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
Staff Reporter : New Delhi, 16th May, 2026: 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.
5,00,000+ Students | 8,200+ Schools | 28 States & 8 UTs | Rs 72 Lakh+ in Prizes | 72 National Winners
About HCL Jigsaw
HCL Jigsaw is a nationwide Project-Based Learning and Innovation Platform designed for students of Classes 6 to 9. Aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the platform focuses on developing critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, technology literacy, and an innovation-led mindset among young learners. Powered by HCL, the programme is now in its 7th edition.
Register at: www.hcljigsaw.com
#HCLJigsaw | #BuildTheFuture | #YoungInnovators | #ProjectBasedLearning
About HCL Group:
Founded in 1976 as one of India’s original IT garage start-ups, HCL Group is a pioneer of modern computing with many firsts to its credit, including the introduction of the 8-bit microprocessor-based computer in 1978, well before its global peers. Today, the HCL Group has a presence across varied sectors that include technology, healthcare and talent management solutions and comprises three companies – HCL Infosystems, HCLTech and HCL Healthcare. The conglomerate generates annual revenues of over US$14.7 billion with 227,000 employees operating across 60 countries. For further information, visit – www.hcl.com.
