Archive · 21 Nov 2025
India's Hands-On Learning Gap: Success Stories and Challenges
While India has made progress in setting up tinkering labs for hands-on learning, many students still don't have access.
These labs help students learn by doing, and some have even gone on to represent India in international competitions.
However, for tinkering to become a core part of learning, it needs to be integrated into the school timetable.
Over 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) have been set up across India since 2016
Estimated 10 million students reached, but still far from universal in 1.5 million schools
Tinkering labs offer freedom to explore and learn by doing, contrary to traditional rote learning
Five students from modest Indian schools represented India at the FIRST Global Challenge in Panama
National Robotics League announced to foster young innovators, to be held at IIT Bombay in 2025
- Who
- Students, educators, and institutions across India
- What
- Have been setting up and benefiting from tinkering labs for hands-on learning
- When
- Since 2016, with the FIRST Global Challenge held in October 2022 and the National Robotics League to be held in December 2025
- Where
- Across India, with the National Robotics League to be held at IIT Bombay
- Why
- To foster innovation, curiosity, and resilience in students, and prepare them for the future
Proponents of hands-on learning
Advocates of traditional learning methods
Role of tinkering labs
Proponents of hands-on learning
Offer freedom to explore, test ideas, and learn by doing
Advocates of traditional learning methods
Can be seen as a distraction from core subjects
Integration into curriculum
Proponents of hands-on learning
Should be a core part of classroom learning
Advocates of traditional learning methods
May be better suited as an extracurricular activity
- Total schools in India
- 1.5 million
- Estimated students reached by ATLs
- 10 million
- Number of ATLs set up
- Over 10,000
- Countries in the FIRST Global Challenge
- 193
- Launch date of National Robotics League
- December 6, 2022