The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has launched a new Innovation, Design, and Entrepreneurship (IDE) Bootcamp. The program targets principals and teachers in PM SHRI Schools across India. Inaugurated today through an online session, the bootcamp aims to embed design thinking, innovation pedagogy, and entrepreneurship into school education.
This initiative will equip school principals and teachers with essential tools and frameworks. These resources enable them to implement innovative practices and design thinking methodologies directly at the school level. The goal is to move beyond traditional learning methods.
Bootcamp Structure and Reach
The IDE Bootcamp is a three-phase program. It will train over 9,000 educators. More than 200 experts will conduct sessions across 50 centers nationwide. The Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), AICTE, the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell (MIC), and NCERT jointly organize the program. The Wadhwani Foundation also collaborates on this significant educational effort.
The bootcamp’s schedule is phased across December 2025 and January 2026. Each phase focuses on different locations and dates:
| Phase | Dates | Locations Covered |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | December 17-19, 2025 | 14 locations across 12 States |
| Phase 2 | December 22-24, 2025 | 21 additional locations |
| Phase 3 | January 7-9, 2026 | 15 further locations |
Strategic Objectives and Leadership Views
AICTE Chairman TG Sitharam stated the bootcamp seeks to transform school education. It moves beyond rote memorization. The program aims to institutionalize innovation practices within schools. Sitharam highlighted the integration of design thinking, innovation pedagogy, and entrepreneurship. This will nurture a confident, future-ready generation of problem-solvers, he explained.
Dheeraj Sahu, Additional Secretary and Director, DoSEL, underscored the vital role of school leaders. Sahu noted that principals and teachers are key to guiding innovation. The IDE Bootcamp provides them with the precise knowledge, frameworks, and tools. These are necessary to effectively lead innovation efforts under the PM SHRI Schools initiative.
AICTE Vice Chairman Abhay Jere emphasized the long-term vision. Structured programs are essential. These include teacher training, school innovation councils, and “buildathons.” These initiatives aim to create on-ground mentors. Mentors will support students throughout their academic journey. This support extends from school to higher education and into the startup ecosystem, fostering a complete innovation pipeline.
Preceding Training and National Alignment
This IDE Bootcamp follows a series of capacity-building workshops. These workshops ran from October 30 to December 5, 2025 . They trained District Education Officers and DIET members. These prior sessions covered 25 locations across 26 States and Union Territories.
The AICTE–Innovation Cell actively promotes an innovation-driven education system. To date, it has organized 46 bootcamps for higher education institutions. Additionally, 48 bootcamps have been conducted for schools. All these efforts align directly with the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020). The policy aims to develop a holistic, innovative, and skill-oriented learning environment nationwide.