Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan - Objectives, Launch Date and Activities

The Ministry of Human Resource Development launched the Rashtriya Aavishkar Abhiyan (RAA) on 9 July 2015. The RAA is a convergent framework across the school and higher education systems that encourage children to learn and develop their interest in mathematics and science.

One of the RAA interventions is strengthening school mathematics and science laboratories through the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA). Under the RMSA, important interventions, such as science exhibition or fair, science and mathematics kits to schools, talent search at the district level, visit to higher institutions and learning enhancement of students have been approved.

Aim of the RAA Scheme

The RAA scheme emphasises the importance of the classroom and school transactions to leverage the potential for mathematics, science and technology learning in a non-classroom setting. There are plenty of opportunities for mathematics, science and technology learning beyond the four walls of a classroom.

Accordingly, the RAA scheme is planned to provide nurturing and nourishing support and a platform for schools in a dual-track approach to make mathematics, science and technology exciting to children and encourage them to have an interest in inside and outside classroom activities. 

Objectives of the RAA Scheme

• To enable children to be engaged and motivated in mathematics, science and technology through experimentation, observation, inference drawing, rational reasoning, model building, testability etc. 
• To create excitement, curiosity and exploration amongst school children in mathematics, science and technology.
• To create a culture of inventing, tinkering, thinking and doing to promote enquiry-based learning in schools.
• To achieve learning levels appropriate in mathematics and science classes.
• To nurture and encourage schools to be incubators of innovation.

Target Classes/Courses Under RAA Scheme

The target age group of children under the RAA scheme is every child aged between 6-18 years.

The target classes/courses under the RAA scheme are as follows:

• Children from classes I to XII. 
• Children of open schools aged between 6-18 years.
• Children studying in special training centres (bridge programmes).
• Children of special schools (for disabled children).

Target Schools/Institutions Under RAA Scheme

The target schools/institutions under the RAA scheme are as follows:

• State or UT government and local body schools.
• Navodaya Vidyalayas, Kendriya Vidyalayas and other central government schools.
• Open school systems for children aged 6-18 years.
• Special training centres (bridge programmes). 
• Special schools (for disabled children).

RAA Scheme Interventions/ Components

The two primary components of the RAA scheme are as follows:

• Systemic improvements in the school system.
• Initiatives to encourage mathematics and science through alternative strategies.

RAA Scheme Activities

The initiatives, actions and activities taken under the RAA scheme are as follows:

• It provides contributions to the educational system as a whole.
• Mathematics, science and technology teacher preparation (In-service and pre-service assessment design for students in mathematics and science).
• Strengthening mathematics and science labs in schools.
• Provision of supplemental books/materials and various teaching-learning tools and improve school mathematics and science transactions.
• Incorporation of technology in mathematics and science instruction.
• Increasing the effectiveness of teacher support organisations, including the utilisation of technology.
• Efforts to promote mathematics and science using non-traditional methods.
• Provision of school mentorship and teachers in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) for science and mathematics.
• Arrangement of mathematics, science and technology teacher circles and children’s mathematics and science clubs.
• To encourage science learning and expand the scope of programmes of the Ministry of Science and Technology.
• State, national and inter-school maths and science competitions, olympiads, etc.
• Planned trips to science fairs, museums, and mathematical melas.
• Sensitisation of the community and parents.

Funding Scheme Under RAA Scheme

A steering committee, co-chaired by the Secretaries of the HEIs and the Departments of School Education and Literacy, is established at the national level to implement the RAA and to coordinate, monitor and engage with all partners for Abhiyan activities.

The listed activities or components of the RAA scheme will be funded under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) in collaborative initiatives with the schemes and norms of the Department of Higher Education Institutions and Ministry of Science and Technology.