
The Ministry of Education has extended the registration deadline for the SEVA First Innovation Challenge to November 6, 2026, giving institutions more time to submit student entries. The challenge, launched on September 25 at IISc Bengaluru by Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi, targets young innovators to build community solutions. Top prizes per theme are Rs 10 lakh, Rs 5 lakh, and Rs 3 lakh, along with mentorship and incubation support.

Three levels are open: Junior (Classes 6 to 12), Technical (ITI and polytechnic students), and Open (undergraduate, postgraduate, and research scholars). Registration is institution-led, requiring coordinators to activate accounts via the official portal. Entries must address themes such as Clean and Sustainable Bharat or Prosperous Farmers, and will be evaluated on originality, feasibility, impact, and scalability by NITs and experts before final selection at IISc Bengaluru.
The extension gives schools and colleges four more days to navigate institution-led registration, a process that requires coordinators to activate accounts before submitting entries. With cash prizes of up to Rs 10 lakh and mentorship backing, the Ministry is betting on grassroots problem-solving rather than abstract ideas. But the real gate is institutional buy-in: if administrations fail to nominate students by November 6, young innovators who lack direct access are locked out. The daily orientation sessions suggest the Education Ministry anticipates procedural friction.
Source: indiatoday.in
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