Jabalpur, Aug 12 (NationPress) Innovation and creativity took the spotlight as the ‘Mega Tinkering Day’ was celebrated nationwide on Tuesday, aiming to boost problem-solving skills, technical abilities, and inventive thinking among students. At PM Shri Kendriya Vidyalaya in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur, the event was marked with great enthusiasm during a four-day program, where students displayed projects developed with the aid of the Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL).

Among the remarkable creations was a functional prototype of a DIY vacuum cleaner, crafted to assist in household cleaning using basic, readily available materials. Students presented their working models, embodying the day’s theme of ‘DIY innovation’.

IANS engaged with students and educators, who shared their insights on how ATL has enhanced their thought processes.

Vikas Singh, a Class 10 student, remarked: “Today we created a vacuum cleaner with assistance from the Atal Tinkering Lab, which aids in managing waste. This project has equipped us with new techniques and time-saving methods. If our prototype gets government approval, we aspire to transform it into a viable product.”

The enthusiasm was equally shared by female students.

Shruti Yadav, a Class 9 student, expressed: “I realized we can invent useful everyday tools ourselves through innovative thinking and implement them in real life.”

Another Class 10 student, Gyanvi Kumari, stated: “We developed a vacuum cleaner through minor technical experiments. Learning these skills from a young age empowers us to elevate them in the future and bring honor to our nation.”

Educators at the event emphasized how initiatives like ATL and the New Education Policy (NEP) are empowering students to acquire practical, technical, and industrial knowledge even before entering college.

Tinkering Instructor Akash Soni declared: “The NEP and ATL play a crucial role in motivating students to implement innovative ideas in practical ways. This will contribute to transforming India into a manufacturing hub.”

ATL In-charge Sonal Shukla added: “Our goal is to cultivate creative thinking and problem-solving skills. Here, students work with Arduino, sensors, and other technologies, steering the nation towards becoming a developed India.”

Beyond technology, events like Mega Tinkering Day also promote values of teamwork, innovation, and analytical thinking.

According to NITI Aayog, the 2025 Mega Tinkering Day represented India’s largest-ever school-based tinkering initiative, involving over 400,000 students nationwide. More than 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs participated, with 473,350 students from 9,467 ATL-equipped schools engaging in hands-on projects to design and construct a DIY vacuum cleaner in real time.

The event was conducted virtually and simultaneously across schools in 35 states and union territories under the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), showcasing the nation’s collective spirit of invention.