Archive · 20 Sep 2026
Delhi Launches 100-Day Youth Innovation Challenge With ₹2 Crore
Delhi has started a competition for young people with useful ideas.
The competition will last 100 days.
Participants will find problems, design solutions, build models and test them.
A total of ₹2 crore in prizes is available.
Students, researchers, startups and industry participants can join.
Their ideas can focus on areas such as healthcare, education, farming and waste.
Delhi Technological University will guide the competition.
The university also plans to send engineering students to villages to help solve local problems from 2027–28.
Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood launched the SEVA FIRST – Rashtriya Youth Innovation Challenge 2026 at Delhi Technological University.
The 100-day challenge offers a ₹2 crore prize pool, mentoring and support for developing ideas.
Students, researchers, startups and participants from schools, universities, ITIs, polytechnics and industries can participate.
Focus areas include agriculture, education, waste management, healthcare, rural development, energy and other community problems.
Delhi Technological University also announced a rural programme that will send engineering students to villages from the 2027–28 academic session.
- Who
- Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood, Delhi Technological University, students, researchers, startups and industry participants.
- What
- The SEVA FIRST – Rashtriya Youth Innovation Challenge 2026, a 100-day innovation competition with a ₹2 crore prize pool, was launched.
- When
- The challenge is scheduled for 2026; DTU’s rural programme is planned to begin in the 2027–28 academic session.
- Where
- The challenge was launched at Delhi Technological University and will cover Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chandigarh and Ladakh.
- Why
- To encourage practical solutions to real-world and community problems while supporting young innovators.
- Challenge
- SEVA FIRST – Rashtriya Youth Innovation Challenge 2026
- Duration
- 100 days
- Prize pool
- ₹2 crore
- Anchor university
- Delhi Technological University
- Participants
- Students, researchers, startups and industry participants
- Focus areas
- Agriculture, education, waste management, healthcare, rural development and energy
- Rural programme
- Rural Technology and Community Engagement Programme, beginning in villages from the 2027–28 academic session