Lok Sabha Question No. 1834 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-13
Subject: Training of Teachers under School Innovation Council
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Sunil Dattatray Tatkare, Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Subhash Ramrao Bhamre, Ganesan Selvam, C.N. Annadurai, Dhanush M Kumar, Supriya Sadanand Sule, Amol Ramsing Kolhe, DNV Senthilkumar. S., Manjulata Mandal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1834 ANSWERED ON 13.02.2023

## Training of Teachers under School Innovation Council

1834.  SHRI SUNIL DATTATRAY TATKARE: SHRI KULDEEP RAI SHARMA: DR. SUBHASH RAMRAO BHAMRE: SHRI SELVAM G.: SHRI C.N. ANNADURAI: SHRI DHANUSH M. KUMAR: SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE: DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE: DR. DNV SENTHILKUMAR S.: SHRIMATI MANJULATA MANDAL:

Will the Minister of Education be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has launched School Innovation Council and if so, the aims and objectives thereof;
- (b) whether the Government is making efforts to train teachers in innovation, entrepreneurship,  IPR,  idea  generation  etc.  under  'School  Innovation  Ambassador Training Programme';
- (c) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  number  of  teachers  recognized  as  Innovation Ambassadors in the State of Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  taken  measures  to  ensure  that  teachers  who  are recognized  as  Innovation  Ambassadors  are  competent  to  provide  children  with  the skills  of  ideation,  innovation,  and  entrepreneurship  at  the  school  level  and  if  so, details thereof;
- (e) whether the Government proposes to integrate Eklavya Schools to this programme to develop capacity building creativity, critical thinking and communications among the tribal students;
- (f) if so, the details thereof; and
- (g) the  other  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  promote  research  and  innovation  in schools?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUBHAS SARKAR)

(a): Yes, Sir. School Innovation Council (SIC), an initiative by the Ministry of Education's Innovation Cell (MIC) was launched on 1 July 2022. This program is for all the schools in India (including Eklavya schools and CBSE-affiliated schools abroad).

SIC  aims  to  fosters  the  culture  of  ideation,  innovation,  entrepreneurship,  creative thinking, design thinking, prototyping, out-of-box thinking, intellectual property creation and commercialization by facilitating training for students and teachers. Details of this initiation may be seen at the website- https://sic.mic.gov.in

(b) and (c): Yes, Sir. Ministry of Education's Innovation Cell (MIC) has initiated 'School Innovation Ambassador Training Program (SIATP)' of 72 hours for school teachers which include the following five modules:

1. Design Thinking & Innovation
2. Idea generation & Idea handholding
3. Intellectual Property Rights
4. Finance, HR, and Sales
5. Entrepreneurship & Prototype/ Product Development.

The teachers trained under SIATP become an integral part of 'School Innovation Council' program and are tasked with handholding and supporting ideas and innovations from school students.

On  qualifying  the  above  five  modules  with  a  minimum  50%  score  the  teachers  are recognized as 'Innovation Ambassadors' of the Ministry of Education.

Altogether, 14987 teachers have qualified as School Innovation Ambassadors with 1914 Schools Innovation Ambassadors in Maharashtra and 735 Schools Innovation Ambassadors in Tamil Nadu.

(d): For a teacher to be recognized as Innovation ambassador, he/she has to go through the following two stages for quality assurance-

1. Must pass each SIATP module with more than 50% marks
2. Must pass all five modules under SIATP with more than 50% marks.

On  fulfilling the above two criteria the teachers are recognized as Innovation Ambassadors.  They  are  trained  to  handhold  Ideation  and  Innovation  in  their  students  and guide them in understanding the basic concepts of innovation, Ideation, and entrepreneurship.

(e) and (f): Yes, Sir. Eklavya schools for tribal students are already part of this initiative launch. The details of Eklavya Schools, Teachers registered and Innovation Ambassadors are as follows:

Number of Eklavya Schools (EMRS) registered- 373

Number of teachers registered from Eklavya Schools (EMRS) - 1210 Number of Innovation Ambassadors from Eklavya Schools (EMRS)- 610

(g): Ministry  of  Education's  Innovation  Cell  has  introduced  'Design  Thinking  and Innovation' as an elective subject from class 6th -12th on pilot basis in CBSE schools. The entire  syllabus  and  course  content  is  developed  in  coordination  with  Indian  Institute  of Technology  Bombay  and  other  domain  experts.  School  students  are  also  encouraged  to participate in hackathons which are organised by the Ministry of Education Innovation Cell.