Atal Tinkering Lab: A Fulcrum of Innovation and Design

Learning and innovation need the right environment for the growth of fertile ideas. Students gain conceptual and theoretical knowledge in the classroom, it is when they experiment with and apply those ideas in real situations that they begin to gain practical understanding and applicability of those concepts. Especially for subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), experiential learning paves the way for in-depth knowledge and creative applications fostering a culture of developing practical solutions and an innovation mindset.

Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) is an initiative under the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) by the NITI Ayog that focuses on providing students with the space and freedom to experiment with what they learn to find new applications of ideas and technology.

What is an Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL)?

With the vision of cultivating one million students in India to be new-age innovators, Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) are spaces where students can create do-it-yourself solutions for everyday challenges using a hands-on approach, executing their ideas based on principles learnt in the class. Supported by the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) under NITI Ayog by the government of India, ATLs are conceptualised to enable children to develop new-age skills such as creative application, design mindset, analytical thinking and finding innovative solutions. Focusing on STEM concepts, these labs are equipped with scientific equipment, electronics, open-source microcontroller boards, 3D printers, computers, sensors etc.

To foster innovation, scientific temperament and creativity amongst students ATLs can also conduct and host exhibitions, seminars, competitions, or learning workshops at regional or national levels, thus providing additional incentives for students to develop innovative design mindsets for real-life problem-solving. This works towards laying a cultural learning foundation that could put India at the centre of technological innovation with solution-providing think tanks and further employment opportunities.

Objectives of Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL)

1. Building facilities where students can learn in a flexible environment using a hands-on approach to develop innovative thinking and application.
2. Equipping students with higher-order skills of critical thinking, innovative solutions, problem-solving, cross-cultural collaboration and creative application needed in the 21st century.
3. Setting up India as a Knowledge Economy by laying the foundation for fostering a culture of innovation and developing effective solutions to India’s unique problems.

Features of Atal Tinkering Labs

ATLs offer students the space and resources to execute and test their ideas, solutions and designs.

1. ATLs provide students with the opportunity to experientially learn and comprehend STEM concepts
2. ATLs are equipped with some of the latest electronics, robotics, science, sensors, 3D printers, computers etc., giving students the experience and the ability to execute their ideas.
3. The labs can also offer extended facilities of video conferencing, meeting rooms etc to enable collaborative learning and knowledge sharing.
4. ATLs provide students with a platform to interact with other students and experts working on similar problems via exhibitions, competitions, workshops etc. This exposure plays a vital role in students grasping the importance of design, fabrication and utility of solutions developed.

School Eligibility Criteria for Atal Tinkering Lab:

To set up an ATL and be the beneficiary of government support, schools first need to meet a few key eligibility criteria.

S.No.	Parameter	Criteria
1	School Type	Any Indian school, including those run by the government, private trusts or societies that minimum education between grades 6th to 10th
2	School Infrastructure	The school must be able to provide dedicated space of 1000 sq. ft (in hilly regions, states or UTs) or 1500 sq. ft. (in the rest of India) for the setting up of ATL. Infrastructure support of computer lab, internet and round the clock electricity as well as a science lab, library and  playground
3	Student Count	A minimum student strength of 400 students in the plains and 250 in hilly regions, states and UTs. Attendance of teacher and other staff for the last 3 academic years to be a minimum of 75%.
4	Faculty Support	The schools should have dedicated and qualified teachers with expertise in Maths and Science.
5	Student Performance	The percentage of students scoring 90% and above, 80-90%, 70-80%, and 60-70% in class 10th & 12th board examinations over 3 years play a key role in the allocation of funds.
6	Extra-Curricular activities	Another factor that plays a role in the allocation of funds is the school’s participation in science and math-related events and extra-curricular activities.

Large Scope of ATL

With an ambitious goal of setting up 10,000 ATLs, the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) has already created 5000 labs across 87% of all Indian districts. Serving as community centres these innovation labs are spread across government and private schools with a strong emphasis on co-educational and girls’ schools.

Financial Support Guidelines By Atal Innovation Mission

The Atal Innovation Mission provides a grant-in-aid of Rs. 20,00,000 for financial support of ATLs over 5 years. It further sets down strict guidelines for fund utilisation by schools over this period.

Year	Fund Allocation	Purpose
Year 1	Rs. 10 Lakh	Initial one-time capital expense towards setting up of the lab and equipment purchase. This includes Rs. 7 lac for acquiring equipment as per the prescribed list, Rs. 1.5 lac for 3-5 laptops and a projector and Rs. 1.5 lac refurbishment and repair expenses of setting up the lab – paint, electrical fittings, internet, banner etc.
Year 1 – 5	Rs. 2 Lakh	Yearly operational and maintenance expenses. This amount is to be used for the repair and maintenance of equipment, replenishment of consumables and travel and accommodation costs of faculty and students for ATL events.

Selection Stages and Timelines

Stage I: Online application (3-4 months)

AIM invites schools to apply for ATL via its dedicated online application portal. The four sections of the application seek information in the areas of a) basic contact information of the applicant school and its principal, b) information and documents related to its identity, c) school student performance and participation in events, and d) ATL-related infrastructure etc. Schools are permitted to apply only once and no reapplication is permitted on grounds of inaccurate information.

Stage II: Application Screening (1-2 months)

The first step of the ATL selection process is screening the applications to see if they meet the listed eligibility criteria of availability of space, student strength, staff expertise and basic infrastructure.

Stage III: Final Evaluation (1-2 Months)

The second stage of the ATL process is the final evaluation of the school that passes the screening process. This is based on various parameters including but not limited to district coverage, school support of and student participation in extracurricular activities, student academic performance etc. The list of selected schools is communicated via email and shared on the website after which the schools are required to complete the mandated compliance process including documentation and PFMS

Examples of ATL Fostering and Spearheading Innovation

Nurturing a problem-solving and design-thinking mindset, ATLs are making an impact by helping students explore ideas that could lay the foundation of their future in innovation and entrepreneurship. With projects spanning Smart Car Parking Systems, Railway Accident Prevention Systems to Automated Smart Home Solutions students are trying to find innovative uses of technology to address real-life needs and problems.

Another outcome of problem-solving and creative thinking and been the Hub and Spoke Model implemented at St. Paul’s CEHSS school. The ATL at St. Paul’s offers its facilities to schools in the area acting as the Hub, extending the benefits and training students of the school cluster in the surrounding area.

• Smart Farming System : Students of St. Paul’s CEHSS, Thrissur won a prize for their design of a smart farming system that aids wildlife protection and addresses water scarcity for farming. With components like ultrasonic sensors, buzzers, and servomotor, the radar system produces a frequency to help detect invading wild animals and scare them away, while the processing software, soil moisture sensor, shutter system and water pump module help protect the crop from excessive irrigation and rain.
• Smart Goggles Project : A project by St Mary’s Convent Girls Higher Secondary School, the smart goggles project helps the visually challenged. Equipped with an ultrasonic sensor the goggles identify any obstacle in their path and trigger a buzzer, warning the wearer of an unsafe environment or path. The goggles help the visually challenged navigate their environment independently by increasing their spatial awareness.
• The Caring Robot : A project that saw a robot with a human quality of connection. Using servomotors and controlled gear motors, students of St. Paul’s CEHSS designed a robot that could be controlled via a mobile app and perform functions like handshakes, playing games etc.

While the implementation of ATLs might present schools with some challenges like alignment with curriculum, experienced human resources in creating and innovation and integration with the current educational program, they also present schools with an enormous opportunity to participate in creating the future thinkers, makers and innovators of the country.

ATLs enable students not just to practically understand what they learn in the classroom, but also boost the inter-disciplinary creative application of technology. On one hand, they provide students with a fertile environment to build a strong foundation in innovation and design, while on the other hand, they provide schools with an edge by boosting their learning environment and giving them a tangible differentiator in a tough competitive environment. This makes them a win-win for both the school and its students.

Last Updated on July 10, 2024