TSIC fostering innovation to meet challenges

School Innovation Challenge evokes huge response from State-run educational institutions

Hyderabad: Innovative ideas of young children in government schools in Telangana, are no more just confined to the four walls of their classrooms. The Telangana School Innovation Challenge (TSIC), a unique initiative of the State Government to empower and nurture young minds in government schools, has now given them a platform that encourages them to identify challenges in their communities and create practical entrepreneurial solutions to address such difficulties.

The challenge was a top draw among state-run educational institutions, as 4,041 schools from 33 districts registered for the event. About 8,750 students and 7,093 teams submitted their ideas after completing the online course on design thinking. After several rounds of evaluation, 25 ideas were shortlisted and presented in Hyderabad, on Monday.

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TSIC is a collective effort by UNICEF, Telangana State Innovation Cell, Telangana School Education Wing and Inqui Lab Foundation that seeks to foster the young minds the innovation for problem-solving amongst school children.

Hydraulic lifting and rotating wheel chair

Conceptualised and designed by Government Girls High School, RP Road, Nalgonda, the wheelchair helps persons with special needs to relax and rotate when they press a single button. The special wheelchair also lifts such individuals to a specific height so that they can complete their daily chores.

Basheera, one of the students who did the project said that she used to face problems with wheel chair while eating food and doing other works. “To overcome such problems and help others, I have come up with this idea,” she said.

K. Poornima, guide teacher of the idea said that TSIC has given good platform to solve issues being faced in the society. “Students have talent and all they need is a stage to showcase their hidden talent,” she said.

Toilet flush & hand wash alert system

To overcome hand wash and sanitation problems in daily lives, students of ZPHS Reghendu in Peddapalli have developed a project ‘Toilet flush and hand wash alert system’. The system detects whether individuals wash their hands or flush the toilet after they use and later alerts them too.

“We used IR sensor to detect opening and closing of the door. Water sensor is used to detect water flow from flush tank while vibration sensor in the hand wash sink detects usage of tap water for hand wash. If the sensors conditions are not satisfied, alert system will be turned on,” said G. Ramya, a student

K. Jagadheeshwar Reddy, guide of the project said that students are capable of coming-up with useful and practical solutions for various problems in the society. There are lot of innovations buried in the minds of children and platforms like these are should be provided more often to prove their talent.

Rice shifting bag

Lifting to shift heavy rice bags is a difficult task and involves a lot of hard physical labour. To address this perennial problem, students of ZPHS, RC Puram in Sangareddy have developed a wooden platform with three wheels that will go a long way in reducing the burden on individuals while they life heavy rice bags.

“We have used school bags on a wooden platform with wheels to minimize the burden on the workers. Labourers suffer from health issues such as back pain and shoulder pain when they carry heavy loads. To overcome this problem, we have come up with this idea,” said Rohina Anjum, student.

KTR lauds govt school students

IT Minister KT Rama Rao on Monday said that School Innovation Challenge (SIC) is a practical example for the early identification of students’ creativity. Speaking at SIC, the Minister said, “From the number of schools to teachers and to students, the decentralised efforts led to an organic growth of the challenge. I sincerely extend my gratitude to Education Department for giving an opportunity to IT Department to be a part of this impactful programme”.

“I have learned from the interaction that all the ideas have come from the problems being faced in their community. Beyond innovation, the change in Government school students is witnessed through the clarity of thought they pursued,” he said. The IT Minister noted that such challenges should be organised in every district. “I request Education Department and TSIC to look at sector-specific innovation event that can lead to ecosystems being built,” said KTR. Education Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy, Special Chief Secretary of Education, Chitra Ramachandran and other senior officials were also present on the occasion.

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