IIT Kanpur Consulting Group: Using Machine Learning and Management Consulting for Social Good

TL;DR

The IIT Kanpur Consulting Group applies machine learning and management consulting to address social issues in India, focusing on healthcare, environment, and agriculture sectors through projects since 2018.

Contribution

It introduces a pioneering approach integrating machine learning with social sector consulting to tackle critical social problems in India.

Findings

Addressed Polio recurrence, COVID-19, air pollution, and crop damage.

Provided data-driven insights to social organizations and government.

Enhanced understanding of social issues through machine learning applications.

Abstract

The IIT Kanpur Consulting Group is one of the pioneering research groups in India which focuses on the applications of Machine Learning and Strategy Consulting for social good. The group has been working since 2018 to help social organizations, nonprofits, and government entities in India leverage better insights from their data, with a special emphasis on the healthcare, environmental, and agriculture sectors. The group has worked on critical social problems which India is facing including Polio recurrence, COVID-19, air pollution and agricultural crop damage. This position paper summarises the focus areas and relevant projects which the group has worked on since its establishment, and also highlights the group's plans for using machine learning to address social problems during the COVID-19 crisis.