Organized by Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, under the ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyan,’ launched an inter-ministerial initiative in 2021 named Toycathon to challenge India’s innovative minds to conceptualize novel toys and games based on Bharatiya civilization, history, culture, mythology, and ethos.
While the impact in other states and union territories remains unclear, Jammu and Kashmir’s SCERT, despite initial excitement, took on the responsibility and, over the course of three years, struggled to effectively implement the initiative.
Lacking a concrete plan, those at the helm held repeated meetings with staff who were ill-equipped for the task. The responsibility was then handed down from SCERT to the District Institutes of Education (DIET) and ultimately passed on to the schools.
Schoolchildren were tasked with using outdated materials and prehistoric themes, while receiving minimal innovative or practical guidance from mentors already overwhelmed with other schemes, syllabus completion, and various other curricular and non-curricular responsibilities.
Over two years, tens of thousands of students from both provinces of J&K UT participated in Toycathon, with SCERT’s Director, Prof. Parikshat Singh Manhas, proudly claiming that J&K was the first UT to organize the initiative on such a massive scale. Manhas also hosted Toycathon grand finals in both provinces, attended by several bureaucrats, including Principal Secretary Alok Kumar and Advisor to the Lt. Governor, Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar.
He also authored a chapter on Toycathon 2023 in The Art of Implementation—How Modi Ki Guarantee is Delivered, which was launched on April 15, 2024, in New Delhi, where he shared the stage with Modi and Lieutenant Governor of UT, Manoj Sinha.
Manhas maintains an X-account (formerly twitter) where he boasts of Toycathon activities as major achievements, tagging the prime minister every time he writes a post.
Despite the claims of success, many within SCERT view the Toycathon activities as a misallocation of resources, both human and financial.
“The glittering events, which came at a significant cost to the state exchequer, are as exercises in self-promotion rather than meaningful contributions to academics or innovation,” a high-ranking SCERT official, who wished not to be named, said.
Critics argue that the focus on orchestrating grand spectacles overshadowed the initiative’s core purpose, raising questions about its overall impact.
The big question in an era of cutting-edge technology is whether it’s truly feasible to launch initiatives that draw students’ interest in such fields. If the answer is no, it may be wiser to either revamp these initiatives or discontinue them altogether.
Toycathon was touted as a unique opportunity for students, teachers, startups, and toy professionals in India to submit innovative ideas and win prizes worth Rs. 50 lakhs, with efforts to commercialize exceptional creations supported by industry and investors. On June 24, 2021, Modi engaged with Toycathon participants through a video conference.
According to a 2021 Indian Express report, Modi stated that India accounted for just $1.5 billion in the $100 billion global toy market. The Toycathon initiative was expected to revitalize the industry and position India as a significant exporter.
Before the Toycathon’s launch, India reduced Chinese toy imports by 80% starting in 2020, leveraging high tariffs and strict quality checks. Customs duty was increased from 20% to 70% between FY20 and FY24, slashing Chinese toy imports from $235 million to $41 million.
Despite these efforts, India’s toy exports dropped from $177 million in 2021-22 to $152 million in 2023-24, according to an August 2024 government report, dimming hopes of achieving the $4.4 billion target by 2032.
The decline in exports was attributed to intense competition from countries like China, which dominates the global market with cost-effective and scalable production, and emerging players like Vietnam.
This 14% decline in toy exports not only raises questions about the initiative’s execution but also dims hopes of India becoming a global player in the toy market.
India must follow a Chinese example if it wants to stay competitive in the toy industry. The Chinese curriculum does not burden students with responsibilities like toy making, as it focuses primarily on academics, skill development, and innovation suited to their age and learning stage.
The country’s dominance in the toy industry is driven by well-established industrial ecosystems, skilled labour, and partnerships with global manufacturers—none of which involve shifting such responsibilities onto school students.
In a place where students are denied even the fundamental necessity of fresh textbooks, the idea that they can drive innovation in a billion-dollar global market is not just ironic—it is a glaring indictment of a system that prioritizes spectacle over substance.
- Views expressed in the article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial stance of Kashmir Observer
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