NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) has created history with its flagship Mega Tinkering Day 2025 entering both the India Book of Records and Asia Book of Records for the maximum number of students participating in a tinkering activity in a single day.
On August 12, as many as 4,73,350 students from 9,467 Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) schools across the country joined a live online session to design solutions for Swachh Bharat and build their own DIY vacuum cleaners, AIM said in a statement.
The feat was officially recognised on September 15 by both record-keeping institutions. Officials said the initiative underscores AIM’s vision of fostering scientific temperament and innovation among India’s youth at scale.
“This initiative is in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of Viksit Bharat, where innovation and youth power form the bedrock of India’s growth story,” AIM Mission Director Deepak Bagla said. He added that the record reflects the collective energy of young innovators from cities, villages and frontier regions who came together to learn, create and collaborate.
Mega Tinkering Day saw participation from schools across the country, including Leh, Ladakh, Kargil, Kashmir, aspirational districts such as Virudhunagar, and far-flung regions like Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Kanniyakumari and Bhuj.
Since its launch, AIM has set up more than 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs nationwide, providing students exposure to cutting-edge technologies like 3D printing, robotics, IoT and electronics, while encouraging design thinking and problem-solving.