Delhi Launches SEVA FIRST 2026 Innovation Challenge With Rs 2 Crore Prize Pool

Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood launched the SEVA FIRST - Rashtriya Youth Innovation Challenge 2026 at Delhi Technological University, opening a 100-day window for young innovators to work on solutions to everyday problems. The initiative carries a prize pool of Rs 2 crore, along with mentoring and support for participants as they develop their ideas.

Who can take part

The challenge is open to students, researchers, startups and participants from educational institutions. School students, those from universities, ITIs and polytechnics, as well as industry and startup entrants, are eligible to join. DTU will serve as the anchor university for the programme.

Focus areas

Participants will be expected to identify problems, propose ideas, build prototypes and test their solutions. The stated focus areas span agriculture, education, waste management, healthcare, rural development, energy and other concerns linked to daily life. Organisers stressed that the challenge is not confined to business ideas and also seeks practical solutions to problems faced by communities.

Government support

The Delhi government will offer guidance to promising participants. Selected ideas can receive mentoring and funding support through the startup ecosystem and existing government policies.

Rural technology programme announced

The event also saw DTU announce the Rural Technology and Community Engagement Programme, which will centre on engineering, entrepreneurship and social development in rural areas. Starting from the 2027-28 academic session, the university plans to send engineering students to villages to identify local problems and work on technology-based solutions.

The broader aim is to give young innovators a route to turn their ideas into working solutions while addressing challenges faced by communities.