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Context: A comprehensive self-monitoring framework ‘ATL Sarthi’ was introduced by the NITI Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) to support the Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL).

About ATL Sarthi

• The Atal Innovation Mission is establishing Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATLs) in schools across India.
• Aim: To improve the effectiveness of ATLs and achieve the desired goals, ATL Sarthi was launched.
• Objectives: To encourage young minds' curiosity, creativity, and imagination as well as to inculcate skills like a design-thinking mindset, computational thinking, adaptive learning, physical computing, etc.,
  • It seeks to offer a framework for monitoring and evaluating progress towards bettering ATL performance.
• In the first phase, AIM has provided funding for 10,000 schools to open Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATLs).
• The effectiveness and efficiency of the ATLs will be enhanced by ATL Sarthi.

The initiative is based on 4 pillars to ensure the performance enhancement of ATLs;

• Self-reporting dashboard: AIM has created the "MyATL Dashboard," a self-reporting dashboard, to monitor the effectiveness of ATLs.
  • The dashboard's objective is to provide users access to up-to-date data about each ATL's achievements and activities.
  • The schools can self-report their achievements and progress, which the authorities can review to determine the advantages and disadvantages of each ATL.
• Compliance SOPs: Standard operating procedures (SOPs) have been developed by AIM particularly for schools to ensure both financial and non-financial compliance.
  • These SOPs guarantee that the ATLs comply with the guidelines established by AIM and the authorities.
  • This step will guarantee that the money designated for the ATLs is used effectively.
• Cluster-based approach: AIM has developed a cluster-based strategy to improve ATL performance. Using this strategy, groups of 20–30 ATLs are formed in a specific area.
  • Through training, partnerships, events, and sharing of best practices, these ATLs can benefit from one another.
  • The ATL Cluster seeks to offer a self-sustaining structure for facilitating and monitoring in which ATLs and local governments collaborate on the ground.
• Performance-enablement matrix: AIM has assigned schools the responsibility to assess their performance using a Performance-Enablement (PE) Matrix.
  • With the help of this matrix, schools will be able to evaluate their performance and, if necessary, make adjustments.
  • This matrix can be used by the schools to assess their performance, growth, and achievements.

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)

• The Atal Innovation Mission was initiated by the NITI Aayog in 2016 to promote innovation and entrepreneurship across the country.
• The main objective of the mission is to create and promote an ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship at schools, universities, Research institutions, MSMEs and Industry levels.
• Under the Mission, Atal Tinkering Labs are established to promote a creative, innovative mindset in schools.
  • At the school level, AIM is setting up state-of-the-art Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) across all districts across the country.
  • These ATLs are dedicated innovation workspaces on the latest technologies like 3D Printers, Robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), etc.
• Atal Innovation Tinkering challenges are regularly held in the school as well as by AIM every month to ensure students' active involvement in creating innovative solutions to solve problems in their community and the country.
• Atal Incubators to Promote entrepreneurship in universities and industry.
• Atal Community Innovation Centres to promote the benefits of technology to the underserved regions of India including Tier 2, and Tier 3 cities, Aspirational districts, and tribal, hilly and coastal areas.
• Mentor of Change: To encourage a vibrant ecosystem of innovation, AIM is promoting active collaboration between Government, Academia, Industry, Individuals and Societal focused NGOs.

Atal Innovation Mission: Initiatives

• Atal Tinkering Labs: These are to create a problem-solving mindset across schools in India.
• Atal Incubation Centers: These would help in fostering world-class startups and would also add some dimension to the incubator model.
• Atal New India Challenges: These are charged to foster product innovations and align them as per the requirements of various sectors/ ministries.
• Mentor India Campaign: It would create a national mentor network in public sectors, corporates and institutions to support the initiatives of the Atal Innovation Mission.
• Atal Community Innovation Center: This would create a community-centric innovation module and provide ideas in the unserved /underserved regions of India.

NITI Aayog

• The creation of the Planning Commission was Inspired by the USSR/Soviet Model, the Prime Minister established a Planning Commission in 1950 to design the five-year Plans for India.
  • In 2015, it was replaced by a new organisation named National Institution for Transforming India (NITI).
• Promote Cooperative Federalism
  • The Governing Council of NITI Aayog has Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories and State Chief Ministers.
  • NITI Aayog Constituted a Committee of State Chief Ministers to examine important issues.
• Promote Competitive Federalism
  • NITI Aayog has Prepared online dashboards to rank the States on various indicators of development Such as;
    • Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index.
    • Health Index.
    • School Education Quality Index.
    • Digital Transformation Index.
  • Launched Aspirational District Programs for monitoring the progress of backward districts.
• NITI Aayog has not been given the mandate or Powers to impose Policies on States.
  • NITI Aayog is a think tank or an advisory body.
• The Powers for the allocation of funds have not been given to the NITI Aayog. The Powers are with the Finance Ministry.
• As a ‘think-tank’, Niti Aayog has helped the government In framing various Policies on;
  • Clean energy
  • Methanol based economy
  • Infrastructure, human development etc.
  • The model acts on agricultural land leasing, livestock Selling etc.
• NITI Aayog regularly organises Seminars, Workshops, and Conferences.
• NITI initiated Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) to help Startups. NITI is developing the National Program on Artificial Intelligence.
• NITI’s approach is modernised, forward-looking, and less bureaucratic; NITI Aayog is playing an important role as a think tank for Economic growth, Human development and Good governance in India.

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1906846

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