• Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, in collaboration with Dell Technologies launched Student Entrepreneurship Programme 2.0 (SEP 2.0) for young innovators of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs).
• Student Entrepreneurship Programme 2.0 (SEP 2.0)
• SEP 2.0 will allow student innovators to work closely with Dell volunteers.
• They will receive mentor support; prototyping and testing support; end-user feedback; intellectual property registration and patenting of ideas, processes, and products; manufacturing support; as well as the launch support of the product in the market.
• Dell is leveraging emerging technologies to empower students to craft their own experiences, thereby enabling them to develop an innovative mindset.
• Atal Innovation Mission aims to create over a million neoteric innovators and potential job creators of the country.
• The entrepreneurial capabilities of the budding Atal Tinkering Lab innovators through the Student Entrepreneurship Programme encourages young aspiring school students, as well as creates a value-adding recognition platform for innovative talent across the country.

• SEP 1.0 began in January 2019. Through a 10-month-long rigorous programme, the top 6 teams of ATL Marathon-a nationwide contest where students identify community challenges and create grassroots innovations and solutions within their ATLs-got a chance to transform their innovative prototypes into fully functioning products, which are now available in the market.

• In ATLs, students of class 6th to 12th acquire a problem-solving attitude, develop innovative solutions leveraging technologies like 3D printers, robotics, miniaturised electronics, IOT and programming and DIY kits, with support from teachers and mentors.

• AIM is the Government of India's flagship initiative to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in the country.
• AIM's objective is to develop new programmes and policies for fostering innovation in different sectors of the economy, provide platform and collaboration opportunities for different stakeholders, create awareness and create an umbrella structure to oversee innovation ecosystem of the country.

• Atal Tinkering Labs-Creating problem-solving mindset across schools in India.
• Atal Incubation Centers-Fostering world class start-ups and adding a new dimension to the incubator model.
• Atal New India Challenges-Fostering product innovations and aligning them to the needs of various sectors/ministries.
• Mentor India Campaign- A national Mentor network in collaboration with public sector, corporates and institutions, to support all the initiatives of the mission.
• Atal Community Innovation Centre- To stimulate community centric innovation and ideas in the unserved /underserved regions of the country including Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
• ARISE-To stimulate innovation and research in the MSME industry.

Relevance IN -Prelims (about Krishi Megh + National Agricultural Higher Education Project + KVC ALUNET + Mains ( GS III e-technology in the aid of farmers
What's the NEWS

• Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare,launched the Krishi Megh (National Agricultural Research & Education System -Cloud Infrastructure and Services) along with The KVC ALUNET (Krishi Vishwavidyalaya Chhatr Alumni Network) and Online Accreditation System for Higher Agricultural Educational Institutions (HEI).

National Agricultural Higher Education Project

• The Government of India-World Bank funded National Agricultural Higher Education Project is designed for strengthening the national agricultural education system in the country with the overall objective to provide more relevant and high-quality education to the agricultural university students

• The Krishi Megh is a step forward towards digital agriculture of New India
• ICAR establish the Krishi Megh that integrates the ICAR-Data Centre at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi with the Disaster Recovery Centre at the ICAR-National Academy of Agricultural Research Management, Hyderabad.
• The main features of the Krishi Megh that is equipped with the latest AI / Deep learning software / tools kits for building and deploying of deep learning based applications through image analysis, disease identification in livestock, etc.
• Deploying of deep learning based applications such as disease and pest identification using image analysis, detection of maturity and ripening of fruits through image analysis, disease identification in livestock etc.
• Krishi Megh enables the farmers, researchers, students and policy makers more equipped with updated and latest information regarding agriculture, research, education and extension in digital form generated by ICAR institutes and State Agriculture Universities.

KVC ALUNET

• This shall enable the alumni of all the 74 Agricultural Universities in connecting with each other and making it possible to assist the students in internship, placements and to provide support to their alma maters.

Human Resource Development
Minimum Standards of Architectural Education Regulations, 2020

Relevance IN -Prelims (about Minimum Standards of Architectural Education Regulations, 2020 -highlights + Council of Architecture (COA ) + Mains ( GS II Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
What's the NEWS

• Ministry of Education, launched the Minimum Standards of Architectural Education Regulations, 2020
• The regulations were launched by the Education Minister and it replaces the Council of Architecture (Minimum Standards of Architectural Education) Regulations, 1983.

Minimum Standards of Architectural Education Regulations, 2020 (highlights)

• The ‘Minimum Standards of Architectural Education' states that B.Arch students can exit the programme after three years and can get an ‘appropriate degree'.
• The new COA regulations have been designed in accordance with the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP).
• The new regulations also offer a semester exchange option to the students, in flexibility to offer courses.
• Council of Architecture (COA) should draw inspiration from the present and past treasures of Architecture and bring a paradigm shift in the field of Architecture

Council of Architecture (COA )

• The Council of Architecture (COA) is a statutory body constituted by the Government of India under the provisions of the Architects Act, 1972, enacted by the Parliament of India, which came into force on 1 September 1972.
• The Act provides for registration of Architects, standards of education, recognized qualifications and standards of practice to be complied with by the practicing architects.
• The Council of Architecture is charged with the responsibility to regulate the education and practice of profession throughout India besides maintaining the register of architects.
• Any person willing to pursue 'Architecture' as a profession will have to register with the Council of Architecture (COA).

• For this purpose, the Government of India has framed Rules and Council of Architecture has framed Regulations as provided for in the Architects Act, with the approval of Government of India.

Government Schemes/Governance
Swachh Bharat Mission Academy

Relevance IN -Prelims (about Swachh Bharat Mission Academy and its objective Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) + Mains ( GS II Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

What's the NEWS

• Union Minister for Jal Shakti, launched the Swachh Bharat Mission Academy as part of the ongoing week-long behaviour change campaign ‘GandagiMukt Bharat'.
• Swachh Bharat Mission Academy, with its mobile based technology will significantly boost the capacity building efforts in training of Swachhagrahis as well as PRIs members, community-based organizations, NGOs, SHGs and others who are associated with phase 2 of SBM(G).

Swachh Bharat Mission Academy

• For sustaining the behaviour change and promoting the capacity building of the key stakeholders i.e. Swachhagrahis and other field functionaries, this IVR based free mobile online learning course on ODF Plus will be crucial in achieving goals underlined in Phase 2 of SBM(G).
• Phone-based academy will provide this free of charge, access to on-demand, anytime, anywhere training course with high quality and standardized content over basic mobile phone & also improve the knowledge and interpersonal communication skills in order to enhance the quality of interaction with the beneficiaries.
• The IVR based training course contains a 60 minutesmodule spanning various topics under ODF-S as well as SLWM.
• The SBM Academy course has four chapters, each with four audio lessons and a multiple-choice quiz at the end of the chapter.
• To be considered successful, the user must answer at least 50% of the questions correctly.

Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen)

• The Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) has transformed rural India by manifesting into a Jan Andolan for sanitation
• This led to the historic achievement of Open Defecation Free (ODF) declaration by all villages, districts and states on 2nd October, 2019 thus making rural India ODF.
• Taking forward the extraordinary success, Phase II of the SBM (G) was launched early this year, which focuses on ODF sustainability and Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM).
• The program will also work towards ensuring that no one is left behind and everyone uses a toilet.

Prelims Factoids
Connecting, Communicating, Changing
Relevance IN -Prelims (about the book)
What's the NEWS

• Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, unveiled e-version of the book ‘Connecting, Communicating, Changing' the Vice President of India's three years in office.
• The e-book was launched along with its print coffee table version which was released by Union Minister of Defense Shri Rajnath Singh.
• The book has been brought out by Publications Division, captures through words and pictures the variegated activities of the Vice President, including his travels in India and abroad.

KEEP Learning KEEP Evolving
TEAM CL IAS