Gandhinagar, Aug 12 (IANS) The NITI Aayog on Tuesday organised a nation-wide ‘Mega Tinkering Day’, the largest-ever school-based tinkering event, bringing together students from over 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) across all 35 states and Union Territories.

In Gujarat’s Gandhinagar, the event sparked a wave of innovation among students and teachers, where the former demonstrated their creativity and problem-solving skills through DIY (Do-It-Yourself) projects.

The main objective of this event was to promote practical education at the school level and make youth competitive at the global level.

Students who participated in the pan-India program said that they learnt many new technical and creative skills.

“I worked with sensors and microcontrollers for the first time, which helped me learn to make prototypes,” shared one student.

Teachers said that such events develop technical and innovation skills in students.

A teacher said, “Through DIY projects, children develop qualities like teamwork, problem-solving and leadership. This will make them industry-ready in the future.”

He also added that the new education policy and ATL together are making education more practical, preparing students for real-life challenges along with classroom studies.

Students also said that practical projects in school prepare Indian youth to excel at the global level.

One student said, “These projects encouraged us to think independently and innovate, so that we can face any challenge in the future.”

According to teachers, Innovation-driven programmes can play a key role in bringing India into the category of technologically advanced countries. They suggested that more practical exposure at the school level and industry-school partnerships are necessary to further strengthen the technology sector in the future.

According to the students, after working in ATL Tinkering Labs, their way of thinking has changed, and they now solve problems from a more scientific perspective.

Notably, the nationwide event saw over 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs come together in one synchronised hour of creativity, with lakhs of students across India building, learning, and innovating as one.

Held virtually and simultaneously in schools nationwide, the event saw participation of over 4.5 lakh students from more than 9 thousand Atal Tinkering Labs-equipped schools. No other country in the world has mobilised innovation at this scale inside its school ecosystem.

–IANS

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