Atal labs to encourage innovative learnings

CHHAPRA: NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), a flagship programme to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in schools across the country has selected two secondary schools of Chhapra for establishment of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs).

The addition of these two schools— Bisheshwar Seminary and Saraswati Shishu Mandir—to AIM list will further help to realize the vision of the government to cultivate children as innovators of tomorrow. The objective of this scheme is to foster curiosity, creativity and imagination in young minds and inculcate skills such as design mindset, computational thinking, adaptive learning, physical computing etc.

ATLs are basically innovation play workspaces for students from Class VI to Class XII, which help to encourage innovations combining science and technology. These open-ended innovation workspaces equipped with state-of-the art technologies like 3D printers, robotics, sensor technology kits, Internet of things, miniaturized electronics etc enable students to learn and solve local community problems using emerging technologies.

Students are encouraged to explore and experience design thinking and innovation, using a do-it-yourself approach, and develop innovative solutions to India’s social, community or economic problems

Sources said the laboratory at B Seminary has already been inaugurated, while the laboratory at Saraswati Shishu Mandir is getting ready for the purpose.

Assistant teacher and in-charge of ATL at Bisheshwar Seminary Manoj Kumar Singh said, “Niti Ayog had advertised for setting up ATLs and on line applications were invited from schools with conditions like results, availability of room for establishment of the laboratory etc. After inspection by a team of experts, two schools were selected in Saran.”

He added that students from Class VI to XII will be benefited and Rs12 lakh has been sanctioned to schools for establishment of ATL. There is no criteria to select students. There are basically four levels that can be taught in schools which are pre-Tinker, Tinker Club, Tinker Lab and post-Tinker Lab.

Saraswati Shishu Mandir managing committee president said, “No fee will be charged from students for utilizing this lab in pursuance of the guidelines of the Niti Ayog. The firm, which has been given contract for establishment of ATL has agreed to maintain it for five years after its inauguration.”

Courtesy: TNN