1. What is ATAL Academy?
ATAL Academy stands for AICTE Training and Learning Academy. It is an initiative of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) launched in 2018 to improve the quality of technical education in India by building capacities of teachers, researchers, and technical staff through short-term Faculty Development Programmes (FDPs) in emerging and relevant domains. The Academy’s aim is to support institutions in fostering research, innovation, and entrepreneurship by upskilling faculty with contemporary knowledge, pedagogy, and hands-on exposure. JIIT
(Note: ATAL Academy is distinct from—but complementary to—the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) under NITI Aayog, which focuses on broader innovation ecosystems like Atal Tinkering Labs and incubation. The ATAL FDPs are specifically faculty capacity-building via AICTE.) Eduindex News
2. Objectives
The core objectives of ATAL Academy FDPs are to:
Impart quality training in emerging areas of technology and pedagogy to faculty and technical staff.
Enhance teaching and research capabilities in institutions to align with evolving academic and industry trends.
Promote innovation and entrepreneurship mindset through exposure to new tools, interdisciplinary themes, and best practices.
Create a nationwide reach, including remote and underrepresented regions, by funding and supporting FDPs across India.
Enable networking and collaboration among academicians, researchers, and industry experts. JIITEduindex News
3. Course Categories and Structure (2025–26)
For the academic year 2025–26, the ATAL Academy FDPs are divided mainly into two categories: JIIT
Basic FDPs – Typically 6 days long.
Grant-in-aid: ₹3,50,000 per approved programme.
Advanced FDPs – Typically 12 days long.
Grant-in-aid: ₹6,00,000 per approved programme.
Both are conducted in offline mode (with separate provisions for online FDPs outlined in their scheme documents), and are meant to cover frontier topics in engineering, management, architecture, design, sciences, and allied technical areas. JIIT
There are separate scheme documents for online FDPs (e.g., six-day online programmes) with their own guidelines, eligibility, minimum participant thresholds, and funding ceilings, reflecting adaptation post-COVID to digital delivery. Scribd
4. Proposal Submission and Approval Process
Who Can Propose:Faculty from AICTE-approved institutions (engineering, management, architecture, pharmacy, etc.) act as coordinators and submit proposals on behalf of their institutes through the ATAL Academy online portal. JIIT
Portal & Registration:Coordinators and participants register at the official ATAL Academy portal. Faculties must fill institutional details, upload necessary documents (e.g., ID, NOC), and submit the FDP proposal in the prescribed format. mitfgc.in
Limits & Restrictions:
Institutes that were awarded consecutively in earlier years may have restrictions (e.g., those awarded in both 2023–24 and 2024–25 may not be considered for 2025–26 in some categories).
Coordinators who already had FDPs in 2024–25 may be ineligible for selection in 2025–26 for the same category. JIIT
Selection:Submitted proposals are evaluated per scheme guidelines; shortlisted programmes receive sanction orders. For online FDPs, there are additional conditions like minimum participant numbers and coordinator experience criteria. Scribd
5. Funding and Financial Support
Grant-in-Aid:As noted, approved offline Basic and Advanced FDPs receive fixed grants (₹3,50,000 and ₹6,00,000 respectively). JIIT
Online FDPs:Funding details differ (e.g., specified ceiling of around ₹1,00,000 for certain six-day online programmes) with guidelines to cover resource persons, platform management, and administration. Scribd
No Participant Fees:ATAL FDPs are generally free for participants; no fee is charged from attending faculty or students in approved programmes. smec.ac.in
6. Eligibility and Roles
Coordinators:Usually faculty members with requisite teaching/industry experience (details vary between online vs offline schemes), responsible for designing the course, securing resource persons, and overall execution. Scribd
Participants:Faculty, researchers, and technical staff from AICTE-approved institutions; sometimes open to others based on the specific FDP advertisement. Selection is often first-come-first-served or as per the brochure’s criteria. smec.ac.in
Resource Persons:Experts in the thematic area—often drawn from academia, research organizations, or industry—who deliver the content of the FDP. Eduindex News
7. Delivery Modes
Offline FDPs:Conducted in-person at host institutions, structured over multiple days with lectures, hands-on sessions, interactions, and project/case study components as per the theme. JIIT
Online FDPs:Designed to leverage digital platforms, including live sessions, recorded content, and virtual interaction; the online scheme emphasizes adaptability to rapid changes and broader reach. Scribd
8. Logistics, Certification, and Follow-up
Logistics:Host institutions are expected to manage venue, scheduling, resource-person coordination, and participant communication. Online FDPs require platform setup, digital attendance mechanisms, and content management systems. Scribd
Certification:Participants who fulfill attendance and assessment criteria receive certificates of participation/completion from ATAL Academy. smec.ac.in
Feedback & Reporting:Feedback collection and submission of post-programme reports are mandatory for closure and future eligibility. Scribd
9. Benefits
For Faculty/Participants:Exposure to updated and emerging technical knowledge, pedagogical enhancement, networking, and potential research/industry collaborations. Eduindex News
For Host Institutions:Capacity building of their teaching/research staff, elevation in academic quality, visibility through high-quality thematic programmes. JIIT
10. Recent and Live Examples (2025)
Numerous FDPs are ongoing or recently conducted in 2025 on specialized topics (e.g., AI-embedded precision farming, circular economy themes, biomaterials for tissue engineering, etc.), showing active implementation and thematic diversity. indianresearchers.comAnnamacharya University –
The portal for 2025–26 shows that the list of accepted offline and online FDPs is released and open for participant applications. atalacademy.aicte.gov.in
11. Actionable Steps to Engage
To Propose/Host an ATAL FDP:
Select a timely and high-impact theme aligned with emerging technology or pedagogy. Scribd
Register as coordinator on the ATAL Academy portal and prepare the proposal per the scheme document (basic vs advanced or online). JIITmitfgc.in
Ensure eligibility constraints (e.g., previous awards, institute’s prior participation) are checked. JIIT
Finalize resource persons, prepare detailed curriculum/brochure, and submit before the specified deadlines. Scribd
Upon approval, promote the programme, manage logistics, collect feedback, and submit final reports. Scribd
To Participate:
Monitor the ATAL Academy portal or specific host institute announcements for open registrations; register early (often first-come-first-served). smec.ac.in
12. Comparison (briefly vis-à-vis similar schemes)
Unlike GIAN which brings international experts for short-term credit-bearing courses with foreign faculty engagement, ATAL FDPs are capacity-building programmes primarily for Indian faculty/staff to upgrade skills in emerging areas through funded, often free, training. JIITEduindex News
Summary
ATAL Academy’s FDPs are structured, funded faculty upskilling programmes under AICTE aimed at strengthening technical education and research ecosystem in India. They include both offline (basic and advanced) and online formats, have concrete grant support, clear eligibility and proposal procedures, and are actively being rolled out in 2025 with diverse thematic offerings. JIITScribdatalacademy.aicte.gov.in
