MSDE, ABCF and BITS Pilani Launch National Innovation Challenge for NSTI Students The top five teams from each sector will reach the final round, with cash prizes of INR 1,00,000, INR 75,000, and INR 50,000 for the top three winners.
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The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), through its Directorate General of Training (DGT), has partnered with the Aditya Birla Capital Foundation (ABCF) and the Pilani Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Society (PIEDS), the incubator of BITS Pilani, to promote innovation and entrepreneurship among students across National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) in India.
Launched on October 29, 2025, at Kaushal Bhawan, New Delhi, by Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, MSDE, the initiative titled "Navonmesh Protsahan Spardha: Kaushalta se Udyamita" aims to nurture skill-based entrepreneurship among NSTI students. The program seeks to empower trainees from tier I and tier II cities to turn their innovative ideas into sustainable ventures, creating opportunities across diverse socio-economic backgrounds.
As per the official statements, currently, 33 NSTIs are operational in the country, training over 10,000 students under the Craft Instructor Training Scheme (CITS) and the Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS). Several NSTIs also focus on women's vocational training.
Despite the growing innovation ecosystem in schools and higher education, the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector—which includes more than 13 lakh students in ITIs and NSTIs—has limited access to incubation or entrepreneurship programs. This initiative aims to bridge that gap by fostering innovation and enterprise within this critical segment.
The program will engage over 10,000 NSTI students through awareness sessions, from which 100 promising innovators will be selected for advanced mentorship, business model development, and incubation support. It will focus on key growth sectors such as IT and ITeS, automotive, apparel, electronics and hardware, and capital goods and manufacturing.
Selected teams will present their business plans in a structured competition. The top five teams from each sector will reach the final round, with cash prizes of INR 1,00,000, INR 75,000, and INR 50,000 for the top three winners. All shortlisted participants will also receive continued mentorship and incubation support from PIEDS, BITS Pilani, to refine and commercialize their ideas.
By integrating entrepreneurship within vocational training, the initiative aims to equip India's youth with the tools and confidence to contribute to a self-reliant, innovation-oriented economy.
