New Delhi: More than half of the schools chosen from the state for setting up of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) to develop scientific temperament and innovativeness among the students have failed to set up the labs.
The NITI Aayog, in its response to an RTI query, stated that as many as 411 government and private schools from Odisha have been selected for establishment of Atal Tinkering Labs. However, only 181 schools could establish the labs successfully and make it operational till now.
Thus around 56 per cent of the chosen schools in the state do not have ATLs.
The Aayog further mentioned in its response that Rs 20 lakh has been sanctioned to each school over the period of five years as establishment and operational cost. Out of the total amount, grant-in-aid of Rs 12 lakh has been transferred as the first tranche.
Significantly, at least 8,878 schools have been selected from across the country out of which 4,671 schools could establish the ATLs.
It is to be mentioned here that Atal Tinkering Lab is a program run by Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) under NITI Aayog to foster curiosity and innovative mindset among young students to encourage research and innovation in schools across the country. The vision of the initiative is ‘To create One million children in India as Neoteric Innovators’.