12 AUG 2025 | New Delhi
Lakhs of students build DIY vacuum cleaners together in real time
The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, has organized ‘Mega Tinkering Day’, India’s biggest school-based innovation event, uniting over 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) from all 35 states and union territories.
The virtual event brought together 4,73,350 students from 9,467 schools. In a live session, students designed and built a DIY vacuum cleaner using everyday materials from their labs. The step-by-step instructions were streamed online so students could create, learn, and collaborate at the same time from anywhere in the country.
Students participated from across India from Leh, Ladakh, and Kashmir to remote villages in Aspirational Districts, and from the North East to Kanyakumari and Kutch. Even the AIM team joined in and built their own vacuum cleaner alongside the students.
AIM Mission Director Deepak Bagla said this event was in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat, proving the strength of grassroots innovation. “Over 10,000 labs came together in one synchronized hour of creativity no other country has done this at such scale,” he said.
Since its launch, AIM has set up 10,000+ ATLs equipped with tools like 3D printers, robotics kits, and IoT devices, helping middle and high school students learn modern technologies and problem-solving skills.
Mega Tinkering Day was more than just a fun project, it marked the start of the new academic year’s innovation activities and brought together students, teachers, mentors, and industry partners across India.
Source: PIB
