Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to some of the important queries regarding the Student Innovation Challenge:

Q. Who can Participate?

Student Innovation Competition is open to students across the Country in following Levels:
• School Level: Class VIII to Class XII students
• UG Level: ITI, Diploma, Bachelors Degree students
• PG Level: Only students pursuing Masters level course
• Research Level: Research Scholars (attached to College/Universities/other institutions) only

Q. Winners Prizes: (one for each Level, in each Zone)

Cash prizes in each Level are:
• 1st Prize – Rs.50,000
• 2nd Prize – Rs.20,000
• 3rd Prize – Rs.10,000

Q. How many members can a team consist?

A team may consist of a Maximum of 3 members.
All the members of the Team must be eligible to participate in the same Level (School / UG/ PG / Research).
All Team members must be pursuing their studies in the same Zone

A student can be a member of only ONE Team

Q. Any Format for bona-fide Certificate?

You need to submit proof that you are currently enrolled as a student from the your Head of Institute (HoI) in a standard bona-fide certificate format.


Q. What are the Zone?

North: (9): Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh
East: (5): Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
West Zone: (7): Rajasthan, Gujarat, Goa, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu.
South: (7): Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Puducherry, Lakshadweep
North East: (8): Assam, Sikkim, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh

Q. I have a useful Idea. Do I have to physically “fabricate” my innovation? Should I have an actually “implemented” model or prototype for submitting my entry?

No. You don’t need a “physical” proof of your entry. You may just explain your idea in your submission. However, your video submission must include a sketch, picture or working prototype that helps the Jury to visualise your idea.

Q. What must be submitted to participate in the Challenge?

Team will submit:
• A Write-up in English (within 1000 words / 2 pages) describing the Innovation, in the prescribed write-up format.
• A video (max 6 minutes) showcasing the Innovation, including all team members, in English to be uploaded at link provided in your Dashboard. In case a team uses any Regional Language, an English translation of the same must be provided for the convenience of the Jury.

Your write-up submission tells us about your innovative idea, the team members, its feasibility and impact.

The video allows you to directly inform the Jury about yourself, explain your bright idea, and your motivation for the idea. (The video need not be professional standard).

While submitting your Write-up, please follow the format given in Guidelines. Submit your video by uploading a link to the same in your Dashboard.

Q. Who will be judging the submissions?

The Jury will comprise of a team of Subject experts from Academic and Professional fields.

Q. Will I have the Intellectual Property Rights over the Idea that I submit?

Absolutely! Students retain the IPR over all ideas that they develop.

Q. Can a student be a member of multiple teams ?

No. A student is eligible to be a member of only One Team.

Q. Can a Team submit multiple entries?

No. Each Student / Team is restricted to only One Entry to the Competition.

Q. Any General Suggestions for preparing the Entry for submission:

Here are some suggestions for your guidance:
1. Please read all the guidelines carefully.
2. Keep the following in mind while preparing your Write-up for submission.
Clarity: Make it easy for the judges to evaluate your innovation. Ask yourself “Is the flow of document or video systematic”?
Problem Identification: Clearly explain problem, and the proposed innovative solution. Show how your idea is different from the existing methods.
Factual Data: A famous adage goes: “In God we Trust, everyone else must bring data”. Many good ideas lose credibility due to poor understanding and articulation of underlying facts. Make sure that your submission is anchored in facts.
Potential Impact: Understand & explain clearly the scope and magnitude of potential benefits /beneficiaries of your innovation.
Feasibility & Viability: Try to understand the technologies needed to implement your idea, and the cost of engineering it.

Q. How to know if an idea is suitable:

As an enthusiastic student, you may be exploring a number of ideas. Answer the following type of questions to determine which of them is suitable for the Competition:
1. How does this innovation contribute to the Society?
2. How cost-effective is the innovation both in terms of development, and also over its expected life-time?
3. How accessible are the skill and technologies needed for your innovation?

Q. What will happen in the Final Round?

Selected Finalists will have an opportunity to present their innovation in front of a panel of judges (PPT / Prototype etc) maximum 4 minutes, followed by a short Question-Answer session.


Q. Will there be Reimbursement of Traveling & Boarding expenses ?

• Travel expenses of all Short-listed teams for Final Competition Prize distribution ceremony will be reimbursed at actuals. (Sleeper class train fare up to Max. Rs.2000/- per head)
• Food & Lodging will be provided Free of Cost by the Ramakrishna Mission Saradapitha, Belur Math.

Q. Will the cost of developing the innovation be Reimbursed?

Team will bear the cost for developing the innovation, and same will NOT BE REIMBURSED.