Seva First Innovation Challenge opens for southern states; student entries until 24 October

Students in the southern states who have been working on a fix for a local problem now have a deadline to aim for. The Seva First Innovation Challenge opened for registration on 25 September, and entries will be accepted until 24 October 2026, the Ministry of Education said.

Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi launched the South Zone edition of the challenge, along with its website and registration portal, at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru on Friday.

IISc is the nodal institute for the zone. According to the ministry, it will handle technical evaluation and mentoring for participants from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Puducherry, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. The participation dashboard on the challenge portal also lists Goa among the regions it tracks.

Who can enter, and how

The portal sorts entries into three levels. The Junior level is for school students from Class VI to XII. At this level a clear observation of a local problem and a simple working solution is enough, and a prototype is encouraged but not compulsory.

The Technical level covers students of Industrial Training Institutes and polytechnics, who are expected to bring hands-on engineering, fabrication or electronics work. The Open level is for undergraduates, postgraduates and research scholars. They are asked for a demonstrated prototype or pilot, with cost, beneficiaries, timeline and a believable route to deployment spelt out.

Every entry goes into one of two tracks. Track A is for a product or technology, such as a device, a software system or an engineering process. Track B is for a business model or governance idea, for instance a new way of delivering a public service or a financing arrangement for a community institution.

The registration link on the portal is aimed at institutions, and the site says participating regions can nominate and register entries. Students should check with their school, ITI or college on who is coordinating submissions before the window closes.

Themes, prizes and the road to December

Ideas have to fit one of five national themes: clean and sustainable Bharat, prosperous farmers, healthy and inclusive Bharat, educated and skilled Bharat, and secure Bharat. The portal breaks these down. Water, waste and energy efficiency sit under the first theme, while agriculture, rural livelihoods and artisans come under the second. Health, assistive technology and inclusion form the third. Education, skilling and sports fall under the fourth, and manufacturing, mobility, safety and digital public infrastructure make up the fifth.

Once submissions close, the indicative schedule on the portal shows state-level screening by the National Institutes of Technology from 25 October. An exhibition, showcase and finale are slotted between 30 November and 15 December. The ministry has said the National Finale will be held in New Delhi in December.

The portal lists prizes of Rs 10 lakh, Rs 5 lakh and Rs 3 lakh for the top three entries in each of three categories: school, ITI or polytechnic, and university or college. It also mentions mentorship, access to laboratories and fabrication facilities, and incubation and pilot support for the stronger ideas.

What the minister said

"Seva must find expression in action," Mr Joshi said at the launch, describing the work of understanding a problem and solving it at scale as a form of service. He pointed out that nearly 65 per cent of India's population is under 35, and said young people needed chances to turn curiosity into useful work.

He tied the challenge to the National Education Policy 2020 and its stress on problem-solving and experiential learning. He cited the more than 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs, about 17,300 Institution's Innovation Councils and the Smart India Hackathon as groundwork already in place. He also asked start-ups and industry to mentor the young innovators who come through it.

IISc Director Prof. Govindan Rangarajan, Additional Secretary in the Department of Higher Education Anandrao V. Patil and UGC Secretary Prof. Shyama Rath attended the launch.

Themes, level-wise guidance and institution registration are available on the official portal, sevafirst.mic.gov.in.