Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025: India’s Largest School Hackathon Ignites Innovation Among 1 Crore Students

A nationwide wave of creativity is sweeping across India’s schools today as the Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025 — the country’s largest school hackathon — kicks off in full swing. The initiative, led by the Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL) under the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and NITI Aayog, aims to nurture innovation and problem-solving skills among school students from classes 6 to 12.

Hon’ble Minister for Education Shri Dharmendra Pradhan is scheduled to visit a participating school and interact with young innovators as part of the nationwide event. He is also expected to address students and teachers, underlining the importance of innovation in building a Viksit Bharat — a developed, self-reliant India.

The Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025 is more than just a hackathon — it’s a movement to embed innovation into the very DNA of India’s education system. The initiative invites students to design and prototype ideas around four key national themes — Atmanirbhar Bharat, Swadeshi, Vocal for Local, and Samriddh Bharat — reflecting the spirit of a new, confident India that believes in its own ideas, products, and talent.

By engaging 1 crore students across thousands of schools, the Buildathon is shaping India’s largest synchronized innovation exercise. Today’s live nationwide session, held from 10 AM to 11 PM, connects schools from every corner of the country through a virtual platform, transforming classrooms into innovation hubs.

Building on the NEP 2020 Vision

Aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Buildathon emphasizes hands-on, experiential learning. It provides young learners a platform to think critically, collaborate, and apply their classroom knowledge to real-world challenges.

Importantly, the initiative is inclusive, giving special focus to students from Aspirational Districts, Tribal Areas, and Remote Regions — ensuring that every child, regardless of geography, has a chance to innovate.

From Idea to Impact: A Guided Innovation Journey

The Buildathon follows a structured national timeline that began with its official launch on September 23, 2025, by Shri Dharmendra Pradhan. The timeline includes:

• Sept 23 – Oct 11: Registration and preparation, including team formation, brainstorming, and mentoring sessions.

• Oct 13: The Nationwide Synchronised Live Buildathon — a day dedicated to innovation across all schools via live streaming.

• Oct 13 – Oct 31: Submission of entries on the official portal — vbb.mic.gov.in.

• Nov – Dec 2025: Evaluation by expert panels.

• Jan 2026: Felicitation of winning teams.

Students are participating in teams of 3–5, with no limit on the number of teams per school. Each team will submit a 2–5 minute video explaining the problem, their innovative solution or prototype, and its potential societal impact.

Mentorship and Nationwide Collaboration

To ensure that ideas are transformed into workable solutions, the Buildathon provides mentorship support from experts across India — including Mentors of Change, Incubation Centres, Higher Education Institutions, and Corporate Volunteers.

This collaboration bridges the gap between schools and the innovation ecosystem, giving students access to real-world guidance and exposure.

A ₹1 Crore Reward for Innovation

The Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025 carries a massive ₹1 crore award pool, distributed among:

• 10 National-Level Winners

• 100 State-Level Winners

• 1,000 District-Level Winners

Winning teams will not only receive cash prizes but also long-term mentorship, incubation opportunities, and corporate partnerships to help scale their innovations.

Fostering a New Generation of Problem Solvers

As schools across India participate in this synchronized event, the Buildathon is turning into a festival of ideas — uniting creativity, technology, and collaboration.

From the tribal belts of Jharkhand to the bustling classrooms of Delhi and Chennai, students are identifying local challenges and proposing practical solutions — truly embodying the spirit of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

By encouraging innovation from an early age, the Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025 is not just shaping prototypes — it’s shaping futures.