The School Innovation Marathon 2024, an innovation challenge, jointly organized by the Ministry of Education, Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell (MIC), AICTE, and UNICEF YuWaah concluded with resounding success. In the School Innovation Marathon, students from schools, with or without ATLs, identified community problems of their choice and developed innovative solutions in the form of working prototypes. The theme for School Innovation Marathon was Viksit Bharat 2047 and over 1 lakh innovation projects have been received from schools across all states and union territories. The innovative solutions spanned healthcare, agriculture, sustainable development, digital transformation and mobility, among others, showcasing the immense problem-solving abilities of young minds. Around 6.7 lakh students from 54,000 schools registered & participated in the innovation challenge organised from August to December 2024.
Capacity-building sessions for students & teachers were a cornerstone of the School Innovation Marathon. Delivered through online workshops and offline bootcamps, these weekly sessions covered topics such as Design Thinking, Ideation, Robotics, Electronics, 3D Printing, and Intellectual Property Rights. The teachers and mentors provided guidance and encouragement to student teams throughout their innovation journey. These efforts significantly enhanced the skill sets of participating students, enabling them to develop impactful projects.
State Nodal Officers, appointed for school innovation activities, facilitated the implementation of the Marathon at the state and district levels. Weekly monitoring sessions ensured high levels of participation, engagement and project submissions from schools. Orientation and outreach sessions conducted at the district level further mobilized participation, resulting in unprecedented involvement from students and teachers alike.
The School Innovation Marathon 2024 is a testament to the power of young minds in driving change. The innovation challenge aligned seamlessly with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasizes experiential learning and creative problem-solving by fostering a culture of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship among students. This is just the beginning as students continue to develop their prototypes into real products and businesses, taking us a step closer to a Viksit Bharat.