NEW DELHI: The government is actively supporting the curiosity and conviction of youths by removing obstacles in their paths through reforms, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told young innovators on Wednesday.
Interacting with the innovators during the grand finale of the ‘Smart India Hackathon (SIH),’ Modi asserted that the youth today is developing a feeling of ownership towards finding ways to overcome the challenges being faced by the country.
“The future of the world is going to be driven by knowledge and innovation, and India’s youth are its hope and aspiration in changing situations. Their perspective, thinking, and energy are different. The world is acknowledging that India’s strength is its innovative youth power.
“We have introduced a new national education policy to nurture a scientific mindset. The government is actively supporting the curiosity and conviction of youths by removing obstacles through reforms,” Modi said, addressing more than 1,300 student teams via video conferencing.
Stressing the need to think outside the box to overcome challenges, Modi said his government is standing with youths at every stage of their careers and working according to their needs.
The prime minister said hackathons were not just a formal event but a way to provide new opportunities to youths as part of the “pro-people” governance model.
Modi emphasised the importance of focusing on emerging sectors to position India as an economic superpower. He said sectors like digital content creation and gaming, which were not well developed a decade ago, are now rapidly evolving in India.
“These sectors are opening up new career paths and giving young people opportunities to explore and experiment,” he said.
The seventh edition of the SIH concurrently began at 51 nodal centres nationwide on Wednesday. The ‘Software Edition’ will run nonstop for 36 hours, while the ‘Hardware Edition’ will continue from December 11 to 15.
Like past editions, the student teams will work on either the problem statements given by ministries, departments, or industries or submit their ideas under the Student Innovation category against any of the 17 themes linked to sectors of national importance.
These sectors are healthcare, supply chain and logistics, smart technologies, heritage and culture, sustainability, education and skill development, water, agriculture and food, emerging technologies, and disaster management.
According to the Ministry of Education, this year, more than 250 problem statements have been submitted by 54 ministries, departments, state governments, PSUs, and industries.
“A 150 percent increase has been recorded in internal hackathons at the institute level, growing from over 900 in the SIH 2023 to around 2,247 in the SIH 2024, making this the largest edition so far.
“More than 86,000 teams have participated in the SIH 2024 at the institute level, and around 49,000 student teams (each consisting of six students and two mentors) have been recommended by these institutes for the national level round,” a ministry official said.
During the finale, the prime minister interacted with Sayeeda from the ‘Big Brains Team’ from the nodal centre NIT, Srinagar. The team worked on a problem statement of building a tool called ‘Virtual Reality Friend’ from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, which would cater to children with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability.
When Modi asked whether any of the team members had interacted with children with special needs to understand their challenges, Sayeeda replied that one of the team member’s relatives was suffering from autism. The team also visited centres dealing with children affected by autism; Modi was informed.
The team leader of ‘Hack Dreamers,’ with their nodal centre in IIT Kharagpur, informed the prime minister about their problem statement of cybersecurity given by the National Technical Research Organisation owing to the rising cyberattacks in India.
Noting that India is one of the leading digital economies in the world and the nation is digitally connecting on different scales, the prime minister said the threats of cybercrime are constantly on the rise.
“Therefore, the solutions to cybercrime are crucial for India’s future,” Modi said.
Of the 51 centres, the National Institute of Technology, Srinagar, was chosen as the host for the grand finale for the first time, a spokesperson of the premier institute said.
Director of NIT Srinagar, Binod Kumar Kanojiya, stressed the institute’s commitment to excellence and underscored the importance of the Smart India Hackathon in bridging the gap between academic learning and real-world problem-solving.
“As one of the 51 nodal centres, NIT Srinagar has emerged as a hub for innovation, hosting 25 teams to develop real-world solutions. The institute is known for its academic excellence and state-of-the-art facilities,” said Atikur Rahman, registrar of NIT Srinagar.
This year’s edition of SIH has seen a remarkable 240 percent increase in internal hackathons, growing from 900 in 2023 to over 2,247 in 2024, making it the largest edition to date, an official statement said.
More than 86,000 teams participated at the institute level, with around 49,000 advancing to the national-level rounds.
