NITI Aayog picks 2 more city schools for Atal labs

GURUGRAM: NITI Aayog has selected 2,441 schools across the country for the establishment of Atal Tinkering Labs as part of its Atal Innovation Mission, which aims to foster the culture of innovation among the country’s youth. Two schools have been selected from Gurugram in the second round of selections — CD International School, Sohna Road and Delhi Public School, Sushant Lok.

The government’s policy thinktank will set up 5,000 such labs by March 2019 covering all districts in the country. Selected schools will receive a grant of Rs 20 lakh each over the next five years to establish tinkering labs.

“Selected schools have to hire a mentor, who will be trained by the Atal Tinkering Lab officials to teach students. We will make the lab in the coming three weeks. The lab will have state-of-the-art equipment, such as 3D printers, robotics and electronics development tools and sensors,” said Yashpal Yadav, director of CD Group of Schools.

“The whole purpose of setting this lab is to ensure students think more than what they are taught in classrooms,” added Yadav. Sunita Nagpal, principal of DPS Sushant Lok, added: “We haven’t received the grant yet. We’ll start the lab when it comes. It will be open for all students.”