Atal Tinkering Labs - Government Schemes for UPSC

Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) is a sub-mission under the Atal Innovation Mission of the Government of India. ATL is the flagship initiative of AIM, the Government of India, to nurture an innovative mindset amongst high school students across the length and breadth of India. This is an important government scheme administered under the NITI Aayog.

In this article, you can read all about Atal Tinkering Labs for the IAS Exam.

This article will give information useful for GS Mains Paper 2 and 3 of the UPSC Syllabus.

The candidates can refer to the relevant information from the links below:

Mission Innovation – 8 Innovation Challenges (IC’s) National Initiative for Development and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI) – Program to Boost Start-Ups
Atal Innovation Mission – 17 Pre-Identified Focus Areas Start-Up India
Mentor India Campaign – To Promote Innovation in India Innovation Challenge: Is Information Technology (IT) Sector Ready: RSTV- Big Picture
Uchchatar Avishkar Yojana – Promote Innovation in Manufacturing and Design Industry Commonwealth Innovation Index 2019 – Rank of India
Intellectual Property Rights – A Brief Overview National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy – Advantages and Concerns

Why are Atal Tinkering Labs in News? (Latest)

  • On April 9, 2021, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) decided to adopt 295 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) across the country, with an objective to inculcate scientific research and innovation culture among students. Top research scholars and scientists at CSIR will mentor students at these ATLs and act as resource persons.
  • On January 11, 2021, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has decided to adopt 100 Atal Tinkering Labs with an aim to promote education in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), space education, and space technology-related innovations for school students.

The Department of Space (DOS), Atal Innovation Mission and NITI Aayog will adopt 45 Atal Tinkering Labs in the first phase and then 55 others will be adopted by ISRO.

What is Atal Tinkering Labs?

Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) have been established at schools across India under the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) of the NITI Ayog, with a vision to “cultivate one million children in India as neoteric innovators”. The objective of the 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.

ATL is an activity conducted under the umbrella mission named ‘Atal Innovation Mission’ (AIM). AIM is the Indian Government’s flagship program to foster a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation. 

  • AIM establishes ATLs in schools across the country with a vision to ‘Cultivate one Million children in India as Neoteric Innovators’.
  • The chief objective of establishing ATLs is to promote curiosity, imagination, and creativity in the minds of school-going children.
  • Other goals of the scheme include inculcating in children a design mindset, adaptive learning, computational thinking, physical computing, etc.
  • The philosophy behind ATLs is that prize awards and incentives are a great start to generate an aggressive wave of innovation and entrepreneurship in school-going children.
What is Atal Innovation Mission?

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is the Indian Government’s flagship program to foster a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation. AIM under NITI Aayog is envisaged as an umbrella innovation organisation that would play an instrumental role in the alignment of innovation policies between central, state and sectoral ministries, by incentivizing the promotion of an ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship at various levels – higher secondary schools, higher education and research institutions, and SME/MSME industry, corporate, and government ministerial level, by a public-private partnership. The components of the Atal Innovation Mission are given below:

    1. Atal Tinkering Labs
    2. Atal Incubation Centres
    3. Atal New India Challenge
    4. Mentor of Change Program
    5. Atal Community Innovation Center
    6. Atal Research & Innovation for Small Enterprises (ARISE)
Aspirants should begin their preparation by solving UPSC Previous Year Question Papers now!!

To complement your preparation for the upcoming exam, check the following links:

Features of Atal Tinkering Labs

ATL’s are workspaces where children can realize their ideas through hands-on do-it-yourself mode and also acquire innovation skills.

  • They get the chance to comprehend STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) concepts.
  • The labs contain educational kits and equipment on electronics, science, robotics, sensors, 3D printers, computers, and open-source microcontroller boards.
  • The labs can also have other upgraded facilities, such as video conferencing and meeting rooms.
  • There would also be other activities such as national and regional level competitions, problem-solving workshops, exhibitions, designing and fabrication of products, lectures, and so on.
  • The financial support for ATLs would be given by the AIM. Each school with an ATL will be given Rs.20 Lakh (includes a one-time Rs.10 Lakh for establishment + operational expenses of Rs.10 Lakh for a maximum of 5 years).

ATL Eligibility 

ATL’s would be set up by schools (having grades VI to X) that are managed by the government, local bodies, private trusts or societies, etc.

Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs):- Download PDF Here

Daily News

Other related links:

IAS Salary Best Optional Subjects for UPSC
UPSC Mains Answer Writing Practice 2023 FAQ on UPSC IAS 2023 for Beginners
IAS Questions & Answers for UPSC 2023 UPSC Eligibility Criteria
Topic-Wise GS 3 Questions for UPSC Mains Science & Technology Notes For UPSC
List of Government Schemes UPSC Mains General Studies Paper III – Strategy, Syllabus, Structure

Comments

Leave a Comment

Your Mobile number and Email id will not be published.

*

*