Pune: NICMAR, India’s premier institution dedicated to education in Construction, Real Estate, Infrastructure and Project Management (CRIP), has announced the launch of the Bharat Nav-Nirmaan Challenge, a nationwide initiative aimed at engaging undergraduate students in addressing real-world challenges related to India’s built environment.
The Bharat Nav-Nirmaan Challenge is supported by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and offers total prizes worth ₹30 lakh.
The initiative is open to final-year and pre-final-year students from civil engineering, architecture, planning and allied disciplines across colleges and universities in India.
Designed as a structured, multi-stage programme, the challenge enables students to apply their technical knowledge to practical infrastructure issues while gaining exposure to India’s evolving academic and industry ecosystem.
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Bharat Nav-Nirmaan Challenge Encourages Industry-Relevant Innovation
Speaking on the launch, Dr Tapash Kumar Ganguli, Director General (Interim), NICMAR, highlighted the importance of nurturing engineering-led problem-solving skills.
He stated that India is entering a phase of large-scale infrastructure expansion, creating a growing need for technically sound and innovative professionals.
The Bharat Nav-Nirmaan Challenge, he noted, provides young students with a platform to explore their interests, apply practical thinking and contribute ideas aligned with national development priorities.
Participation in the challenge is free of cost. Students are required to form teams of three members from pre-final or final years, applying through their respective colleges.
An interdisciplinary approach is encouraged, with at least two members from civil engineering, architecture or allied disciplines. Each team must submit a concise concept note proposing a solution to an infrastructure-related problem.
Structured Multi-Stage Format Across Cities and Regions
The Bharat Nav-Nirmaan Challenge follows a five-stage evaluation process comprising the College-Level Round, Online Submission Round, City Finale, Regional Finale, and the National Grand Finale to be held in Mumbai.
One team from each college advances to the next round, after which selected teams enter a national pool to submit detailed proposals evaluated by a jury.
City Finales will be hosted across major urban centres, with winning teams progressing to Regional Finales at NICMAR campuses in Pune, Hyderabad and Delhi-NCR. One regional winner from each location will qualify for the National Grand Finale in Mumbai.
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Rewards, Mentorship and Industry Exposure
Winners of the Bharat Nav-Nirmaan Challenge will receive rewards including an infrastructure excellence tour to Dubai, MacBooks, VR headsets, drone trophies and other recognitions.
Throughout the competition, participants will gain access to mentorship from NICMAR faculty, workshops conducted by engineers, planners and innovation leaders, and guidance from industry professionals.
Submissions may focus on areas such as construction technology, sustainability, digital construction, mobility solutions, housing or urban development.
Shortlisted teams will work closely with NICMAR faculty and industry mentors to refine concepts and enhance technical feasibility.
