post news network
Bhubaneswar, June 15: Central Board of Secondary Education has notified introduction of Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATLs) under Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) in schools affiliated to it. The government proposes to establish 500 ATLs in schools countrywide to create scientific temper among students.
According the CBSE notification, each ATL will be provided with a grants-in aid, including one-time establishment cost of `10 lakh and operational expenses of `10 lakh for 5 years. ATLs are aimed to provide a workspace for students to get hands-on experience in developing scientific skills. The scheme is aimed at cultivating 1 million children in India as neoteric innovators.
The initiative is aimed at fostering curiosity, creativity and imagination among young students. “It will inculcate skills such as design mindset, computational thinking, adaptive learning, and physical computing and will also help young students understand the basic concepts of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) by providing them an opportunity to work with tools and equipment,” the notification states.
At least 25 per cent of the ATLs would be set up in schools managed by the governments both central and state. These laboratories are to be established for access to students from Grade VI-XII and will be managed by government, local body or private trusts or societies.
ATL can conduct activities ranging from regional- and national-level competitions, exhibitions, workshops on problem solving, designing and fabrication of products and lecture series at regular intervals.
Schools interested in establishing ATLs have been advised to apply online through http://www.niti.gov.in/content/atal-tinkering-laboratories. The last date of submission of online application has been fixed June 17.
Several teachers and educationists from the city believe the scheme will bring talents of students to the fore and generate interest for science among them.