NITI Aayog to launch 'Mentor India' campaign

New Delhi:  Aimed at engaging industry leaders to mentor students in various schools across the nation, the NITI Aayog will on Wednesday launch the "Mentor India" campaign.

The mentors under the programme would guide students at more than 900 Atal Tinkering Labs across the country set up as a part of the Atal Innovation Mission, a NITI Aayog statement said.

Atal Tinkering Labs are dedicated work spaces -- equipped with state-of-the-art equipment such as 3D printers, robotics and electronics development tools -- where students from class VI to class XII can learn innovation skills and develop ideas.

"Mentor India is aimed at maximizing the impact of these labs... The idea is to engage leaders who will nurture and guide students. These labs are non-prescriptive by nature and mentors are expected to be enablers rather than instructors," the statement said.

Under the programme, the industry leaders will spend one to two hours every week in one or more such labs to enhance students' experience and enable them to learn and practice future skills.

NITI Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission is among one of the flagship programmes of the government to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the country. The mission aims to have 2,000 tinkering labs by the end of 2017.