COIMBATORE — Rithanya Sivaram, a Class 12 student at The Indian Public School, has unveiled Vibrance Hub, a transformative platform fostering project-based learning, peer collaboration, and integrated wellness practices. This initiative aims to fill a crucial educational gap as India positions its students for an AI-oriented future where creativity and continual innovation overshadow rote learning.
“In the age of AI, information is commoditized. What matters now is what you can make, how you think, and whether you can sustain creative work over time,” says Sivaram. “Atal Tinkering Labs has provided students with tools and space to experiment nationwide. Now, Vibrance Hub offers the support and community needed to transform interests into lasting projects.”
Vibrance Hub draws from MIT’s Lifelong Kindergarten framework comprising Passion, Projects, Peers, and Play. It emphasizes that effective maker education involves fostering computational thinking, resilience through trial and error, and vital collaborative skills that AI technology cannot replicate.
Children often approach challenges with bold experimentation, yet the pressure of standardized testing and a focus on achieving ‘correct’ answers gradually suppresses this creativity. As time progresses, students may feel discouraged and become self-critical, fearing the failure that comes with trying new things. This culture of perfectionism can bury innate creativity, leaving many to believe they lack creativity.
In many respects, Vibrance Hub marks a return to the indigenous roots of India’s education system. Prior to British colonial influence, India’s gurukul tradition emphasised experiential learning through active participation rather than passive memorization. Students learned various subjects by engaging directly with them—like studying metallurgy through actual forging or understanding astronomy by observing the night sky.
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has called for a revival of this maker-centric approach, emphasizing that the nation’s future vitality hinges on nurturing creators and innovators, rather than mere information consumers.
Since its inception in 2016, the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), implemented by NITI Aayog, has worked tirelessly to manifest this maker philosophy nationwide. AIM objectively aims to meet NEP 2020’s standards by building a framework for hands-on learning environments, creating tangible avenues for innovation across India.
By merging project-based learning with holistic well-being, Vibrance Hub embodies a forward-thinking educational model. This initiative not only encourages students to cultivate innovative ideas but also empowers them to enhance their mental and emotional health, preparing them for challenges in an ever-evolving world.
