Aiming to transform school students from app users to innovative app developers, NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission launched the ‘ATL App Development Module’ in collaboration with Indian homegrown startup Plezmo. It would hone the school students’ skills nationwide and transform them from App users to App makers in the times to come under AIM’s flagship Atal Tinkering Labs initiative. This is a significant step towards reviving the Indian Mobile App Development innovation ecosystem, in line with the clarion call for Aatmanirbhar efforts of the Hon Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

A free online ATL App Development module has six project-based learning modules and online mentoring sessions. The young innovators can learn to build mobile Apps in various Indian languages and showcase their talent. Additionally, periodic Teacher Training sessions on the AIM App Development course will be conducted to develop capacities and acumen for App Development within school teachers.

CEO NITI Aayog Amitabh Kant expressed his views and said, “The Covid-19 pandemic has brought about a significant disruption, being tackled through technology to aid in everyday lives.
Our honourable Prime Minister has encouraged the citizens to use technology and innovate for an #AatmaNirbhar Bharat. It is crucial for young Indians to learn skills at a young age and to enable them to become the next generation of technology leaders. And under the Atal Tinkering Lab initiative, AIM, NITI Aayog is proud to launch the ATL App Development module for India’s young minds – our dear children.

Speaking on the virtual launch of the module, Mission Director Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog R Ramanan, said, “We need world-class technology solutions and apps from India leveraging our country’s tremendous demographic dividend. The launch of the AatmaNirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge has inspired young students uniformly at school, university, and industry levels. AIM, NITI Aayog is now bringing the skills of App Development to the young tinkerers of Atal Tinkering Labs across the country to integrate their Tinkering Lab innovations with mobile apps, enhancing the usability and reach of their creations. It would be one of the immense App learning and development initiatives at a school level in any country.

To foster learning and creativity within young minds, as part of the ATL #TinkerfromHome campaign, AIM, NITI Aayog has created a growing state-of-the-art platform for the students and teachers of the country. The students would learn and apply the latest technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, Game Design and Development, 3D Design, Astronomy, Digital Creativity Skills, etc., from their homes’ comfort and safety.

As part of this ongoing effort, “AIM, NITI Aayog is proud to launch the ATL App Development module in collaboration with Plezmo, an Indian homegrown startup. I hope all children and teachers make use of this module, #MakeinIndia, and become the future technology leaders and innovators of our country.”

Amol Palshikar, CEO of Plezmo, said, “After agricultural and industrial revolutions, global economies were shaped by a Technology revolution. Plezmo’s mission is to enable everyone to learn 21st-century technology skills like coding, computational thinking, design thinking, and problem-solving. This initiative will empower our young generation in making India a global technology superpower and contribute to the vision of #AatmaNirbharBharat.”

More than 5100 ATLs are established in more than 660 districts nationwide by Atal Innovation Mission, with more than 2 million students accessing the Tinkering Labs. The vision is to foster creativity and innovation nationwide through its various integrated initiatives, including incubators, Startups, community innovation Centers, and Atal New India challenges for product and service innovations, enabling the country’s socio-economic growth.

Source:
Date: July 11, 2020
PIB Delhi