GANDERBAL: Member NITI Aayog, Dr VK Saraswat, today visited Atal Tinkering Lab at Government Boys Higher Secondary School Manigam.
He was accompanied by Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal Shyambir, ADC Ganderbal, SDM Kangan, Tehsildar Lar, Chief Education Officer, Ganderbal, Principal BHSS Manigam, and others concerned.
On the occasion, Dr. VK Saraswat visited the Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) Lab at Govt. Higher Secondary School Manigam and after that reviewed the projects made by the students working there. He lauded and praised the students and motivated them to go further in their research and critical thinking.
The various projects that were presented by the students included Voice controlled Robot project, flood detection, a bridge closing system, low-cost ultrasonic glasses, etc.
He was informed that 3 mentors are presently working in the ATL with 20 students having different projects.
On the occasion, Dr. V.K Saraswat was informed at length about the educational scenario of District Ganderbal. He was informed that in District Ganderbal there are a total of 5 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) among which one is here at Boys Higher Secondary School Manigam. He was also informed about the statistics of both government and private schools and the students enrolled in them.
Speaking on the occasion Dr. V.K Saraswat said that while identifying the various institutions for ATLs it was felt that Jammu and Kashmir should be given priority. And, as a result, “we have been able to set up many ATLs in this state and I am happy to learn that this school also has one of the ATLs and excellent work has been done so far”, he added.
The purpose of the Atal Tinkering Lab is that it should be able to make our young people think both in terms of scientific area, social areas, and come out with new ideas and products, and the mentors who are there in these labs will be able to support them with newer ideas and converting them into business entities, he maintained.
He also highlighted the outstanding efforts of leaders, scientist technologists, and bureaucrats, who have been regularly introducing new reforms due to which the country has made tremendous progress in the last 75 years.
While highlighting the objective of the new education policy, Dr. VK Saraswat, said that one of the objectives of NEP is to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio to around 50 percent which is only 25 percent at present.
He also emphasised on the importance of vocational education. With vocational degrees, students will have ample opportunities either to start their own businesses or to join some factories. “This is going to improve our employment in a considerable manner,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of education, Dr. V.K Saraswat said our goal is that India should become a developed nation by 2047 and Education is going to play a major role as it can bring back our traditional culture, and our traditional values, which will strengthen the complete ecosystem of our country both in terms of cultural heritage and value system and also in terms of our capabilities to do better.
Earlier, various cultural programs were presented by the school children showing the culture and heritage of the Kashmiri people.
