Niti Aayog partners Intel to set up Atal Tinkering Labs

Niti Aayog today tied up with Intel India to set up 10 laboratories under the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) to cultivate adaptive learning and innovation skills among young minds.
The government think tank, which as a part of AIM has introduced the Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATL) initiative in the country, today signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) with Intel India.
The SoI includes creation of 10 laboratories, aimed at fostering curiosity, creativity and imagination in young minds; teaching skills such as computational thinking, adaptive learning, physical computing; and developing a design mindset among students.
The SoI was signed here in the presence of Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, Vice president - Corporate Affairs at Intel Corporation Rosalind Hudnell, and president of the Intel Foundation, as well as Kishore Balaji, Director of Corporate Affairs Group, Intel South Asia.

The key objective of setting-up these ATLs is to build relevant skill set among youngsters and provide access to technology to help create solutions for social impact.
These 10 ATLs will act as exemples for the remaining 490. During this time, these laboratories intend to impact 2,50,000 youth with innovation skills and skills for the future, across 500 communities and schools.

Intel will support Niti Aayog in building capacities of mentors and developing linkages with maker ecosystem for quality improvement of projects made by youth, facilitating ideation, design thinking and prototyping workshops through industry experts and co-lead an innovation festival which reaches out to 5,00,000 young innovators.

"Under AIM, NITI Aayog has planned 500 ATLs in schools and 100 incubators in colleges. We have received 11,000 applications for ATL and 2,000 proposals for incubators," Kant told reporters.
Stressing the need to promote innovation, he said, "If India wants to grow at a high rate of 9 to 10 per cent in next two-three decades then we have to become an innovative society. Indians are dying to become innovators."
On the tie-up with Intel, Kant said,"US has innovated for rich and famous like driver-less cars. But we want to create solutions for poor people. Once we become an innovative society, then there will be no stopping."

On this occasion, Hudnell said, "Intel believes that it is more important than ever to invest in youth and innovation. That's why we are proud to be a part of the Atal Innovation Mission to launch tinkering labs throughout India, which will ultimately help millions of children across the country develop the skills they need to be competitive as tomorrow's workforce."
Balaji said,"Intel India strives to promote a culture of innovation and out-of-the-box thinking among the young and budding entrepreneurs. This collaboration is part of our endeavour to nurture local innovation and promote a culture of tinkering amongst our future citizens.