Seva First Innovation Challenge draws over 65,000 registrations from Maharashtra zone; apply by Oct 30

The multi-state innovation contest 'Seva First Innovation Challenge', being held by the Union skill development department, is drawing a strong response. Participation from the Maharashtra zone has crossed 65,000. Given the growing response, online applications for the contest will remain open until October 30, 2026.

The contest aims to find new and practically useful solutions to varied problems of society and public life. Participants are sending ideas in several areas, including national security, urban migration and protecting workers from heat.

Ideas can also be submitted on possible threats to national security, such as the misuse of social media and illegal foreign funding. Other themes include monitoring changes in urban population and migration, protecting hard-working labourers from heat, and bringing together people, business organisations and non-governmental organisations working in these areas on one platform. Ideas for innovation on other issues can also be submitted.

So far, more than 65,000 registrations have been made from the Maharashtra zone, which comprises Maharashtra, Goa, Chhattisgarh and the Union Territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. Of these, 48,680 teams have taken part. A total of 3,787 women and 2,044 participants below 18 years of age have also registered. In addition, 12,604 registrations came from the general category, and 7,952 ideas have been submitted in all.

Cabinet Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha said the application process for the challenge began on September 21. Innovators, students, groups of students, researchers, professors, startups, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), companies, social organisations, and educational and research institutions can take part. According to him, it is an important opportunity to identify the questions facing society and develop technology-based, practically useful solutions to them. The figure is likely to rise further by October 30.

Students have been urged to suggest practical remedies to everyday problems such as agriculture, water, health, education, sanitation, environment and transport. Non-governmental organisations have been asked to guide students from identifying a local problem to developing a solution and submitting an application to the contest. They have also been asked to draw up a clear action plan on the number of schools in their area of work, the target for reaching students, the number of students to be briefed and the number of good-quality applications to be submitted.

Minister Lodha said that to give a bigger platform to the ideas of grassroots students, the government, schools and non-governmental organisations must work in coordination. Those wishing to take part in the contest can apply online at the website https://sevainnovationchallenge.in/.