India's flagship project-based
learning competition for school students enters its 7th edition with
startup-style problem solving, future-focused themes, and a national innovation
platform for Classes 6 to 9
•
Rs 12 lakh prize pool with
national-level recognition; over Rs 72 lakh awarded to 72 national winners
across six editions
•
Four future-focused themes: AI
& Digital Futures, Climate & Sustainability, Medical Innovation, and
Robotics & Automation
•
Students take on real-world
innovation roles such as Project Lead, Research Analyst, Technical Designer,
and Creative Strategist
•
Aligned with NEP 2020 and designed
to move beyond rote learning toward hands-on problem solving
• Registrations now open; National Grand Finale to be held on November 22, 2026
New
Delhi: As India pushes to build a generation equipped for a rapidly
evolving economy, HCL Jigsaw is returning with a larger ambition and a sharper
focus on real-world innovation. Registrations for the 7th edition of HCL’s
flagship student innovation platform officially open today, bringing together
project-based learning, startup-style collaboration, and hands-on problem
solving for students from Classes 6 to 9.
With a Rs 12 lakh prize pool and a
redesigned format, Edition 7 marks a significant shift from traditional
quiz-based competition models. Instead of testing recall, students will work in
teams to identify real-world problems, build solutions, develop prototypes, and
pitch their ideas at a national finale.
Since its launch, HCL Jigsaw has
reached over 5,00,000 students across 8,200 schools spanning 28 states and 8
Union Territories. This year’s edition builds on that scale while placing
greater emphasis on creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and applied
innovation. Students will move through a structured five-stage journey covering
problem identification, design thinking, prototyping, product development, and
pitching. Teams will also assume defined innovation roles such as Project Lead,
Research Analyst, Technical Designer, and Creative Strategist, reflecting how
modern startups and product teams operate in the real world.
Solving
for a Better India: Four Themes That Matter
Student teams will tackle
real-world challenges across one of four themes:
•
AI & Digital Futures: AI-powered
solutions, smart digital systems, responsible AI, and emerging technologies
•
Climate & Sustainability: Renewable
energy, waste management, water conservation, and climate-tech innovation
•
Medical Innovation: Healthcare
accessibility, smart diagnostics, wellness technologies, and assistive
innovation
•
Robotics & Automation:
Robotics systems, intelligent automation, manufacturing innovation, and
industrial technology
•
Teams will be encouraged to create working models, functional
prototypes, digital products, AI concepts, or IoT-based demonstrations as part
of their submissions.
“At HCL, we
believe young minds have the potential to become creators of meaningful change
when they are given the right opportunities and exposure. Through HCL Jigsaw,
we want students to move beyond textbook learning and experience innovation as
a process of curiosity, experimentation, collaboration, and problem solving”.
— Sundar Mahalingam, President – Strategy, HCL Group
A
Five-Stage Journey to the National Finale
The competition will unfold
through five stages:
•
Stage 1 — Outreach &
Onboarding (May–July): School registrations, team formation, and theme
orientation
•
Stage 2 — Foundational Learning:
Design thinking modules, future-skills content, and innovation frameworks
•
Stage 3 — Role-Based Building:
Teams build and test prototypes with expert-led webinars on product building
and pitching
•
Stage 4 — Pitch Perfect:
Submission of pitch videos, jury evaluation, and zonal shortlisting (top 10%
teams per grade per zone advance)
•
Stage 5 — National Grand Finale
(November 22, 2026): Live prototype presentations in front of industry experts
and HCL leaders
Registrations will remain open
until July 31, 2026, with schools from across India eligible to participate.
Beyond Competition
HCL Jigsaw aims to create an
ecosystem that nurtures innovation at an early age. In addition to prizes and
national recognition, selected students will gain exposure to HCL Innovation
Labs, product-thinking workshops, and emerging technology ecosystems.
By combining structured learning
with hands-on experimentation, HCL Jigsaw is positioning itself not simply as a
student competition, but as a platform designed to encourage young innovators
to think bigger, build earlier, and solve for the future.