India's Students Set Record With Viksit Bharat Buildathon

India's school students have made their mark on the global innovation map after the Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025 was recognised by Guinness World Records as the 'largest innovation solution competition'. The competition drew 2,87,967 projects from every corner of the country.

Ten winning teams and outstanding innovative students will be honoured at a national-level function on October 28 in New Delhi. The minister of education, Pralhad Joshi, will hand over the awards during the ceremony.

The Buildathon was jointly driven by the Department of School Education and Literacy under the Ministry of Education, with support from NITI Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission and the All India Council for Technical Education.

Its purpose is to develop creative thinking, scientific curiosity, entrepreneurship and problem-solving capabilities in school students. Rather than keeping learning confined to classrooms, the initiative prepares young people to address real problems.

The Buildathon rested on four pillars: Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Swadeshi, promotion of local products and Samriddh Bharat. Students were guided to shape their ideas into workable solutions and sample models.

Both idea and prototype categories attracted entries, and the total count reached 2,87,967 projects. The programme may help young innovators transform their ventures into inventions, patents and businesses in the years ahead.

The Guinness World Records certificate will be formally presented at the October 28 event. Guidelines for teacher education institutions under the Ullas Nav Bharat Saakshar Bharat programme will be released at the same time.

The event will also showcase efforts under 6.0, including initiatives that raise awareness about electronic waste and its collection.

Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary is expected to participate. Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy T. K. Anil Kumar, Additional Secretary Dheeraj Sahu, AICTE Chairman Prof. T. G. Sitaram, senior ministry officials, state and union territory representatives and heads of partner institutions will also attend.

The milestone reflects the rising pace of school-level innovation in India and demonstrates that students are gaining more opportunities to develop new ideas and find solutions to pressing problems.