On Atal Tinkering Labs and Innovation in India – Lessons in how to build an innovation ecosystem

Source: The post is based on the article “Lessons in how to build an innovation ecosystem” published in “Indian express” on 3rd November 2023.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3 Science and Technology – Indigenization of technology and developing new technology.

News: The article discusses how India’s innovation ecosystem is growing, like with Atal Tinkering Labs in schools to foster young innovators. It suggests that for such initiatives to succeed and improve, local communities must be involved and take ownership, like India’s successful Amul cooperative movement.

What is Atal Innovation Mission?

It was set up by NITI Aayog in 2016 to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship by creating institutions and programs that enhance innovation in schools, colleges, and entrepreneurs in general.

For more details on Atal innovation Mission and its Initiative read here

What is Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL)?

It is an initiative by the Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog with the aim of establishing Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATLs) in schools across India.

Objective: To foster curiosity, creativity and imagination in young minds; and inculcate skills such as design mindset, computational thinking, adaptive learning, physical computing etc.

For more details on Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) read here

What is ATL Sarthi?

ATL Sarthi is a comprehensive self-monitoring framework to strengthen the ever-growing ecosystem of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL).

It provides necessary guidelines for local authorities like districts, states, innovation councils, private organizations to help assess ATLs in their region and provide much-needed guidance and support to steer this ATL ecosystem to new heights.

For more information on ATL Sarthi read here

How important is community involvement in innovation in India?

Community as Innovation Catalyst: Community involvement is fundamental to India’s innovation growth, as shown by the jump to the 40th rank in the Global Innovation Index.

Learning from Amul: The example of Amul, a successful community-based cooperative, underlines how collective efforts can lead to remarkable achievements in innovation.

Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs): The establishment of ATLs in schools aims to build a community of young innovators, with more than 75 lakh students engaged across 10,000 labs.

ATL Sarthi Program: In regions like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir, the ATL Sarthi initiative clusters labs for shared growth, showing better performance due to collaborative support.

Challenges in Rural Areas: The emphasis on community involvement becomes even more crucial in rural areas, where 60% of ATLs are located, to ensure that innovative infrastructure like 3D printers remains functional and accessible.

What should be done?

Empower ATL Clusters: Integrate more schools into the ATL Sarthi initiative, where a guidance committee ensures all labs within a cluster are effectively supported and utilized.

Foster Ownership and Participation: Encourage schools to take active ownership of ATLs and involve community members, ensuring that the infrastructure is well-maintained and evolves with changing technological needs.

Balance Urban-Rural Support: Given that 60% of ATLs are in rural areas, it’s crucial to provide equal operational support as in urban centers, possibly through shared resources and mentorship.

Sustain Engagement and Improvement: Regular evaluation and mentorship should be implemented to replicate the success of the ATL Sarthi model, where cooperative efforts have led to high performance and engagement.

Question for practice:

Community involvement be leveraged to enhance the innovation ecosystem in India, particularly in supporting and sustaining initiatives like Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs). Discuss