Union Minister for Education Shri Pralhad Joshi will inaugurate the Seva First Innovation Challenge (SFIC) at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru. This initiative aims to encourage young people to identify community problems and develop implementable solutions, covering five southern states (Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Keralam, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana) and three union territories (Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Puducherry).
The Challenge features three participation levels: Junior (school students from class 6 to 12), Technical (ITI and polytechnic students focusing on engineering and fabrication solutions), and Open (undergraduate, postgraduate, and research scholars demonstrating prototypes with deployment pathways). It focuses on five national themes: Clean and Sustainable Bharat, Prosperous Farmers and Prosperous Bharat, Healthy and Inclusive Bharat, Educated and Skilled Bharat, and Secure Bharat.
Registration opens on September 25, 2026, and closes on October 24, 2026, culminating in a National Finale in New Delhi from December 10 to 17, 2026. Participants will receive academic and industry mentorship, laboratory access, fabrication facilities, testing support, incubation services, seed and pilot funding, field-testing opportunities, and intellectual property protection guidance. Promising solutions may be connected with Ministries, State Governments, local bodies, public sector undertakings, and industry for potential adoption.
The event is jointly organized by the Union Education Ministry, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), University Grants Commission (UGC), with IISc Bengaluru serving as the nodal institute, aiming to foster community-rooted innovation and contribute to the Viksit Bharat @ 2047 vision.