Union Education Minister Launches Seva First Innovation Challenge Registration Portal At IISc Bangalore
Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi launched the Seva First Innovation Challenge website and registration portal at IISc Bengaluru today. The national finale of the innovation challenge will be held in December in New Delhi.
Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi launched the website and registration portal for the Seva First Innovation Challenge at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru on September 25, 2026. The national finale of the challenge is scheduled to take place in December in New Delhi.
The initiative has been launched as a joint effort by the Union Education Ministry, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and University Grants Commission (UGC). IISc Bengaluru has been designated as the nodal institute for the challenge.
Through the innovation challenge, students and young innovators will be encouraged to identify issues affecting their communities and work on solutions that can be tested, refined and eventually implemented. The initiative is open to young participants from schools, Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), polytechnics, colleges and universities.
The education minister interacted with students, young innovators, faculty members, startups and industry representatives during the event. He emphasised the need to connect the spirit of ‘Seva’ with innovation to create practical solutions for challenges faced in the real world.
“Launched the website and registration portal for the Seva First Innovation Challenge at IISC Bangalore .Addressed students, young innovators, faculty members, startups and industry representatives, highlighting the importance of connecting Seva with innovation to develop practical solutions to real-world challenges,” Joshi wrote in a post on X.
Launched the website and registration portal for the Seva First Innovation Challenge at @iiscbangalore .
— Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) September 25, 2026
Addressed students, young innovators, faculty members, startups and industry representatives, highlighting the importance of connecting Seva with innovation to develop… pic.twitter.com/dTUD1u33l4
Seva First Innovation Challenge Themes
The Seva First Innovation Challenge will focus on five broad national themes:
- Clean and Sustainable Bharat
- Prosperous Farmers
- Prosperous Bharat
- Healthy and Inclusive Bharat
- Educated and Skilled Bharat and Secure Bharat
The event also highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen India’s innovation ecosystem, including the development of more than 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs, over 17,300 Institutions Innovation Councils and initiatives such as the Smart India Hackathon.
During his address, the education minister called on startups and industry partners to mentor young innovators and help them develop promising ideas into practical solutions. The initiative is also aimed at supporting the broader vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Viksit Bharat 2047.
“Called upon startups and industry partners to mentor young innovators and help promising ideas move from prototypes to real-world solutions, advancing the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047,” he said.
LIVE: Speaking at Seva First Innovation Challenge at Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluruhttps://t.co/oiYwSn2Prq
— Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) September 25, 2026
Sahil Behl is an education journalist at Jagran with over a year of experience in journalism. Prior to joining Jagran, he worked as a Sub-Editor in NDTV’s Education department, where he was responsible for writing and editing education-related content as well as managing the department’s social media presence. At Jagran, he covers a wide range of education topics, including board examinations, school updates, admissions, and job notifications, while leveraging his editorial expertise and strong understanding of digital content strategy. Sahil holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and has also completed an eight-month certification program in Data Science. Passionate about emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, he closely tracks their growing role in journalism and explores how they are transforming shaping the future of the media industry.
