Atal Innovation Mission, in collaboration with the School Education Department of Jammu & Kashmir and the University of Kashmir, has launched the application process for setting up 500 new Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) across the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.

The initiative forms part of AIM’s Frontier Region Program, which focuses on developing inclusive and localized innovation ecosystems in geographically challenging regions by strengthening collaboration among schools, universities, industries, and innovation institutions.

The program aims to promote innovation, design thinking, and problem-solving education among students, particularly in remote, border, hilly, and underserved areas of Jammu & Kashmir.

As part of the rollout strategy, a customized application framework has been developed to address the unique geographical and institutional conditions of the region. The framework includes relaxed criteria related to school space and student enrolment, while also covering a wide range of institutions such as government schools, private schools, aided schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Army Goodwill Schools, and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas.

Mission Director of AIM, Deepak Bagla, said the initiative aims to nurture a new generation of innovators and problem-solvers from Jammu & Kashmir and strengthen India’s inclusive innovation ecosystem.

The launch follows the introduction of the ATL Sarthi and Frontier Region Program in September 2025, under which the University of Kashmir was designated as the nodal mentoring institution for the ATL ecosystem in the Union Territory.