CSR for STEM Education: Shell India celebrates partnership with Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog

New Delhi, India: Shell India celebrated the successful completion of the first phase of its innovative NXplorers program in over 100 schools across India in partnership with Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog. In alignment with the Government of India’s mission to bolster STEM education, this program aims to build the capacity of teachers and leverage the Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) set-up to promote STEM education and instill a culture of innovation and critical thinking among students.

NXplorers, Shell’s flagship STEM education programme, currently runs in 19 countries, including Brazil, China, India, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, The Netherlands, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, and Vietnam. The program is tailored to help young minds develop skills to address complex global challenges at the intersection of food, water, and energy. Recognizing the limitations of traditional, facilitator-led sessions, the program has been designed to be delivered through interactive and participatory workshops. The program equips educators with the necessary tools and knowledge to effectively deliver NXplorers sessions to students. These teachers are trained, monitored, and supported for continuous development required to empower students to drive positive change in their communities.

Speaking about the program, Latika Taneja, Head of Corporate Relations, Shell India, said, “Shell is committed to empowering and nurturing young minds to become the change-makers of tomorrow. Our NXplorers program has already transformed the lives of over 3 lakh students and 2,200 teachers across 1,800 schools in India over the past five years. Our partnership with Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, is a significant step towards fostering students’ creative and purposeful mindset, in line with our unwavering commitment to complement national educational initiatives.”

Discussing the ongoing collaboration with Atal Innovation Mission and NITI Aayog, Nuriya Ansari, President, Learning Links Foundation, added, “Currently, through Shell’s NXplorers Program, we have successfully trained 206 coordinators from Atal Tinkering Labs located in Mumbai, Virudhunagar, Belgaum, and Udupi. These trained coordinators have conducted NXplorers workshops, benefiting over 12,000 students. Our partnership with Shell, Atal Innovation Mission and NITI Aayog aligns with our vision of promoting lifelong learning and progress.”

The NXplorers program is implemented in government and low-income private schools in India through Shell’s partner organizations – Learning Links Foundation and SMILE Foundation. The program is delivered in modules that vary from Juniors to Senior Advance, depending on the grade levels of the students. The program’s rigor, from theory to practical aspects, length of engagement with the students (from 6-20 hours per year), and expectations of output quality (from non-functional models to working prototypes) increase progressively as the students advance from Juniors to Senior Advance modules.