New Delhi, May 20 (IANS) Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) under NITI Aayog in partnership with educational bodies in Jammu and Kashmir launched the application process to establish 500 new Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) across the Union Territory, an official statement said on Wednesday.

NITI Aayog collaborated with the School Education Department, Government of Jammu & Kashmir, and the University of Kashmir for the initiative aimed at building a robust innovation ecosystem in India’s frontier regions.

These 500 new ATLs are the key component of AIM’s broader Frontier Region Programme, which seeks to create customised and inclusive innovation ecosystems in geographically challenging regions through deep institutional convergence and localised implementation models, the statement noted.

The programme aims to nurture a new generation of young innovators and change makers from Jammu & Kashmir while ensuring equitable access to innovation opportunities by strengthening linkages between schools, universities, industry, and innovation institutions.

The customised application framework specifically tailored to the geographical and institutional realities of Jammu & Kashmir and incorporates several contextual modifications including inclusion of diverse school categories such as government, private, and aided, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Army Goodwill schools, and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas.

It also incorporated relaxation in criteria related to school space and enrolment and special consideration for schools located in remote, border, hilly, and underserved regions.

“The initiative also aims at transforming Jammu & Kashmir into a leading model for frontier-region innovation by expanding access to emerging technologies, design thinking, and problem-solving education among school students, particularly in remote, border, hilly, and underserved geographies,” NITI Aayog said in the statement.

“These labs will empower students from every corner of the UT, including remote and border areas, to dream boldly, experiment fearlessly, and develop solutions for real-world challenges,” said Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog Deepak Bagla.

He urged schools to participate actively in the application process to become the innovation hubs of the JK’s innovation ecosystem.

A comprehensive outreach and awareness strategy has also been developed to ensure maximum participation from schools across all districts of the UT.

The outreach will include district-level awareness sessions, orientations for school heads and teachers, official communication through departmental channels, and leveraging the existing ATL network and institutional partnerships to ensure equitable participation.

—IANS

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