‘Toycathon’ launched to promote innovative ideas

Jammu, May 12: The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) Jammu and Kashmir Friday launched Toycathon 2023 with theme line “Promotion of innovative ideas and revival of local heritage” at J&K Board of School Education.
Principal Secretary, School Education, Alok Kumar, presided over the function while Director IIM Jammu, Dr B.S Sahai, was the guest of honour.
The event was held under the supervision of Director, SCERT and Chairman, J&K Board of School Education, Professor Parikshat Singh Manhas.
The brochure of Toycathon 2023 was launched by the Principal Secretary in presence of Director SCERT J&K and Director IIM Jammu besides other dignitaries.
Toycathon 2023 focuses on developing toys and games that reflect the innovative ideas, use of regional resources and revival of our local heritage. The registration link along with the QR code was unveiled and declared open for submission of entries on the occasion.
Dr. B S Sahai, while speaking on the occasion, stressed on the importance of creativity and critical thinking among the young minds. He appreciated the initiative of launch of Toycathon for school children by JK SCERT.
Speaking on the occasion, Professor Parikshat Singh Manhas highlighted the importance and need of toys and games for making education holistic, joyful and experiential. He impressed upon the initiative of designing toys and games to leverage the potential of toys and games in making learning engaging and enjoyable across all ages.
He said that the programme aimed at exploring rich cultural heritage of Jammu and Kashmir through redesigning/rediscovering toys and games, with innovative ideas. He added that to achieve all our goals as per NEP 2020, being one nation, we have to make our indigenous toys more popular all over the world as these are in consonance with both tradition and nature so that Indian value system, Indian culture and our eco-friendly approach towards the things can be visioned globally.
He said Toycathon 2023 is an event of learning by experimentation and creative activity. Toys and games introduce children to a scientific method of working i.e. the basis of innovation.
The Programme focused on creating awareness among the educators to realize the importance and role of toys and games to make teaching learning process effective and experiential. The concept for preparation of Toys/Games for the Toycathon event would be based on themes including Regional Culture- Historical events, Heritage and regional freedom fighters, out-of-the box creative, logical and scientific thinking, learning, education and schooling, social and human values, occupation and its specific fields, environment, rediscovering traditional local toys, any toys/ games applicable for specially abled child and fun based toys for joyful learning.
During launch of the event, Schools, JKSCERT KD and DIETs across the UT were connected through live You Tube streaming and Google meet for facilitating maximum participation in the event.
The Toycathon event will be held under three categories i.e. class 6th to 8th, class 9th to 10th and class 11th to 12th in four phases. The participants should register themselves in the event through google form and submit the ideas in the prescribed format. They should make toy/game as per the themes mentioned. The last date of submission of ideas is 25th July, 2023. The Grand finale of the event will be held in the month of September/October, 2023.
The esteemed dignitaries who graced the event included Kanta Devi, Special Secretary SED, Anu Behl, Special Secretary SED, Iftikhar Hussain Chauhan, Director Finance, Engineer Deep Raj Kanathia, Project Director Samagra, Ashok Kumar Sharma, Director School Education Jammu, Subah Mehta, Joint Director DSE, I/C Joint Director, Fayaz Ahmed Fayaz, Director Academics JKBOSE, Joint Secretary Examination JKBOSE, Joint Secretary Secrecy JKBOSE, CEO Jammu and DIET Principal Jammu.
Tassaduq Hussain, Director School Education, Kashmir, Mohammad Shareef Dedar, Joint Director JKSCERT, divisional office Kashmir connected through online mode.
H R Pakhroo, Joint Director JKSCERT, Divisional Office Jammu presented vote of thanks.