Seva First Innovation Challenge 2026 Launches at IISc Bengaluru
The Education Ministry has launched the Seva First Innovation Challenge to help students turn local problems into practical solutions, with registrations opening September 25.
The Education Ministry is launching the Seva First Innovation Challenge at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, on Friday to encourage students to identify local problems and develop solutions that can eventually be tested and implemented.
The challenge will cover Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep and Puducherry. Students from schools, Industrial Training Institutes, polytechnics, colleges and universities can participate across three levels: Junior, Technical and Open.
Students from Classes 6 to 12 will participate in the Junior category, focusing on local problems and practical solutions. ITI and polytechnic students will work on engineering, fabrication, electronics and process-based ideas, while undergraduate students, postgraduates and research scholars will be expected to develop prototypes or pilots with a potential route to deployment.
The challenge will focus on five broad themes covering sustainability, agriculture, health and inclusion, education and skills, and national security.
Registrations will open on September 25 and continue until October 24, 2026. The programme will conclude with a National Finale in New Delhi from December 10 to 17.
Participants will receive access to academic and industry mentors, laboratories, fabrication facilities, testing support, incubation, funding opportunities, field testing and intellectual property guidance. Promising projects may also be connected with government bodies and industry for potential adoption.
The initiative is being organised by the Education Ministry, AICTE and UGC, with IISc Bengaluru as the nodal institute. From “I have an idea” to “here’s the prototype” — students now have a pretty serious reason to stop leaving those ideas in the group chat.
