Atal Tinkering Lab is an initiative taken by the Central government of India with an aim to create an environment of scientific temperament, innovation, and creativity among students. Atal Tinkering Lab is a step towards a new India.
Since the past few decades, our Indian educational system has seen a paradigm shift. The Atal Tinkering Lab has been able to satiate the need of the hour by inculcating new methodologies in the existing education system.
The aim of Atal Tinkering lab is to teach the students essential skills and thus help them in developing their professional and personal skills. Skilled India is the need of the hour and ATL is a step towards achieving this dream and working together for the betterment of the country.
Objectives
The objective of the Atal Tinkering Lab is to foster curiosity, creativity, and imagination in young minds and develop skills such as design mindset, computational thinking, adaptive learning, physical computing etc. Young students get an opportunity to work with tools and equipment and to understand the what, how and why aspects of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).
ATL would also include educational and “Do It Yourself” kits and other such important equipment for science, electronics, sensors and 3D printers etc.
Background
With the aim to promote entrepreneurship and innovation in India, Indian Government’s Think Tank Niti Aayog launched its flagship program Atal Innovation Mission (AIM). This initiative is instrumental in streamlining the policies provided by the Indian government that revolve around innovation and creativity. Atal Tinkering Labs in Indian schools is one of the primary offerings by AIM.
What is Atal Tinkering Labs?
Atal Tinkering Labs are workspaces in the schools where the students from Classes Sixth to Twelfth can acquire innovative skills and other skills through hands-on learning. The aim of Niti Aayog is to nourish one million students as innovators in the near future.
The tools and equipment in the laboratories help the children to learn multiple STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) concepts and various other important things. Thus, the students are able to transform their ideas into reality. The equipment and DIY (do-it-yourself) kits are mainly related to science, electronics, robotics, microcontroller boards, 3D printing, and sensors.
Additional activities in the lab
This initiative is not just about encouraging students and promoting innovation culture by working in the labs. Various other additional activities are also conducted which includes exhibitions and competitions at the national and state level. To promote problem-solving among the children, various workshops and lectures can be conducted regularly. Screening of STEM and related films is often included by educational institutions. Niti Aayog also encourages the ATL schools to invite known speakers to talk about STEM, education, entrepreneurship and other related topics.
Financial support provided to the educational institutions
The schools which are selected for setting up the Atal Tinkering Laboratory in India receive a grant of Rs. 10 lakh from the government for the establishment of the lab in their school and also receives a sum of Rs. 10 lakh separately for operating the lab for a period of five years.
The amount is also used for the following purposes-
- Maintenance of the lab
- Competitions
- Lecture series and workshops
- Payments to the mentors and other professionals involved in the lab
The involvement of other institutions for financial support is also encouraged to further upgrade the Atal tinkering lab. The Niti Aayog also encourages local institutions and other related industries to be a part of this initiative by creating facilities and exhibits that are domain/subject-specific. SAP Global recently had a tie-up with Atal Innovation Mission to adopt 100 Atal tinkering labs in the country.
Equipment in the labs
The Niti Aayog provides a list of the equipments and tools to be purchased by the schools through the funds that are granted to them. These tools and equipment are divided into four different packages:
Package 1: The first package consists of the kits and equipment related to robotics, electronics development, Internet of Things and sensors.
Package 2: The second package consists of rapid prototyping tools, including the 3D printer kit and tools, along with filament for the 3D printers and a set of arts & crafts accessories and kits.
Package 3: The third package consists of electrical, mechanical and measurement tools like pliers, screwdriver set, soldering iron kit and workstation for drilling purposes etc.
Package 4: The fourth package consists of safety equipment, accessories, consumables, power supply, and a construction kit.
Innovations by the students
The main difference between an ATL and a science lab is that the focus in ATL is on interdisciplinary learning so that students can create something revolutionary.
To further encourage and promote the creation of groundbreaking ideas, the Niti Aayog had a six-month nationwide challenge called Atal Tinkering Marathon which included themes such as clean energy, water resources, waste management, smart mobility, and agri-tech. The top 30 innovations from this challenge received prizes and were also involved in the three-month-long ATL Student Innovator Program (ATL SIP). These innovations included –
- A smart tap to monitor and purify water flowing through it and avoid water from overflowing and thus saving water
- Use of sewage water to generate electricity
- A smart lock system to avoid accidents, theft and illegal use of two-wheelers and other vehicles
- Air purification and monitoring system to purify the air
- Waste cleaning robot based on the ‘C’ Programming language
These and many other ideas highlight how the students working in these Atal Tinkering Laboratories can drastically improve society. Atal Innovation Mission encourages innovative ideas and gives a platform for students to showcase their talent.
Eligibility Criteria for the Schools
Infrastructure: The school applying for the Atal tinkering labs must have 1,500 square feet of area. For the schools in hilly/mountain areas or island states, UTs, the minimum eligible area is 1,000 square feet. There should be facilities like a science lab, a steady electricity connection, a computer lab with internet, a library and a playground within the school premises.
Faculty: The school must have employed dedicated and qualified staff for Sciences and Math.
Enrollments: A minimum of 400 students must have enrolled in classes 6-10. For the schools in hilly states, must have enrolled 250 students in classes 6-10.
Attendance: The attendance of the students and faculty must be 75 per cent or above.
Advisory Body
Each school with Atal Tinkering Lab is supposed to have an advisory body to monitor the activities of the Atal tinkering labs.
Chairman i.e Principal of the School
Convener: Faculty-in-charge of the Atal tinkering labs
Two Members: Alumni/reputed academia or young innovators from the local community or industry.
Two Members: Parents of the Students
The advisory body needs to conduct at least three meetings in a year and is supposed to send the report to AIM.
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