India Innovation Challenge 2024: Championing Quality Education

Are you passionate about creating innovative solutions to tackle challenges in education? Do you have ideas that can revolutionise learning and empower communities? If so, you're in the right place!

The India Innovation Challenge – SDG 4 is a platform dedicated to nurturing and promoting innovation in education, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Our mission is to inspire and support the next generation of innovators to drive positive change in education across India and around the world.
 

Why this challenge is important?

Quality education is a fundamental human right and the cornerstone of a sustainable, peaceful, and prosperous world. Although considerable progress has been made, many challenges persist, particularly in remote and underserved areas. We can bridge educational gaps and improve outcomes globally by empowering young people to develop technology-driven solutions and innovative learning methods.

Key areas of focus:

• Enhancing access to quality education: Utilising technology to reach remote and marginalised communities.
• Improving teacher training: Creating programs that boost teaching effectiveness and student engagement.
• Innovative learning tools: Developing personalised and adaptive learning experiences through new educational platforms.

Join us in our mission to drive innovation and create lasting change in education. Together, let's make SDG 4 a reality for every child in India! Ready to innovate? Register now and join the India Innovation Challenge – SDG 4 journey!
 

Key dates

• Briefing session 1: Saturday 6 July 2024, 12:30 pm (IST)
• Briefing session 2: Monday 29 July 2024, 11:30 am (IST)
• Q&A session: Sunday 18 August 2024, 11:30 am (IST)
• Submission deadline: Thursday 5 September 2024
   

Prizes

• First prize: Apple iPad (or similar) for each team member and teacher mentor
• Second prize: Samsung or OnePlus tablet for each team member and teacher mentor
• Third Prize: Smartwatch for each team member and teacher mentor

Winning teams will be honoured at an awards ceremony and their work will be highlighted on the University’s website and social media channels. If interested, they will receive one-on-one guidance from the School Engagement Team – India to assist with their application process.
 

Who is eligible?

• Students aged 16-19 currently in Grade 11 or 12
• Studying and residing in India
   

How to apply?

1. Register and attend: Sign up for the competition briefing sessions on Zoom.
2. Form your team: Form a team of 1-3 students and a teacher mentor.
3. Create a video: Develop a 4–5-minute video highlighting your innovative solution.
4. Submit your application: Upload your video on YouTube and complete the application form with the required details.

Meet our winners from 2024

Mr Keyaan Shah
Teacher mentor: Ms Nidhi Bhatt
School: Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Mumbai

SpeechKraft is a groundbreaking AI-powered handheld device specifically designed to support speech therapy for individuals with verbal autism. This innovative solution offers real-time, personalised, and non-judgmental feedback, allowing users to practice and enhance their verbal communication skills independently. SpeechKraft addresses critical challenges in traditional speech therapy, particularly in remote and underserved communities where access to specialised services is limited. By integrating advanced natural language processing capabilities, SpeechKraft adapts to each user's unique needs, improving their ability to complete sentences, correct pronunciation, and simplify language. Aligned with the UNSDG 4, SpeechKraft is designed to improve verbal training and augment speech therapy, making it more effective, and inclusive for all.

Ms Gauri Gupta
Teacher mentor: Ms Manaswi Mathur
School: Neerja Modi School, Jaipur 

Read to India is committed to empowering visually impaired students by providing them with equitable access to quality education. Our Braille-Tab leverages haptic technology to transform audio into tactile graphics, enabling visually impaired students to explore diagrams and images through touch. It uses WAV format for high-quality audio, NLP for accurate text-to-graphic conversion, and 8x8 dot grid for detailed tactile interaction. Our Tactile Books and Maps feature embossed, detailed visuals that make complex concepts accessible through touch. The ReadtoIndiaExpress app offers interactive training, content creation, and a digital platform for educational resources designed with high accessibility standards. We're dedicated to education for visually impaired students with innovative, practical solutions.

Ms Era Maheshwari, Ms Zaara Chowdhuary and Ms Suhana Dhawan
Teacher mentor: Ms Tatiana Kadzharova
School: Lancers International School, Gurgaon

Project Udaan, translating to "flight" in Hindi, symbolises our goal of enabling students to soar to new heights within their educational journey and beyond. We are committed to enhancing education for students with neurodegenerative and physical disabilities through the use of innovative yet affordable technology. Our adaptive tools include hand braces for writing, door openers for access to classrooms, and a laser pointer for intra-class communication. To support our educators, we offer a guide on creating inclusive classroom environments available on our website. Our motto, "Breaking Barriers, Building Futures," motivates us to ensure every student is facilitated in reaching their potential. Aligned with the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 4, we persistently work to make 'quality education' accessible to all.