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

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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

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3. Course Categories and Structure (2025–26)

For the academic year 2025–26, the ATAL Academy FDPs are divided mainly into two categories: JIIT

1. Basic FDPs – Typically 6 days long.
   • Grant-in-aid: ₹3,50,000 per approved programme.
2. 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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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11. Actionable Steps to Engage

To Propose/Host an ATAL FDP:

1. Select a timely and high-impact theme aligned with emerging technology or pedagogy. Scribd
2. Register as coordinator on the ATAL Academy portal and prepare the proposal per the scheme document (basic vs advanced or online). JIITmitfgc.in
3. Ensure eligibility constraints (e.g., previous awards, institute’s prior participation) are checked. JIIT
4. Finalize resource persons, prepare detailed curriculum/brochure, and submit before the specified deadlines. Scribd
5. 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

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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

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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

Laurie Baker—often referred to as the “Gandhi of architecture”—and his remarkable contributions to sustainable and affordable design in India:

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🏛️ Biography & Early Life

• Born Laurence Wilfred Baker on 2 March 1917 in Birmingham, England, he moved to India in 1945 as part of a World Leprosy Mission project The Architects Diary+15Wikipedia+15ArchDaily+15.
• Influenced deeply by Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy, he consciously chose a path of simplicity, service, and local resilience in architecture Hindustan Times.
• Lived in north India’s Pithoragarh region from 1948 to 1963, working on health and housing projects, before establishing his base in Kerala (Trivandrum) Hindustan Times.
• Became an Indian citizen in 1988 and continued his work until his death in Thiruvananthapuram on 1 April 2007 lauriebaker.net+3Wikipedia+3Hindustan Times+3.

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🎯 Architectural Philosophy & Style

• A firm believer in low-cost, sustainable architecture, Baker pioneered using local materials, passive ventilation, and minimal energy consumption well before “green architecture” became common discourse bennykuriakose+15Wikipedia+15STIRworld+15.
• His guiding principles included:
  • Use on-site and local materials, preferably within a five-mile radius.
  • Design with a strong awareness of climate, topography, and natural lighting.
  • Minimize waste—salvaged wood, bricks, odd bits repurposed into functional features Where is the North+2Architecture Plus Design+2Wikipedia+2Where is the North+1ArchDaily+1indianexpress.com+1Aζ South Asia+1.
  • Allow architecture to evolve on-site, with hand‑drawn instructions refining the plan based on ground realities Wikipedia.

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🧱 Signature Techniques & Innovation

• Rat‑trap brick bond: 25% material savings with better thermal insulation by placing bricks on edge to create cavities indianexpress.com+3Aζ South Asia+3The Architects Diary+3.
• Use of brick jaalis (perforated latticed brick screens): enables natural air movement, light filtering, and cooling ArchDaily+4RTF | Rethinking The Future+4Hindustan Times+4.
• Emphasis on curved walls, bent forms, corbels instead of beams—structural economy, visual interest, and material efficiencyWikipediaRTF | Rethinking The Futurearchitecture-practice.blogspot.com.
• Roof strategies like Mangalore tile sloping roofs, thin filler slabs to reduce reinforcement needs and promote cooling indianexpress.com+3Aζ South Asia+3RTF | Rethinking The Future+3.

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🏗️ Notable Projects

• Centre for Development Studies (CDS), Trivandrum (1967–1971):
  • Employed slope-aware campus planning, lattice brick façades, cross-ventilation paths.
  • The Computer Centre features a double-wall system with circular brick jaali façade, optimizing air cooling and housing services within the cavity between walls RTF | Rethinking The Future+2architecture-practice.blogspot.com+2Wikipedia+2RTF | Rethinking The Future+2RTF | Rethinking The Future+2theanamikapandey.com+2.
• Residential and institutional work across Kerala and beyond, including:
  • Loyola Chapel & Auditorium (Trivandrum), Pallikoodam School (Kottayam), Mitraniketan (Vagamon), Salim Ali Centre, Indian Coffee House, Slum redevelopment units in Chengalchoola thehindu.com+2Wikipedia+2Wikipedia+2.
• Developed affordable housing projects such as fishermen’s housing and rural schemes—even in the hilly regions of Pithoragarh—often under the aegis of COSTFORD (Centre of Science & Technology for Rural Development) with CM C. Achutha Menon and KN Raj in the mid-1980s indianexpress.com+2Aζ South Asia+2Wikipedia+2.

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✨ Legacy & Recognition

• Fondly called “Daddy” by workers and students, reflecting his involvement in every brick laid on site Wikipedia.
• Awards include:
  • Padma Shri (1990), MBE (1983), UN Roll of Honour (1992), International architectural recognitions from IUA and the Netherlands Wikipedia+1Wikipedia+1.
• The Laurie Baker Centre for Habitat Studies in Kerala continues to teach and disseminate his ideas on sustainable architecture and cost-effective housing Hindustan Times+7lauriebaker.net+7STIRworld+7.

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🧠 Why Laurie Baker Still Matters

• His architecture is rooted in social equity—beauty was not reserved for the affluent.
• Pre‑emptive sustainability: rainwater harvesting, passive cooling, minimal resource use decades ahead of the global agenda.
• A true vernacular modernist, combining low-tech local craft with thoughtful design to elevate ordinary materials.
• Today, his buildings are seen as living museums, still teaching lessons on climate-responsive, humane architecture thehindu.comWikipedia.

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Laurie Baker’s life teaches us that architecture need not be fossil-fuel-intensive or elitist. With empathy, craftsmanship, thrift, and respect for context, it can uplift communities, gracefully blend with environment, and stand the test of time.

By Kavita Dehalwar

I. What is Fertility?

Fertility refers to the actual reproductive performance of an individual, couple, group, or population. It is a demographic concept that quantifies the frequency of childbirth in a population over time.

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II. Fertility Trends

Definition:

Fertility trends refer to changes in fertility rates over time, influenced by social, economic, biological, and political factors.

Global Patterns:

• Declining fertility in developed nations due to urbanization, higher education levels, career focus, and contraceptive access.
• Higher fertility in developing regions due to early marriage, lower education, cultural norms, and limited family planning.

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III. Fertility and Social Behavior

Social factors affecting fertility:

1. Marriage patterns: Early and universal marriage often results in higher fertility.
2. Education level: Higher female education is associated with lower fertility.
3. Employment: Working women tend to delay childbirth or have fewer children.
4. Cultural norms: Beliefs about ideal family size, gender roles, and childbearing influence fertility.
5. Religion: Some religious doctrines encourage higher fertility.

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IV. Fertility and Biological Behavior

Biological factors influencing fertility:

1. Age of woman: Fertility peaks in the 20s and declines after 35.
2. Health and nutrition: Poor health reduces fertility.
3. Infertility: Biological infertility (in either partner) limits reproductive outcomes.
4. Menstrual and ovulation cycles: Timing affects conception probability.
5. Postpartum amenorrhea and lactation: These naturally suppress ovulation and reduce birth intervals.

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V. Differential Fertility

Differential fertility refers to variations in fertility across different subgroups of the population. These differences can be due to:

1. Ethnic Groups:

• Cultural values and traditions around family size vary.
• E.g., In multi-ethnic countries, one ethnic group may exhibit higher fertility rates than others.

2. Socio-Economic Groups:

• Lower-income groups may have higher fertility due to less contraceptive use and higher child mortality.
• Wealthier, urban, and more educated groups tend to have fewer children.

3. Mobility and Migration:

• Migrants may initially retain high fertility but adopt host-country norms over time.
• Mobile populations may have reduced access to reproductive healthcare.

4. Location (Urban vs Rural):

• Urban residents usually have fewer children due to better education, healthcare, and employment opportunities.
• Rural areas may show higher fertility due to agricultural labor needs and lower access to contraception.

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VI. Measures of Fertility

Fertility is quantified using several statistical indicators. Below are the main fertility measures with formulas and explanations:

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1. Crude Birth Rate (CBR)

Definition:

Total number of live births per 1,000 people in a given year.

Formula:

Example:

If there are 20,000 live births in a population of 1,000,000: CBR=?

Limitations:

• Not age-specific.
• Includes total population, even those not of reproductive age.

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2. Age-Specific Fertility Rate (ASFR)

Definition:

Number of births per 1,000 women in a specific age group (usually 5-year intervals).

Formula:

Example:

If women aged 25–29 have 3,000 births and their population is 100,000: ASFR25−29=?

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3. Total Fertility Rate (TFR)

Definition:

Average number of children a woman would have during her reproductive years (typically ages 15–49), based on current ASFRs.

Formula:

• The sum is over all reproductive age groups.
• Length of age interval is usually 5 years.

Example:

If the ASFRs add up to 600 across all age groups: TFR=600×51,000=3.0 children per womanTFR =?

Interpretation:

• TFR of 2.1 is considered the replacement-level fertility (in developed countries).
• TFR > 2.1 = population growth; TFR < 2.1 = population decline (without migration).

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4. Net Reproduction Rate (NRR)

Definition:

Average number of daughters a woman would have in her lifetime if she were subject to current age-specific fertility and mortality rates.

Formula:

• NRR focuses on female children, since only they can reproduce.

Interpretation:

• NRR = 1 → each woman is replaced by one daughter → stable population.
• NRR > 1 → population grows.
• NRR < 1 → population declines (without migration).

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VII. Summary Table of Fertility Measures

Measure	Formula	Unit	Use
Crude Birth Rate (CBR)		Per 1,000 population	General fertility indicator
Age-Specific Fertility Rate (ASFR)		Per 1,000 women (age group)	Detailed analysis of fertility across age groups
Total Fertility Rate (TFR)		Children per woman	Best measure of fertility potential
Net Reproduction Rate (NRR)		Daughters per woman	Population replacement measure accounting for mortality

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VIII. Conclusion

Fertility is influenced by complex social, economic, cultural, and biological factors. Understanding fertility measures like CBR, ASFR, TFR, and NRR is essential for population policy, healthcare planning, and socio-economic development. Differential fertility across ethnic, regional, and economic lines highlights the need for targeted interventions.

References

De Bruijn, B. J., & De Bruijn, B. J. (2006). Fertility: theories, frameworks, models, concepts (pp. 549-569). na.

Kumar, G., Vyas, S., Sharma, S. N., & Dehalwar, K. (2025). Urban growth prediction using CA-ANN model and spatial analysis for planning policy in Indore city, India. GeoJournal, 90(3), 139.

McNicoll, G. (1980). Institutional determinants of fertility change. Population and development review, 441-462.

Morgan, S. P., & Hagewen, K. J. (2005). Fertility. In Handbook of population (pp. 229-249). Boston, MA: Springer US.

Whelpton, P. K., & Kiser, C. V. (1945). Trends, determinants, and control in human fertility. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 237(1), 112-122.