Atal Innovation Mission 2024: AIM Key Activities, Objectives

Atal Innovation Mission:-

The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is the Government of India’s flagship initiative to foster an inventive and entrepreneurial culture throughout the country. The purpose of AIM is to create new policies and activities that foster innovation across the economy, provide a platform and chances for cooperation for many stakeholders, and develop a centralized institution to oversee the nation’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. To learn about the Atal Innovation Mission, including highlights, objectives, accomplishments, activities, the application process, and much more read this article till the end.

Atal Innovation Mission 2024

The NITI Aayog established the flagship Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) to promote entrepreneurship and innovation across the country. The program was developed in response to discussions and a detailed examination of India’s future needs in the fields of innovation and entrepreneurship. AIM’s significant role in bringing innovation policies from Central, State, and Sectoral Innovation Schemes into alignment will encourage the establishment and promotion of an ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship at various levels, including Higher Secondary Schools, Science, Engineering, and Higher Academic Institutions, SME/MSME industry, Corporate, and NGO levels.

Long-term objectives of AIM include revitalizing science and technology innovations at the nation’s major research institutions, such as the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Institute of Agribusiness Research (ICAR), and the Institute of Medical Research (ICMR), in accordance with the needs of the country’s socioeconomic sector. Small Business Innovation Research and Development (AIM-SBIR) for SMEs, MSMEs, and start-ups would coordinate these activities.

AIM Objective

• The primary focus is on innovation. As a result, strategies and policies for a wide range of sectors will be based on that concept.
• It provides choices for cooperation as well as a platform for numerous parties to collaborate.
• It serves as a governing body for the nation’s whole innovation ecosystem, managing and protecting it.

Atal Innovation Mission Achievements

Some of the key achievements of Atal Innovation Mission are as follows:

• More than 350 collaborations have been developed to assist the advancement of the nation’s innovation ecosystem.
• In conjunction with the AIM, the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) has created an artificial intelligence-based curriculum for students in schools.
• The roughly 5000 Atal Tinkering Labs spread over 660 Indian districts presently serve over 2.5 million students.
• AIM founded Mentor India, one of India’s largest mentoring networks.
• At least half of the over 10,000 mentors who registered have prior experience working with startups and ATLs.

AIM Mission Activities

• Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs): AIM establishes Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATLs) in schools to encourage children’s imagination and creativity, as well as to strengthen their skill sets in computation thinking, design, physical computing, and adaptive learning. ATLs provide children with the tools and resources they need to study and understand STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) concepts. ATLs also offer kits and equipment on a variety of topics, such as computers, sensors, electronics, and 3D printers. ATLs are for children in grades 6 to 10 and are located in schools administered by the government, local governments, private trusts, and society. AIM provides financial assistance to each school totaling Rs. 20 lakh, with an initial establishment cost of Rs. 10 lakh and continuous operation expenditures of Rs. 10 lakh over five years.
• Atal Incubation Centres (AICs): AIM supports AICs, which help and promote start-up enterprises to become more stable, scalable, and sustainable. AIM promotes women-led incubators and entrepreneurial start-ups in every state and sector throughout the country. The mission provides grants of up to Rs. 10 crores to selected applicants to develop greenfield incubators. Manufacturing, agriculture, education, water, energy, health, transportation, and sanitation will all have AICs. Suitableness. To use AICs, applicants must provide AIM with at least 10,000 square feet of built-up, usable area. R&D centers, corporate organizations, business accelerators, individuals, and higher education groups, among others, can use AICs.
• Atal Community Innovation Centre: The Atal Community Innovation Centre focuses on disadvantaged and impoverished sections of the country that lack an atmosphere conducive to innovation and business.
• Mentor of Change Program: AIM has built mentoring networks within the Indian professional sector to provide student mentorship at ATL and ATC incubators and start-ups. There are around 5000 mentors that have registered and are in accordance with the current ATL. Mentors must provide at least one to two hours each week to one or more laboratories. Furthermore, the mission works with innovative organizations and systems in the United States, the United Kingdom, Latin America, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.

Atal Innovation Mission’s Struggles

India is the world’s largest democracy. Each area has unique obstacles in terms of cultural expectations and economic progress, with over a billion people, 33 states, eight union territories, and a variety of languages. Future innovators must be made aware of the significance and scope of these issues. As a result, it is critical to create incentives for innovative thinking and relevant issue solutions at the local, state, and federal levels across the country – in educational institutions, enterprises, and even globally.

In educational institutions, the Atal Tinkering Challenges. Atal Grand Challenges at the national level and the Atal New India Challenges for entrepreneurs and colleges will provide incentives. A similar incentive would stimulate the creation of new markets, as well as the solution of relevant issues, technologies, and enterprises that can find ready buyers. Drinking water and sanitation, urban housing and development, climate-smart agriculture, rail safety and transportation, and other sectors where product innovations may help the nation while also producing profits are all challenges. Over 35,000 students participated in the most recent Atal Tinkering Marathon, resulting in over 6000 ideas in five countrywide contests.

Atal Innovation Mission Onine Application Process

Sending invitations to candidates via an online application portal: Schools have three to four months to finish their online ATL applications. Thanks to the user-friendly ATL online application platform, schools may easily submit their ATL applications online.

Screening of applications: The applications received will be handled in accordance with the eligibility requirements. Some of the requirements for eligibility include a minimum number of students enrolled, committed maths and science teachers, a basic infrastructure with computers and internet access, a consistent electrical supply, a science lab, a library, and a playground, as well as regular staff and student attendance. These criteria will be used to rank and assess the eligible candidate schools.

Final Evaluation: More arbitrary benchmarks are used to assess the school’s commitment to using the ATL as a springboard to turn itself into a regional innovation hub. Following the final examination, the AIM website publishes a list of chosen schools. The amount of money available and the approval of the appropriate authorities determine how many ATLs are selected and promoted at any one moment. To be eligible for the grant-in-aid, schools must complete the compliance procedure, which is detailed in the following section.