The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has invited school and college students to apply for the newly introduced Student Innovator/Aspiring Entrepreneur Award under National Startup Awards 6.0.
CBSE has asked schools to encourage students with innovative ideas to take part as it aims to identify and support young innovators from schools and colleges across all States and Union Territories.
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Key details
The National Startup Awards (NSA) was launched by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in 2019. The awards aim to recognise innovative, scalable and impactful startups. The 6th Edition of the National Startup Awards (NSA 6.0) was launched on 27th October, 2026.
There are 20 sectors and 3 special categories, Women-led Startups, Startups from the North-Eastern Region and Student Innovators/Aspiring Entrepreneurs. The winner of each category will win ₹25 Lakh with total prize money of ₹5.75 Crore.
across 23 categories.
Four sub-categories for students
This category has been introduced this year with a total prize fund of ₹25 Lakh. The prize funding is split into four categories by age:
| Sub-category | Age group | Winner prize | Runner-up prize | Category total |
| Budding | 10–14 years | Rs 3 lakh | Rs 2 lakh | Rs 5 lakh |
| Rising Innovators | 14–16 years | Rs 3 lakh | Rs 2 lakh | Rs 5 lakh |
| Young Changemaker | 16–18 years | Rs 4 lakh | Rs 2 lakh | Rs 6 lakh |
| Aspiring Entrepreneur | College students | To be confirmed in official guidelines | To be confirmed in official guidelines | Part of Rs 25 lakh pool |
How nominations work
The Student category is different from the other Startup categories. Each state or UT can send up to 10 nominees. The State/UT Startup Nodal Agency will assess the applications and select the best teams. Those nominated will receive the opportunity to present on a national level and receive certificates of appreciation from DPIIT.
CBSE has asked schools to identify students who are eligible and have creative solutions and entrepreneurial flair, support outreach and nominations. Schools should follow the guidelines and criteria outlined. Full details are available on the Startup India website here.
Startup Category Timeline
The Schedule runs applications from October 2026 to incubator evaluation and selection in November. Shortlisted nominees will be assessed by a Sectoral Committee on December 15th. Finalists will pitch to the National Jury from January 2nd to 7th, 2027. Winners will be announced on National Startup Day on January 16th 2027.
Who to contact
Queries can be made to Dr. Bhuvnesh Pratap Singh, Director, DPIIT (7762843006) and Ms. Pratiti S, Senior Manager, Startup India Hub (8197915918).
CBSE has asked schools to promote the awards and encourage eligible students to participate and create an innovative, creative and entrepreneurial culture.
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Conclusion
The National Startup Awards 6.0 is the 6th edition of the annual recognition for startups and innovators by DPIIT. This year there are 20 sectors and 3 special categories: Women-Led Startup of the Year, North-East Startup Excellence and Student Innovator/Aspiring Entrepreneur.
The Student category has been introduced for the first time. According to DPIIT, this category is to create an innovative and entrepreneurial culture among young people and widen the scope of the National Startup Awards to include startups that are not yet established.
Students who are eligible should apply before the November 20th 2026. Once the deadline has passed applications will be collated by state and union territory. Support will be provided for outreach and mentoring by state and UT startup nodal agencies.
Queries can be made to Startup India at [email protected] or call the toll-free number 1800 115 565 between 10:00 AM and 5:30 PM.
Source
Official Notice by CBSE, 24 October, 2026: click here to read.
Kindly note that any and all information is subject to change as per CBSE, the Education Ministry, and Government of India.
