NEST Cluster

• NEST = North Eastern Science & Technology Cluster, a five-year R&D-cum-skill project at IIT Guwahati funded by the North Eastern Council (NEC) under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MoDoNER).
• Operates on a hub-and-spoke model with IIT Guwahati as the hub, spanning four thematic verticals — grassroots tech, semiconductor/AI, bamboo, and biodegradable materials.
• Relevance: example of region-specific innovation cluster strategy; intersects GS-III (S&T, NE development) and GS-II (regional policy bodies like NEC).