National Competitions You Shouldn’t Miss This Year — Part 1
Unlocking a real-life puzzle is always a momentous achievement, isn’t it? Irrespective of whether your win is big or small you are on cloud nine when you crack something. Healthy competitions always help children showcase their abilities to full length. It enhances their inquisitiveness, and fosters them to expand their thinking skills. At Rancho Labs, we firmly believe that healthy competitions change lives. We want you to recognize and validate your talent. Dive in and take a look at the following annual competitions that provide a great platform to enhance your technical interests.
1. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam IGNITE Awards
In order to promote creativity and originality in children, National Innovation Foundation (NIF), an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, has been organising IGNITE from 2008. NIF dedicates the IGNITE Awards in the loving memory of Dr Kalam.
IGNITE is an annual national competition that welcomes original technological ideas and innovations by children, up to Standard XII.
Students’ original and creative technological ideas and/or ideas directed towards solving real-life problems are most welcome.
Students from any educational board are encouraged to submit as many entries as they wish till August 31st.
Eligibility: Up to std XII.
Deadline: August.
For further details, head to Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam IGNITE Awards.
2. Inspire Awards
‘Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research’ (INSPIRE) scheme is one of the flagship programmes of Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India. The INSPIRE Awards — MANAK (Million Minds Augmenting National Aspirations and Knowledge), being executed by DST with National Innovation Foundation — India (NIF), an autonomous body of DST, aims to motivate students in studying in classes 6 to 10.
The objective of the scheme is to target one million original ideas/innovations rooted in science and societal applications to foster a culture of creativity and innovative thinking among school children.
Under this scheme, schools can nominate 5 best original ideas/innovations of students through this website till 15th October 2020.
Eligibility: Students in 6–10 grades.
Deadline: October.
Find more details on Inspire Awards — MANAK
3. CSIR Innovation Award for School Children
The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research(CSIR), known for its cutting edge R&D knowledgebase in diverse S&T areas, is a contemporary Pan India R&D organization.
CSIR launched Diamond Jubilee Invention Award for School Children on April 26, the World Intellectual Property Day, in 2002, with the objective to foster scientific temperament, creativity and innovative spirit amongst school children as well as create awareness about IPR (Intellectual Property Rights).
It provides significant technological intervention in many areas. CSIR invites students to send their innovation as proposals with regard to societal efforts which include environment, health, drinking water, food, housing, energy, farm and non-farm sectors.
Applicant must provide the details of the innovation submitted for the award in not more than 5000 words in English/Hindi including an abstract (in not more than 100 words), authenticated (by giving seal and date) and sent through the Principal / Head of the School where the student is enrolled and personal details on a separate page as follows: Title of the Innovation, Name, date of birth, school and residential address, class, telephone no. (residence/ school), e-mail address.
The innovation submitted should be novel and utilitarian. It should be a new concept or design or a solution to an existing problem or completely a new method/device/utility.
Eligibility: Students below 18 years.
Deadline: April.
Find more details on: CSIR Innovation Award for School Children
4. World Robot Olympiad
World Robot Olympiad India is one of the largest Robotics competition in India for students between the age group of 6 to 19 years, held since 2006. It is a not-for-profit competition organized by India STEM Foundation.
World Robot Olympiad™ is an event for science, technology and education which brings together the young people all over the world to develop their creativity and problem solving skills through challenging and educational robotics competitions.
Schools are invited to enter a team of three students to participate in this competition. Participating teams need to create,design and build a robot model that looks or behaves like a human athlete. The competition starts from preliminary to the final judging.
Eligibility: 6–19 years of age.
Find more details on WRO and WRO competition overview.
5. FIRST Lego Competition
FIRST LEGO League (FLL) is a unique STEM based robotics competition for students of age group 9 to 16 years. Students in a team of 2–10 members guided by one or two adult coaches are eligible to participate in the competition.
It is an opportunity to immerse children in the real-world science & technology challenges through a fun-filled exploration journey alongside enhancing their life skills.
Teams have to design, build & program an autonomous robot using LEGO MINDSTORMS technology to solve missions on a scientific theme based table-top playing field.
Teams have to explore/research a problem aligned with the scientific theme of playing field and analyze existing solutions if any. They need to either identify an improvement to the existing solution or develop their own innovative solution for the chosen problem. Visit for further details.
Eligibility: 9–16 years guided by one or two adult coaches.
Find more details on FLL — First Lego League.
6. FIRST Tech Challenge
It’s way more than building robots. FIRST Tech Challenge teams (up to 15 team members, grades 7–12) are challenged to design, build, program, and operate robots to compete in a head-to-head challenge in an alliance format.
Guided by adult coaches and mentors, students develop STEM skills and practice engineering principles, while realizing the value of hard work, innovation, and working as a team.
The robot kit is reusable from year to year and can be coded using a variety of levels of Java-based programming. Teams design and build robots, raise funds, design and market their team brand, and do community outreach to earn specific awards. What are you waiting for? Head to and register soon.
Eligibility: 7th -12th graders.
Deadline: March 4, 2021.
Find more details on FTC and First Tech Challenge.
7. FIRST Robotics Competition
Are you ready to play the ultimate sport for the mind?
High-school student participants call it “the hardest fun you’ll ever have.”
Under strict rules, limited time and resources, teams of students are challenged to raise funds, design a team “brand,” hone teamwork skills, and build and program industrial-size robots to play a difficult field game against like-minded competitors. It’s as close to real-world engineering as a student can get. Volunteer professional mentors lend their time and talents to guide each team.
Eligibility: High school.
Find more details on FRC and First Robotics Competition.
