Govt Launches Viksit Bharat Buildathon to Catalyse School-Level Innovation Nationwide
SDG 4: Quality Education | SDG 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure
Institutions: Ministry of Education | Atal Innovation Mission | NITI Aayog
The Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025, organised by the Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, in collaboration with Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, will be a nationwide school-level hackathon engaging an estimated 1 crore students (Classes 6–12). The live event is set for 13 October 2025, during which students will synchronously prototype solutions around themes like Swadeshi, Atmanirbhar Bharat, Vocal for Local, and Samriddh Bharat. An awards pool of ₹1 crore has been announced, with 10 national, 100 state, and 1,000 district winners to be recognised.
Mentorship support will be provided via incubators, volunteer networks, and educational institutions, including a special focus on aspirational districts, tribal and remote regions. The event aligns with National Education Policy 2020 goals of experiential learning, innovation culture in schools, and decentralised innovation engagement.
The Buildathon kickstarts an institutional push to mainstream student-led innovation in India’s education system, strengthening the link between schooling and technology-driven entrepreneurship.
What is the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)? → The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is a flagship initiative of NITI Aayog, launched in 2016 to promote a culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, and problem-solving across India. It serves as the government’s umbrella framework for nurturing innovation from schools to startups.
AIM runs programmes such as Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) in schools, Atal Incubation Centres (AICs) in higher-education institutions and industry, and Atal New India Challenges (ANICs) to support product-based innovations addressing national priorities. It focuses on providing access to maker spaces, mentorship, and early-stage funding to create an innovation-ready workforce aligned with Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat goals.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
How can the government ensure that Buildathon prototypes translate into follow-up support for scaling, incubation or integration into education/industry pathways?
Follow the full news here: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2175769