National campaign to harness the creative and innovative spirit of school children - a collective endeavor of CBSE and National Innovation Foundation (NIF)

You may please recall that CBSE had made a maiden attempt last year jointly with NIF to organize a competition for children’s ideas, innovations and/or traditional knowledge practices learned from elders to be sent to NIF in the fifth national competition. We got some very interesting responses. More than hundred entries were received which may not be very large in terms of the numbers but in terms of quality offered a wide range from about twenty states of India. What is even more remarkable is that NIF considers some of the ideas worth patenting in the names of the children. This adds a new dimension to the very process of education. Once our children think about making inventions and innovations at an early age, they will certainly grow into very creative citizens of the country and make major contribution towards the goal of making India innovative. CBSE wants to launch this competition once again in this year. Some of you may have seen a special issue of Honey Bee newsletter brought out last year on the creativity of children. We will try to bring out a special issue this year also. In addition, we have requested NIF to prepare a multimedia CD on children’s creativity, which you may like to procure for use by children in your schools. This will inspire not only children but also the teachers since the credit goes to them for encouraging children to develop out of the box thinking. CBSE request you to encourage children to start thinking in terms of new ideas, innovations and/or traditional knowledge based products/practices which solve problems of every day life around us, save energy, or generate new ways of sustainable living. The entries can be sent to:¬ National Coordinator (Scouting & Documentation) New Innovation Foundation Satellite Complex, Bungalow No. l Premchand Nagar Road, Jodhpur Tekra Ahmedabad-380015 Tel. 079/26732095, 26732456, 26753338, 25753501 campaign@nifindia.org; www.nifindia.org Fax 079/26731903 The CD containing innovative practices and entries received from CBSE school students will be available to schools shortly. Priced at Rs. 200/- per CD. It can be had from the address given above.