Kerala soon to get Atal Tinkering Laboratories

KOZHIKODE: The State Government will soon implement the Central Government’s new initiative  ‘Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATLs)' in selected schools in the State. The project aims at encouraging innovation through its flagship Atal Innovation Mission (AIM).

Niti Aayog, the implementing agency, has invited applications from schools to initiate this project. The laboratory will be allotted to those schools that have excelled with innovative projects developed by the students. So far more than 10 schools in the country have already received the sanction to set up the laboratory and the Central Government is looking forward to allotting the scheme to Kerala state.

Talking about the initiation, Nasif N, a representative of Kerala Start Up Mission who will be leading the project in the State, said, “As part of the project, the selected schools will be given with a one time establishment aid of Rs. 10 lakh to establish ATLs in their schools (grade VI – XII). Rs. 10 lakh would also be granted for each ATL over 5 years for operational expenses.”

Young children will get a chance to work with tools and equipment to understand the concepts of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). Competitions at regional and national levels would also be organized to showcase the innovations developed by the children, he added.