Introduction

• With a vision to ‘Cultivate one Million children in India as Neoteric Innovators’, Atal Innovation Mission, an initiative of the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog), is establishing Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATLs) in schools across India.

 

Objectives

• The objective of this scheme is to foster curiosity, creativity and imagination in young minds and inculcate skills such as design mind - set, computational thinking, adaptive learning, physical computing, rapid calculations, measurements etc.
• Young children will get a chance to work with tools and equipment to understand what, how and why aspects of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).

 

Key Features of ATL

• ATL is a work space where young minds can give shape to their ideas through hands on do-it-yourself mode; and learn innovation skills.
• Young children get a chance to work with tools and equipment to understand the concepts of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).
• ATL would contain educational and learning ‘do it yourself’ kits and equipment on – science, electronics, robotics, open source microcontroller boards, sensors and 3D printers and computers.
• In order to foster inventiveness among students, ATL can conduct different activities ranging from regional and national level competitions, exhibitions, workshops on problem solving, designing and fabrication of products, lecture series etc. at periodic intervals.

Financial Support

• AIM will provide grant-in-aid that includes a one-time establishment cost of Rs. 10 lakh and operational expenses of Rs. 10 lakh for a maximum period of 5 years to each ATL.

Eligibility

• Schools (minimum Grade VI - X) managed by Government, local body or private trusts/society to set up ATL.
• The applicant school would have to provide at least 1,500 Sq. Ft. of built up space. Applicant schools from hilly / Himalayan and island states, UTs would have to provide atleast 1,000 Sq. Ft. of built up space. The existing facilities for meeting rooms and video conferencing among others can be used to supplement the laboratory.

 

Atal Innovation Mission

• The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is a flagship initiative set up by the NITI Aayog to promote innovation and entrepreneurship across the length and breadth of the country.
• AlM's objectives are to create and promote an ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship across the country at school, university, research institutions, MSME and industry levels.

The Atal Innovation Mission shall have two core functions

• Entrepreneurship promotion through Self-Employment and Talent Utilization, wherein innovators would be supported and mentored to become successful entrepreneurs.
• Innovation promotion: to provide a platform where innovative ideas are generated

Atal Innovation Mission: Initiatives

1. Atal Tinkering Labs- As mentioned, these are to create a problem-solving mindset across schools in India.
2. Atal Incubation Centers- These would help in fostering world-class startups and would also add some dimension to the incubator model.
3. Atal New India Challenges-These are charged to foster product innovations and align them as per the requirements of various sectors/ ministries.
4. Mentor India Campaign- It would create a national mentor network in public sectors, corporates and institutions in order to support the initiatives of Atal Innovation Mission.
5. Atal Community Innovation Center- This would create a community-centric innovation module and provide with ideas in the unserved /underserved regions of India.
6. ARISE-This would bring about an innovation and research in MSME industry.