Manufacturing has emerged as one of the high-growth sectors in India. Honourable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, launched the ‘Make in India’ program to place India on the world map as a manufacturing hub and give global recognition to the Indian economy.

India is gradually progressing on the road to Industry 4.0 through the Government of India’s initiatives like the National Manufacturing Policy and it is vital to orient school students with the latest technologies and manufacturing processes used today. Industrial visits have always been an essential part of the academic curriculum in higher academic institutions, and it is through this initiative that Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)and Bayer will aim to introduce students to the latest manufacturing techniques and technologies used in industry.

The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) in collaboration with Bayer launched a unique industry visit initiative under Atal Tinkering labs today, at Bayer’s manufacturing facility in Vapi, Gujarat.

Explaining the rationale behind exposing students to modern factories, Dr Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog said, “To fuel the manufacturing policy and realise it's potential it is important to bring about awareness in the masses. This initiative with Bayer will help in fuelling the young minds at the Atal Tinkering Labs towards manufacturing. This will in turn help India in taking small steps to becoming an economic global powerhouse”

Bayer has partnered with Niti Aayog since 2021 to support various initiatives of the Atal Innovation Mission. To nurture and strengthen science-based learning, Bayer has adopted a total of 125 ATL schools in seven states. The 50 schools adopted in the later phase are all-girls schools aligned with Bayer’s commitment to Diversity & Inclusion and empowering women. Over the last year and a half, Bayer in partnership with its implementing partners has also trained about 150 ATL coordinators on ATL Curriculum. Over 20,000 students across grades 6 to 12 have been nurtured through experiential and gamified technologies to design and build innovative solutions to real-world challenges.

With AIM embarking on an ambitious program for industry exposure of students, Bayer has been working closely with AIM to be the foremost industry partner in this program. Bayer has opened its manufacturing and production plants and research centres across Vapi, Shamirpet, Chandippa, and Bangalore to the ATL students to provide first-hand exposure to experience how technology, automation, and innovation are leveraged by the industry.

Commenting on the factory visit by students, Rachana Panda, Country Group Head Communications, Public Affairs, Sustainability & CSE, Bayer South Asia said: Bayer has partnered with India’s growth journey for more than 125 years, ensuring exponential growth in farmer incomes, food security and access to healthcare for millions of Indians, through constant technological innovations. As a company that strongly believes in using Science to better our lives, Bayer’s collaboration with Niti Aayog on the Atal Innovation Mission is an effort to create and promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in our youth. As a next step in this partnership, Bayer is now inviting students to see and experience its world-class manufacturing facility. The manufacturing plant in Vapi is an apt location to start this wonderful initiative, as the plant not only symbolises the ethos of “Make in India” but is also the proud supplier to Bayer’s operations globally. It truly ‘Makes in India for the World’

The 21st century needs a radical and disruptive change in student learning processes. Each day, new technological interventions by the industry challenge the education system to create future-ready makers. The Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) program has become a national movement that is revolutionising the education ecosystem of India as its goals and vision tie in beautifully with the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP).

The industrial visit launch which strives for interactive learning through educational tours witnessed participation from the ATL student teams of Gujarat. The children visited the Bayer – Vapi plant and expressed excitement about such an initiative which will help bridge the widening gap between theoretical learning and practical exposure. A total of xxx students and teachers attended the session. With the first series of educational Industrial visits launched in Vapi with Bayer, AIM will continue to conduct these visits across the country to give students exposure to world-class manufacturing set-ups and familiarize them with the latest manufacturing techniques and technologies used in industries.

Industry exposure through school-industry visits brings students hands-on insight into modern manufacturing and technology. Atal Innovation Mission and Bayer launched an industry visit program under Atal Tinkering Labs to give students direct exposure to modern manufacturing, automation, and technology. Bayer supports the program through school adoptions, coordinator training, and opening multiple manufacturing and research facilities for student tours, including a launch at the Vapi plant. The visits aim to connect theoretical learning with practical industry processes, promote experiential and technology-driven learning consistent with national education and manufacturing priorities, and include a focus on all-girls schools to further diversity and inclusion.