Guwahati: The three-day Innovation Design & Entrepreneurship (IDE) Bootcamp for Principals and Teachers of PM SHRI Schools successfully concluded on December 19 at Girijananda Chowdhury University, marking a transformative milestone for school education in Assam.
Over 190 dedicated teachers and principals from across the state participated in the intensive program, which was designed to translate the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 into action at the grassroots level by shifting the academic focus from rote learning to a culture of curiosity and creative problem-solving.
The event was a significant collaborative effort, jointly organized by the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), AICTE, the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell (MIC), and NCERT, in strategic partnership with the Wadhwani Foundation. This partnership exemplifies a powerful synergy between government, academia, and industry, aimed at driving lasting educational transformation nationwide, reaching more than 9,000 participants.
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The bootcamp culminated in a grand valedictory ceremony led by distinguished guests including Dr. Elangovan Kariappan, Assistant Innovation Director at the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell, and Nandajit Rabha, the Nodal Centre Head from the MoE Innovation cell, apart from GCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Kandarpa Das. In his valedictory address, Dr. Kariappan lauded the strategic partnership between AICTE-MIC and the Wadhwani Foundation, acknowledging the collective effort required to make the event a milestone in Assam’s educational history.
In Guwahati, the regional chapter was spearheaded by Nandajit Rabha, the Nodal Centre Head from the MoE Innovation Cell, and Dr. S. Robert Ravi, Dean of the School of Engineering and Technology at GCU, who served as the university’s single point of contact. Building on the success of previous IDE Bootcamps that benefited 1,874 PM SHRI Schools, this new phase aims for a complete mindset transformation. To date, specialized programs such as SIATP, SIC, DTI, KAPILA, and NPPIS have connected with over 91,000 teachers and 1.18 lakh students nationwide. The current bootcamp expands this reach, involving more than 9,000 participants and 210 expert speakers across India.
The event’s State Inauguration, held on Wednesday, featured prominent academic leaders, including Naranarayan Nath, Secretary of the Assam State School Education Board, and Jashoda Ranjan Das, President of the Shrimanta Shankar Academy.
The final day of the bootcamp, themed “Launch Sprint: Build, Test, Fund & Grow Your Idea,” focused on the practical execution of innovative concepts. Participants engaged in a hands-on group activity using the Business Model Canvas and received specialized training on the basics of financial literacy.
A critical session provided an overview of grants and funding opportunities available for student start-ups, followed by the “Spotlight On: Two-Minute Pitch,” where educators demonstrated their newly acquired skills by presenting innovative solutions derived from real-world problems. The sessions were led by expert speakers Sree Vatsan and Dr. Bhawana Bardia from the Wadhwani Foundation.
The closing ceremony ended with feedback and key takeaways, leaving participants confident and prepared to nurture future-ready problem-solvers for India.