In a first-of-its-kind nationwide innovation movement, the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, on Tuesday hosted “Mega Tinkering Day 2025,” bringing together over 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) from all 35 states and Union Territories.
Held virtually and simultaneously across the country, the event saw 4,73,350 students from 9,467 ATL-equipped schools participate in a hands-on challenge to design and build a DIY vacuum cleaner using everyday lab materials. A live, step-by-step instructional session streamed online guided the activity, enabling students to collaborate in real time regardless of location.
Participation came from diverse corners of India — from Leh, Ladakh, and Kargil in the north to Kanniyakumari in the south, Bhuj and Kutch in the west, and remote districts in the Northeast, including Manipur, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh. Even schools in aspirational districts such as Virudhunagar joined the effort. The AIM team also took part, building their own vacuum cleaner alongside students.
“This is a milestone demonstration of the power of grassroots innovation,” said Deepak Bagla, Mission Director, AIM. “In one synchronized hour, lakhs of students across India built, learned, and innovated together. No other country has mobilized innovation at this scale inside its school ecosystem.”
Since its inception, AIM has set up over 10,000 ATLs in schools, offering students tools such as 3D printers, robotics kits, and IoT devices to encourage problem-solving and creativity. The Mega Tinkering Day served both as a launchpad for the upcoming academic year’s ATL activities and as a rallying point for students, teachers, mentors, industry partners, and higher education institutions.
AIM envisions nurturing a generation of innovators and entrepreneurs who will help build a “Viksit Bharat,” with the classrooms of today shaping solutions for the future.
