Vernacular Innovation Program (VIP)

Tags: National News

• Launched by - Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) under NITI Aayog.
• Aim - To enable innovators and entrepreneurs in India to have access to the innovation ecosystem in 22 scheduled languages by the Government of India.
• For this purpose, Vernacular Task Force (VTF) will be created in each of the 22 scheduled languages
• It will also have a Train-the-Trainer program in collaboration with IIT Delhi
• CSR Sponsors will support the program
• It will help India in building a strong local network of design experts and innovation practitioners, by removing the language barrier

What is VIP?

• Vernacular Innovation Program (VIP) is an initiative of the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, targeted at separating creative expression from the language of transaction in India’s innovation ecosystem.
• This program is designed to lower the language barrier for vernacular innovators when learning design thinking and entrepreneurship, accessing markets, attracting investments, and influencing innovation policy. 
• To accomplish this objective a Vernacular Task Force(VTF) will be created in each of the 22 scheduled languages.
• Industry mentors will also lend design thinking expertise, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) sponsors will generously support the program
• VIP will assist local entrepreneurs, artisans, and innovators to seamlessly assimilate the knowledge cum technical materials that AIM will develop, thus helping India in building a strong local network of design experts and innovation practitioners,

What is VTF?

• Vernacular Task Force(VTF) is an integral part of the Vernacular Innovation Program (VIP) for creating the necessary resources as well as the ecosystem activities.
• Each task force comprises vernacular language teachers, subject experts, technical writers, and the leadership of regional Atal Incubation Centers (AICs). 
• The VTF Team will learn, contextualize, implement & translate the Design Thinking and entrepreneurship concept in their respective languages. 
• Further, the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) will launch a Train-the-Trainer program where it will collaborate with the Design Department of IIT Delhi to coach the VTF in design thinking and entrepreneurship and the adaptation of these subjects in the 22 languages and cultures.
• Post this training from December 2021 to April 2022, the ecosystem will be opened up to vernacular innovators with regular ecosystem services.

Niti Aayog’s Argument

As per the 2011 census, only 10.4% of Indians speak English, out of which only 0.02% as their first language, and the rest as their second, third, or fourth language. Ten years later these numbers are not likely to be very different.

So, there needs to be a platform which creates equal opportunity for the vernacular innovators who represent the staggering 90% of our population. After all, this excluded population, no matter which Indian language they speak, is at least as creative as the rest.

According to Niti Aayog, India may be the first nation in the world to launch such an initiative where an innovation ecosystem catering to 22 languages plus English is being built.

By providing access to learning in one’s language and culture, Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) looks forward to enriching the local, regional, national, and global innovation pipelines.