As part of the INSPIRE MANAK Awards scheme, each student will receive ₹10,000 to further develop their projects and models for the next phase of competitions.
INSPIRE MANAK Awards 2025: 598 students from Kendriya Vidyalaya schools across India have been selected for the prestigious INSPIRE MANAK Awards 2024-25. This recognition highlights their exceptional science projects and innovations. As part of the INSPIRE MANAK Awards scheme, each student will receive ₹10,000 to further develop their projects and models for the next phase of competitions.
INSPIRE MANAK Awards: Promoting Scientific Innovation Among Young Minds
The INSPIRE scheme, which stands for Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research, is an initiative by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India. The INSPIRE MANAK program, a subset of this scheme, is aimed at fostering creativity and innovative thinking among schoolchildren, specifically those in Classes 6 to 10 and aged between 10-15 years.
The main goal of the INSPIRE MANAK Awards is to encourage original ideas that bring societal benefits, aiming for 1 million innovative ideas from students. The National Innovation Foundation (NIF), an autonomous body of the DST, collaborates in executing this initiative, which targets young minds with the potential for impactful innovations.
How Students Are Selected for INSPIRE MANAK Awards
The selection process for the INSPIRE MANAK Awards 2024-25 begins at the district level, where 10,000 of the best ideas are shortlisted. From this pool, students progress to the state-level exhibition and project competition (SLEPC), where the top 1,000 ideas are further evaluated. The finalists then move on to the National Level Exhibition and Project Competition (NLEPC).
During the NLEPC stage, students receive guidance and support from the NIF to develop prototypes of their projects, in collaboration with renowned institutions across the country. The focus is on user-friendly innovations that provide distinct advantages over existing technologies.
Prize Money and Development Support for Winners
As part of the INSPIRE MANAK Awards 2024-25, each of the 598 students from Kendriya Vidyalaya schools will receive an amount of ₹10,000 directly into their bank accounts via the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme. This funding is intended to support their journey in refining and advancing their innovative projects.
The competition also offers a significant opportunity for the top innovators. 60 of the best projects from the NLEPC stage will be selected for further development by NIF. These innovations will be considered for product or process development and can be linked to other DST and NIF schemes. They will also have the chance to be showcased at the Annual Festival of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (FINE).
Role of Schools in Nominations and Awareness
Schools play a critical role in the INSPIRE MANAK Awards selection process. Through regional workshops, audio-visual tools, and other literature, the awareness of the program is spread to students. Each school can nominate the five best student innovations via the official INSPIRE MANAK Scheme portal. The nominations are submitted online by the school principal or headmaster after conducting an internal idea competition within the school.
The INSPIRE MANAK Awards 2024-25 initiative is not only about recognizing innovation but also about encouraging young students to pursue scientific research and development. By providing financial support and mentoring opportunities, the scheme aims to create a strong foundation for students interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
With the recent selection of 598 students from Kendriya Vidyalayas, this program exemplifies the potential of young minds to contribute to the growth of India’s scientific and technological landscape. The INSPIRE MANAK Awards serve as a platform for nurturing future innovators, leaders, and entrepreneurs in the field of science.
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