centres of Excellence (CoEs) across the country in a collaborative manner to build India’s leadership in the field of Science & Technology.
Significance of STPI
It is a prominent fact that the services sector is dominant in the contribution to India’s GDP. Moreover, it is also a sector that attracts remarkable foreign investment, and thereby, the sector can be regarded as the largest beneficiary of FDI in India with an inflow of US$ 83.14 billion between April 2000 and June 2020.
The availability of a large pool of skilled workforce at a relatively low cost, particularly in IT/ITES industries, is the reason behind India having a competitive advantage over other countries and India eventually became the export hub for software services.
In a way to channelize the efforts of various stakeholders, National Policy on Software Products (NPSP) 2019 document envisions STPI to be responsible for transforming India into a software product nation and also aspire to become the largest technology startup ecosystem in the country.
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