School Youth Ideathon 2025 Launched at CBSE to Inspire Young Entrepreneurs for ‘Nayi Soch Naya Bharat’
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Students from Classes 4-12 invited to submit entrepreneurial ideas; Grand Finale at IIT Delhi in December 2025
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New features include CBSE Studio Pitch, EQ Test, and mentorship by IIT alumni for top teams
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Teachers to gain entrepreneurial coaching through embedded Faculty Development Programs
India’s biggest entrepreneurship festival for school students – the School Youth Ideathon (SYI) – has entered its fifth year, marking a major milestone in nurturing young innovators nationwide. The 2025 edition was launched today at CBSE Headquarters, jointly organised by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Management & Entrepreneurship and Professional Skills Council (MEPSC) under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, in collaboration with the ThinkStartup Foundation.
Recognised as the largest K-12 entrepreneurship festival in India, the Ideathon is open to students from Classes 4 to 12 across India and Indian schools abroad. Powered by Tanla Platforms as Title Sponsor, this year’s theme – “Nayi Soch Naya Bharat” – invites students to develop ideas that reflect a bold, self-reliant, and innovative India.
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Biswajit Saha, Director (Skill Education), CBSE, said, “The essence of Youth Ideathon is to encourage entrepreneurial action rooted in real life, which is quite different from typical science projects. In this 5th edition, we have introduced a novel Studio Pitch after the Grand Finale, bringing the entrepreneurial journey of school students closer to real-world and inspiring them to transform their ideas into scalable ventures.”
Idea submissions are open at www.YouthIdeathon.in until 20th November 2025, culminating in a Grand Finale at IIT Delhi on 19th-20th December 2025, where the top 125 teams will showcase their innovations.
New features this year include the CBSE Studio Pitch, where select student teams will pitch live to angel investors in a televised format, and the Entrepreneurial Quotient (EQ) Test. “The EQ Test is being introduced at the school level to assess the current state of entrepreneurial dynamism among students,” explained Col. Anil Pokhriyal, CEO, MEPSC. “The insights gathered will help policymakers identify gaps and implement strategies to strengthen entrepreneurial education, preparing students for the challenges and opportunities of an AI-driven society.”
Additionally, the Top 500 Teams will receive structured mentoring from IIT alumni, coordinated through PanIIT Alumni India. “Youth Ideathon is about nation-building through innovation,” said Shivani Singh Kapoor, Founder of ThinkStartup Foundation. “We want every child to feel inspired to innovate for India’s future.”
Supporting the initiative, Uday Reddy, Founder & CEO of Tanla Platforms, noted, “Innovation is the key to solving challenges at scale. This platform enables young minds to think creatively and make real-world impact.”
“Faculty Development Programs are an integral part of School Youth Ideathon. They equip teachers to become entrepreneurial mentors, creating school ecosystems where innovation and creativity thrive every day,” said Sanjeeva Shivesh, Program Director of SYI 2025.
Youth Ideathon is also being supported by SheAtWork, a one-stop knowledge hub for women entrepreneurs.
Over the years, Youth Ideathon has sparked remarkable projects such as Pranvaayu by students of Lilawati School, New Delhi, Safe Spark by Bhartiya Vidyashram Bhawan, Jaipur, SportyCoach by DLDAV School, Pitampura, and Niri by Vidyashilp Academy, Bengaluru – proof that India’s classrooms are brimming with ideas that can change the world.
Registrations for both students and teachers are open at www.YouthIdeathon.in, including upcoming FDPs to strengthen entrepreneurial pedagogy in schools.
