National | 8th December 2025: The Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell (MIC), Government of India, in collaboration with AICTE, announces the 8th Edition of the Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2025, taking place from 8th December across 60 nodal centres nationwide. Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research (WeSchool) is one of the key nodal centres hosting the Software Grand Finale on 8–9 December, reinforcing its role as a national hub for innovation.
Smart India Hackathon 2025 has received a record 72,165 idea submissions from 68,766 student teams addressing 271 problem statements from ministries, state departments, PSUs, and industries. From 2,587 institutes and 1,42,715 teams, 1,360 teams comprising 8,160 students and 1,365 mentors have qualified for the Grand Finale. With 42 Software and 18 Hardware nodal centres, SIH 2025 continues to empower youth, foster inclusivity, and strengthen India’s innovation ecosystem in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
On the occasion, Chief Guest, Prateek Goswami, Additional General Manager, Central Railway said; “It is a privilege to be part of Smart India Hackathon 2025, one of the largest innovation initiatives in the country, for the eighth consecutive year. Initiatives like SIH showcase the potential of India’s youth to create practical, impactful solutions for real-world challenges. The Railway Ministry has already benefited from innovative ideas in areas like predictive maintenance and passenger services, demonstrating how student-led innovation can strengthen national infrastructure. My message to all participants is to embrace challenges, learn from setbacks, and use your creativity and technical skills responsibly to contribute to nation-building. You are shaping the future of India, and your innovations today will drive the progress of tomorrow.”
Shri. Sudhir Kalkar, Member Managing Council, S.P. Mandali, Pune; Member CDC, WeSchool, Mumbai said; “Smart India Hackathon 2025 represents the power and potential of India’s youth to solve real national challenges. My best wishes to all the finalists who have the opportunity to create meaningful impact. The problems presented by the ministries demand practical, long-term solutions, and at WeSchool, we encourage our students to approach innovation through the ‘Five I’s’—Initiate, Inform, Involve, Integrate, and Inspire. As you innovate, look ahead to build solutions for the future, look back to your strengths, look around to leverage tools, look up with gratitude for the opportunity, and look down to stay grounded.”
Prof. Dr. Uday Salunkhe, Group Director, Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research (WeSchool) said; “At WeSchool, innovation and collaboration are central to our philosophy, and we continue to support students through incubation, mentorship, and access to funding and technology resources. Smart India Hackathon aligns perfectly with our mission of nurturing professionals who can solve real-world challenges, offering students a unique opportunity to work with Government ministries and industry experts. It places young innovators on the national radar and reinforces our Honourable Prime Minister’s vision of youth-led nation building. Last year, when the Prime Minister’s Office selected five institutions from across 40,000, WeSchool was among them, and we continue to remain among the top institutions in the country. We are proud to host teams from across India and remain committed to providing an enriching and supportive environment”
Ms. Suryakala Banerjee, HR Lead, Academic Alliances Group CoE, Tata Consultancy Services, said; “The Smart India Hackathon 2025 is not just a competition, it is a celebration of India’s future in technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. With over 75,000 ideas from 69,000 student teams this year alone, Smart India Hackathon demonstrates the power of youth-led innovation to solve real-world challenges and advance initiatives like Digital India and Atmanirbhar Bharat. At TCS, we are honored to partner in nurturing this talent through mentorship, evaluation, and co-innovation, celebrating risk-taking, creativity, and the entrepreneurial mindset that will shape the nation’s future.”
Since 2017, Smart India Hackathon has transformed into the world’s largest open innovation platform, fostering a culture of creativity, design thinking, and real-world problem-solving within the student community. Conducted in Software and Hardware editions since 2018, SIH has encouraged patent filings, supported the creation of student-led startups, and enabled the adoption of innovative solutions by government bodies and industry partners. The 2025 edition focuses on critical sectors such as Space Technology, Renewable Energy, Cybersecurity, Defence Technology, MedTech, Robotics & Drones, Smart Education, AgriTech, and Smart Automation. More than 8,160 students will travel to their respective nodal centres, demonstrating national integration and collaborative spirit under Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat.
As thousands of students engage in solving real-world challenges at nodal centres across the country, SIH continues to propel India toward an innovation-led, knowledge-driven economy aligned with the aspirations of Viksit Bharat @2047.
