The Government of Assam’s Assam Innovation and Startup Foundation (AISF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Maker Bhavan Foundation (MBF) to establish Tinkerers’ Labs in selected engineering colleges across Assam. This initiative aims to enhance experiential learning and promote a culture of innovation in higher technical education, aligning with the government’s objective of equipping students with future-ready skills through hands-on, project-based learning. The Tinkerers’ Labs will serve as advanced, student-managed maker spaces designed to foster creativity, interdisciplinary collaboration, and problem-solving.
Under the MoU, MBF will collaborate with participating institutions to set up cutting-edge fabrication and prototyping facilities, which will include 3D printers, laser cutters, milling machines, electronics workstations, and other necessary infrastructure. The labs will be accessible 24/7 and managed by trained student teams with oversight from faculty and technical experts. This initiative supports a structured framework of skilling workshops, projects integrated into the curriculum, and solution-oriented prototyping, enabling students to convert ideas into practical outputs while strengthening industry connections and the innovation ecosystem within engineering institutions.
The Tinkerers’ Labs are set to be established at Jorhat Institute of Science and Technology, Dhemaji, Jorhat, Assam, and Golaghat Engineering College, with overall coordination from the Directorate of Technical Education, Assam. The experience of MBF, which has positively impacted over 100,000 students through 18 Tinkerers’ Labs across the country, will be instrumental in integrating this initiative into Assam’s larger startup and innovation strategy.
Assam Chief Secretary Dr. Ravi Kota emphasized that this MoU represents a significant starting point and urged all participating institutions to ensure proactive coordination and effective implementation. He highlighted the importance of nurturing innovation and practical skills among students for fostering self-reliance and advancing the national vision of Viksit Bharat. This MoU marks a pivotal development in Assam’s efforts to bolster the institutional capacity for innovation and to establish engineering colleges as centers of applied learning, creativity, and collaboration.