ANNOUNCEMENT
Registrations for NSTS 2026 are Now Open!•Grand Finale Cash Prizes & National Recognition•Idea Submission Deadline: Nov 30, 2026•Address UN Sustainable Development Goals•Registrations for NSTS 2026 are Now Open!•Grand Finale Cash Prizes & National Recognition•Idea Submission Deadline: Nov 30, 2026•Address UN Sustainable Development Goals•Registrations for NSTS 2026 are Now Open!•Grand Finale Cash Prizes & National Recognition•Idea Submission Deadline: Nov 30, 2026•Address UN Sustainable Development Goals•Registrations for NSTS 2026 are Now Open!•Grand Finale Cash Prizes & National Recognition•Idea Submission Deadline: Nov 30, 2026•Address UN Sustainable Development Goals•
NIST Science Talent Search Logo
National Science Talent Search 2026

EMPOWERING INDIA'S
YOUNG INNOVATORS

Fostering scientific curiosity, research excellence, and UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) solutions for school students across the nation.

Register NowExplore Prospectus

About NIST Science Talent Search

NSTS Prize Trophy & Cash Rewards

National Level Event

The top 10 finalist teams will be invited for national level event in 10th December 2026. The summit will consist of:

  • •Final assessment of their project/innovation
  • •Interactions with renowned scientists, technocrats and thought leaders
  • •Presentation of innovations to panel of judges and scientific community
  • •Opportunity to exchange ideas and insights with peers

Cash Prizes:

₹50,000
Winner
₹30,000
Runner Up
₹20,000
2nd Runner Up

Past Winners & Event Gallery

Celebrating excellence, innovation, and memories from previous NIST Science Talent Search competitions

Team: P-CUBE
1st Place 2024

Team: P-CUBE

DAV Public School, Kalinga Naga

Power Pedal Pro

Team: ALPHA WOLVES
2nd Place 2024

Team: ALPHA WOLVES

DAV Public School, Unit-8

Interactive Braille Learning system

Team: AIR GUARDIANS
3rd Place 2024

Team: AIR GUARDIANS

DPS, Miyapur

Cafe- Clean Air For Environment

Photo Archive 2023 & 2024

NSTS Event Photo Gallery

Browse through high-resolution photo highlights from NIST Science Talent Search 2023 & 2024 editions including project displays, jury evaluations, awards, and valedictory moments.

Explore Full Gallery

Our Outreach Partners

We collaborate with leading organizations to provide the best opportunities for young scientists

MERA INNOVATIONNRDCREGIONAL SCIENCE CENTRECISER
Interactive Landscape Route Map

NSTS 2026 Event Journey Track

Scroll horizontally or click any stop to inspect all 15 milestones from October launch to December Grand Finale & Site Visit.

01
Oct 01
[Thursday]
Start Line

Launch of Portal

Official opening of the NSTS online registration and idea submission portal.

Step 1 of 15★ Active Stop
02
Oct 04
[Sunday]
Briefing #1

First Briefing Session

First briefing about the event, competition structure, evaluation criteria, and timeline.

Step 2 of 15Inspect →
03
Oct 11
[Sunday]
Briefing #2

SDG Problem Formulation

Briefing on problem identification and solution formulation aligned with 17 UN SDGs.

Step 3 of 15Inspect →
04
Oct 18
[Sunday]
Briefing #3

AI for Accelerated Solutions

Briefing on leveraging AI models & tools to accelerate scientific prototype development.

Step 4 of 15Inspect →
05
Oct 25
[Sunday]
Briefing #4

Productization & Commercialization

Briefing on Idea to Productization, commercialization readiness, TRL, and CRL/MRL levels.

Step 5 of 15Inspect →
06
Oct 31
[Saturday]
Critical Stop

Application Closure

Final deadline for student team registration and 2-page executive summary submission.

Step 6 of 15Inspect →
07
Nov 01
[Sunday]
Guidance Session

Screening Guidance Session

Guidance session for registered teams on preparing slides and pitch presentation for screening.

Step 7 of 15Inspect →
08
Nov 05-07
[Thu - Sat]
Screening Round

Online Screening Round

Online screening evaluations conducted by national jury members (15 days prior to regional event).

Step 8 of 15Inspect →
09
Nov 08
[Sunday]
Result Announcement

Screening Results Announcement

Official announcement of online screening results and publication of regional qualifier teams.

Step 9 of 15Inspect →
10
Nov 20
[Friday]
Regional Hub

Regional Physical Presentation

Regional physical presentation event (at least 1 team per state, max 10 total teams per regional center).

Step 10 of 15Inspect →
11
Nov 21
[Saturday]
Regional Qualifiers

Regional Shortlist Announcement

Announcement of regional shortlisted finalist teams: 2 teams selected per regional zone.

Step 11 of 15Inspect →
12
Nov 22
[Sunday]
Finale Prep

Finalist Briefing & PPT Standardization

Briefing for national finalist teams & allocation of faculty mentors and volunteers for PPT standardization.

Step 12 of 15Inspect →
13
Nov 24
[Tuesday]
NOC Verification

Principal NOC Submission

Mandatory online submission of No Objection Certificate (NOC) endorsed by School Principals.

Step 13 of 15Inspect →
14
Dec 05
[Saturday]
Destination Finale

NSTS Grand Finale

National Grand Finale exhibition, live jury presentation, cash prize awards (₹50k, ₹30k, ₹20k) and recognition.

Step 14 of 15Inspect →
15
Dec 06
[Sunday]
Final Stop

Industrial & Lab Site Visit

Post-summit educational tour of state-of-the-art research laboratories and innovation hubs for delegates.

Step 15 of 15Inspect →

Key Takeaways

What participants gain from the NIST Science Talent Search

National Recognition

National recognition for young talent, specifically in the domain of STEM.

Rewards & Prizes

Get rewarded with multiple awards and prizes at all levels.

Scientific Meta-cognition

Reinforce scientific meta-cognition of the participant, helping them excel in their future life.

Global Networking

Network with key persons in innovation sphere at international level, and peers at other institutes.

Competitive Spirit

Imbibe healthy competitive spirit among peers through showcasing one's innovative ideas.

Innovation Inspiration

Inspire students to innovate disruptive solutions for local & global issues.

Eligibility Criteria

Requirements for participating in the NIST Science Talent Search

NSTS ASPIRANT

School Students (13-19 Yrs)

Official Entry 2026
1

Age Requirement

Participants must be between 13 and 19 years old at the time of registration.

2

SPOC Role

The SPOC will handle all student inquiries & assist at school level

3

Group Composition

Group size: 2-3 students belonging to the same school

4

Mentor Faculty

Each group selected for the finale shall get a mentor faculty from their institute

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Project Innovation Domains

Every NSTS project proposal must align with one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to tackle real-world global challenges.

Official United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Poster
Official UN Framework Poster

Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda

The Sustainable Development Goals are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and improve the lives and prospects of everyone, everywhere. NSTS student teams select one goal as their primary innovation domain.

Explore UN SDGs Framework
GOAL 01

No Poverty

Addressing UN Sustainable Development Goal #1 for global impact.

NSTS Domain #1→
GOAL 02

Zero Hunger

Addressing UN Sustainable Development Goal #2 for global impact.

NSTS Domain #2→
GOAL 03

Good Health and Well-being

Addressing UN Sustainable Development Goal #3 for global impact.

NSTS Domain #3→
GOAL 04

Quality Education

Addressing UN Sustainable Development Goal #4 for global impact.

NSTS Domain #4→
GOAL 05

Gender Equality

Addressing UN Sustainable Development Goal #5 for global impact.

NSTS Domain #5→
GOAL 06

Clean Water and Sanitation

Addressing UN Sustainable Development Goal #6 for global impact.

NSTS Domain #6→
GOAL 07

Affordable and Clean Energy

Addressing UN Sustainable Development Goal #7 for global impact.

NSTS Domain #7→
GOAL 08

Decent Work and Economic Growth

Addressing UN Sustainable Development Goal #8 for global impact.

NSTS Domain #8→
GOAL 09

Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Addressing UN Sustainable Development Goal #9 for global impact.

NSTS Domain #9→
GOAL 10

Reduced Inequalities

Addressing UN Sustainable Development Goal #10 for global impact.

NSTS Domain #10→
GOAL 11

Sustainable Cities and Communities

Addressing UN Sustainable Development Goal #11 for global impact.

NSTS Domain #11→
GOAL 12

Responsible Consumption and Production

Addressing UN Sustainable Development Goal #12 for global impact.

NSTS Domain #12→
GOAL 13

Climate Action

Addressing UN Sustainable Development Goal #13 for global impact.

NSTS Domain #13→
GOAL 14

Life Below Water

Addressing UN Sustainable Development Goal #14 for global impact.

NSTS Domain #14→
GOAL 15

Life on Land

Addressing UN Sustainable Development Goal #15 for global impact.

NSTS Domain #15→
GOAL 16

Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Addressing UN Sustainable Development Goal #16 for global impact.

NSTS Domain #16→
GOAL 17

Partnerships for the Goals

Addressing UN Sustainable Development Goal #17 for global impact.

NSTS Domain #17→
Official UN Framework

Learn More About The 17 Global Goals

Explore the official United Nations portal for targets, indicators, and global research guidelines to strengthen your project proposal.

UN SDGs Portal

Contact Us

Have questions? Get in touch with our team

Address

NIST University Institute Park, Berhampur, ODISHA-761008

Phone

+91 7381234541 | +91 7381234540 | +91 7381234553

Email

talentsearch@nist.edu