viksit bharat buildathon 2025: Students of Classes 6 to 12 across the country

Key Themes

Participants are asked to work under one of four major themes:

• Atmanirbhar Bharat – Self-reliant India. 

• Swadeshi – Indigenous innovation and traditional knowledge. 

• Vocal for Local – Promoting local goods, craftsmanship, local entrepreneurship. 

• Samriddhi – Prosperity and inclusive growth. 

By tying student projects to these themes, the Buildathon encourages young minds to think about how innovation can contribute to India’s developmental agenda.

Who Can Participate & Eligibility

• Students of Classes 6-12 in Indian schools are eligible.

• Teams typically consist of 3-5 or 5-7 students (depending on the guideline) from the same school, guided by a teacher‐mentor. 

• Schools may register multiple teams. 

• Participation is free; schools register via the official portal (for example: vbb.mic.gov.in) where teams upload details of their ideas/prototypes. 

Importantly, there is an inclusive push: special focus has been given to aspirational districts, tribal and remote regions to ensure broad access rather than just urban centres.

Timeline & Key Dates (2025)

Here is a breakdown of the schedule:

• Launch: 23 September 2025 — the Buildathon officially launched by the Education Minister. 

• Registration window: 23 September to 11 October 2025 (extended) 

• Preparatory / mentoring phase: 11–12 October and schools begin team formation, idea camps and innovation circles. 

• Live Nationwide Buildathon Event: 13 October 2025 (around 10 AM) — simultaneous activity in schools across India, live-streamed. 

• Submission of entries (video/prototypes): 14–31 October 2025 

• Evaluation of entries: 1 November to 31 December 2025 

• Results & Felicitation: January 2026 

With this schedule, the Buildathon engages students not just for a day but over a sustained period of ideation, prototyping and submission.

Rewards & Incentives

• A significant prize pool of ₹1 crore has been set aside for the event.

• Awards will be given at district, state, and national levels: e.g., 1,000+ district winners, 100 state winners, and 10 national winners (approximate distribution as reported). 

• Beyond cash prizes, top teams may receive mentorship, incubation support, and opportunities to further develop their projects. 

• All participating teams receive digital certificates from the Ministry of Education. 

Why It Matters

• Innovation Culture in Schools: The Buildathon is a major step in embedding design thinking, creativity and problem solving into school education rather than rote learning.

• Alignment with NEP 2020: The event supports experiential, hands-on learning — a key promise of the National Education Policy. 

• Vision for India’s Future: By mobilising young minds around themes like self-reliance, local industry, prosperity, the initiative helps build a generation ready for “Viksit Bharat @ 2047”.

• Inclusivity & Scale: With an estimated participation of 1 crore students from 1.5 lakh+ schools nationwide, including remote regions, the scale is unprecedented. 

How Schools & Students Can Participate

1. Schools register on the official portal (vbb.mic.gov.in) within the registration window. 

2. Form teams of eligible students (from classes 6-12) with a teacher mentor.

3. Select one of the four themes, identify a problem statement (local/community/national).

4. Develop an idea or prototype (e.g., working model, concept, digital/physical).

5. Participate in the live event (13 Oct) and then submit the entry video/photo by end October.

6. Await evaluation and results post-submission; winners will be announced in Jan 2026.

Challenges & Considerations

While the initiative is ambitious and commendable, a few hurdles persist:

• Digital divide: Some schools may lack reliable internet / devices for participating fully.

• Mentorship & resources: Not all schools have strong mentor/teacher support or infrastructure for prototype building.

• Sustainability: Post-event follow-up, incubation pathways for student ideas will determine long-term impact.

Final Word

The Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025 is more than a one-time competition — it’s a movement to ignite innovation at the school level across India. With its massive scale, inclusive design, and alignment with national development goals, it offers students a rare platform to think, build and contribute.
If you’re a school student (Class 6-12), or a teacher mentor, this is an exciting opportunity to be part of something big. Prepare early, pick a meaningful problem, build a solution and contribute to the vision of a “Developed India”.