I. Introduction:
India is one of the youngest countries in the world, with a substantial population
in schools. Concerted efforts and policy interventions are required to translate this
demographic potential into dividends. The current school education is heavily
focused on rote learning and a rigid examination system which ignores the everincreasing importance of creative thinking, design thinking, ideation,
innovation, patents, problem-solving, and entrepreneurial mindset. The
current school education system lacks the focus on innovation-oriented activities.
National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) restructures and advocates for
synergetic convergence in our education system: From pre-primary to higher
education and also reconfigures the education system with new skills, innovation,
and a research ecosystem. It lays great emphasis on promoting ideation, out of box
thinking, innovation, and entrepreneurship (IIE), at the school education level in a
sustainable manner. It advocates for synergetically connecting the IIE ecosystem at
the school education level with that of the higher education ecosystem including
hands-on learning and skill development.
Taking forward the aim of NEP 2020, the Ministry of Education’s Innovation
Cell (MIC) envisages the establishment of the School Innovation Council in the
schools. This initiative will foster the culture of ideation, innovation,
entrepreneurship, creative thinking, design thinking, prototyping, out-of-box
thinking, and IP commercialization by facilitating training (for teachers), field
visits, leadership talks, awareness, orientation sessions, boot camps, national-level
exhibitions, hackathons, skill modules, new courses for students, linking of school
innovation ecosystem with higher educational institutions (HEIs), etc. at schools.
The School Innovation Council initiative will bridge the gap in connecting
schools with the Innovation & Entrepreneurial enabler ecosystem of the country. SIC
will provide a platform for the schools, academia, industry, HEIs, experts, innovators,
entrepreneurs etc., to come together and work in unison to make disruptive
progress in I&E ecosystem at the school level in the country
II. Objective
The School Innovation Council will foster the culture of Ideation, Innovation
and Entrepreneurship (IIE) in schools.
SIC will act as an umbrella program for all the initiatives of the Ministry of
Education’s Innovation Cell, AICTE, CBSE, and other institutions regarding
the promotion of Innovation and Entrepreneurship among school teachers
and students.
SIC will enable mindset change, awareness, and training on IIE, design
thinking, startup finance, HR and IPR among teachers and students.
Systematically measuring and enabling the ranking system for schools on the
level of innovation-oriented activities.
Providing mentoring and utilizing the existing infrastructure of the school to
nurture innovation in learners.
Encouraging, incentivizing, and upskilling teachers to enhance their
mentoring capabilities.
Enabling exchange programs, collaborations, field visits, and ideation
activities.
To implement and initiate the various programs on innovation-related
activities through the established school innovation council committee.
To act as the enabling platform for implementing National Innovation and
Entrepreneurship Promotion Policy (NIEPP) for schools.
The council will create a synergetic bridge between the Innovation and
Entrepreneurship ecosystem of higher education and school education
through various initiatives of MIC in Higher Education.
IV. Who can establish the School Innovation Council
The Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell recommends the establishment
of the School Innovation Council in all the secondary and higher secondary
schools of the country (including CBSE-affiliated foreign schools).
Any school affiliated with any of the educational boards including state
boards in India can establish School Innovation Council and register the
same on the SIC website.