The Ministry of Education has extended the registration deadline for the SEVA First Innovation Challenge (SFIC) 2026 to November 6, giving educational institutions additional time to nominate students and submit innovative solutions to community-level problems. The competition offers prizes of up to ₹10 lakh, along with mentorship and incubation opportunities.

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Launched on September 25 at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, the challenge encourages students to identify local issues and develop practical solutions that can be tested and implemented. The South Zone edition covers Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep and Puducherry.

The competition has three participation categories. The Junior category is open to students from Classes 6 to 12, while the Technical category covers students enrolled in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and polytechnics. The Open category includes undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as research scholars. Individual students cannot register directly; entries must be submitted through educational institutions.

Participants can submit ideas under five themes: Clean and Sustainable Bharat, Prosperous Farmers, Prosperous Bharat, Healthy and Inclusive Bharat, Educated and Skilled Bharat, and Secure Bharat. Entries can focus on either product and technology solutions or business models and governance innovations.

The prize structure offers ₹10 lakh for the first prize, ₹5 lakh for the second and ₹3 lakh for the third under each theme. Selected participants may also receive expert mentorship, laboratory access, incubation support and opportunities to conduct pilot projects.

Entries will be evaluated on originality, feasibility, cost, impact, scalability and problem identification. Initial screening and technical evaluation will be conducted by NITs and designated experts, followed by final selection at IISc Bengaluru.

Institutions can register through the official portal at https://sevafirst.mic.gov.in/ before the November 6 deadline.