Students Should Develop Concepts to Solve Society’s Problems – Appeal by Dr. Shobha Khandare, Joint Director, SCERT Innovation Conclave 

Pune, 22 March 2024: The new education policy aims to make students aware of
social issues, moving beyond just theoretical knowledge. This shift towards a more
holistic educational approach is reflected in the achievements of Maharashtra’s
students, with 2,149 being selected for the next stage of the Inspire MANAK
Awards, organized annually by the Department of Science and Technology and the
National Innovation Foundation.
Building on this momentum, the Pi Jam Foundation, supported under CSR initiatives of
Bosch Global Software Technologies, organized an Innovation Conclave on 20th of March in
Pune. This event was a platform to mentor more than 150 students and teachers from Pune,
Pimpri, Chinchwad, Mahabaleshwar, Akola, and Nagpur towards representing their ideas
nationally. Encouraging student leadership, the event was efficiently hosted by Moryam and
Swaraj from grade 7. Students and their mentor teachers attended the workshop on design
thinking, problem-solving, and developing prototypes for their technological ideas that solve community problems.
Dr. Shobha Khandare, Joint Director of the State Council for Educational Research
and Training (SCERT), highlighted the importance of such initiatives: “This is a
significant milestone for the students of Maharashtra, and it is crucial that they
receive mentorship to excel further in the competition. The Innovation Conclave,
hosted by the Pi Jam Foundation, has been instrumental in increasing student
involvement in both education and societal matters, sparking their curiosity and
enhancing their observational skills. It is essential for students to create ideas that
will address social challenges, as they will be the architects of a new India.”
The conclave’s significance was further underscored by the presence of notable
educators and industry leaders. Prachi Patil, Lecturer at DIET Pune, Aditya Adavi,
Centre Head for Bosch Global Software Technologies, Pune division and Devendra Tiwari,
Principal Project Associate at National Innovation Foundation were in attendance.
Aditya Adavi, Centre Head for Bosch Global Software Technologies, Pune division shared his
insights on the role of technology in education: “Working in the tech space, we understand
that technology is an integral medium and tool to improve people’s lives. Leveraging
technology to solve problems is an important life skill that these students are learning. This
will empower them to face and solve challenges.”
Echoing this sentiment, Prachi Patil, Lecturer at DIET Pune commented on the
potential of the students: “Students have inherent talents. It is up to educators to
identify these talents and help students nurture them.”
The event concluded with a note of gratitude from Yogesh Sonawane of SCERT
Pune. In recognition of their efforts and to further encourage innovation, Bosch Global
Software Technologies provided each school
that participated with an Innovation Kit.