Report by Kahnu Nanda; Jagatsinghpur: The government of India set up NITI Aayoga has announced 1500 schools for Atal Tinkering Laboratories [ATL] across the country, apart from that Odisha’s 88 schools have been enlisted from them Tarikunda and Balikuda high Schools of Jagatsinghpur district have been selected for getting central funds for development of scientific temper and innovation skills among teen aged students.
The NITI Aayoga announcement has created happiness among teachers, students, alumina, guardians and political people , selected both the government high schools have recognized as oldest schools of Jagatsinghpur district had been established since mid-fifties.
ATL epitomizes that where school studying young minds can give shape to their ideas through hands on do and learn develop innovation skills with vision to cultivate 1 million children in India as Neoterical innovators as part of Atal Innovation Mission [AIM] another set up of NITI Aayog.
The objective of ATL scheme is to foster curiosity, creativity, and imagination in young minds, the students will get a chance to work with tools and equipment to understand what, how and why aspects of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math [STEM]
ATL selected schools would be provided financial support in the form of Grant-in-Aid for maximum period of 5Years. For the first year school will get one time establishment charge Rs 10,000,0o for purchase of instruments, prototyping equipment like do it yourself kits, 3D printer, electronic tools etc subsequently Rs 10,00 Lakh would be provided for ATL selected school over a maximum period of 5 years operational period. As a whole each selected school will get Rs 50, 00 Lakh central funds for development of STEM among students.
According to Balikuda high school headmaster Ganesh Chandra Sethy informed that acting on the ATL selection process, our school had applied in September 2017, a high level team sponsored by AIM had visited our school, inspected feasibility of our application seeking ATL scheme after verifying details through online finally NIIT Aayoga declared our selection on December 25, headmaster Mr Sethy revealed.
Acting on the ATL scheme and NIIT Aayoga endeavor we had called a meeting of high school headmasters both government and private set up at district education office on July 2017, as many as 300 headmasters had attended the meeting , the attending school heads had instructed to apply online for availing the ATL scheme. Details were unavailable number of schools applied but official communication revealed that two high schools have selected for the ATL scheme, informed district science supervision Subash Chandra Rout.
Moreover sources added that few prominent schools have been excluded from the ATL selections in spite of these schools fulfilled feasibility and infrastructure conditions set up by the NIIT Aayoga, about 19 renowned old schools as B B High school Kujanga, Alanahat high school and S K Academy and government girls high school at Jagatsinghpur have unlisted for the ATL benefits.
Though the selection has been made by NIIT Aayoga basically through online considering application details the denial schools could have lacked submitting specific particulars and facts, said district education officer Kapilendra Misra.
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