Sustainability and Impact 1st Edition Applications now open

Recognizing India's next generation of
impact creators

Presented by a coalition of leading educational and impact organisations.
Honouring student led projects driving real world change across India.

Submit your project

Applications open

6 September 2026

Submissions close

15 November 2026

The coalition behind the awards

Driven by a shared vision for change

The Gen Impact India Awards is an initiative brought to you by a consortium of organisations committed to youth led innovation.

All Boards

Open to schools and universities. CBSE, ICSE, IB,
IGCSE and State Boards, across India and abroad

50+

Schools and institutes targeted

100% Free

No application fee

Until 30 sept 2026

15 November

Submission deadline

Every project is reviewed by a jury panel drawn from academia,
social enterprise and industry, and winning students are featured across national media.

Lead organising partners

Knowledge and academic partners

Ecosystem and media partners

Our vision and mission

Lighting the spark for India's youth innovators

Every great movement starts with a single step.

The 1st Edition of the Gen Impact India Awards was established to identify,
showcase and accelerate impactful initiatives created by students across schools and higher education institutes in India.

Vision

To recognise and amplify students across India who are driving measurable awareness, sustainability and social impact in their local communities.

Mission

To celebrate young leaders whose work creates meaningful change, inspires others to act, and builds world class portfolios for university admissions.

Award categories

Six tracks. One question: what changed because of you?

Enter the track that best fits your project. Every project is judged on its own criteria.

01

Community Impact

Local projects creating measurable change through waste management, tree planting and community health drives.

Judged on

Implementation, outcomes and scalability.

02

Planet Action

Climate action, biodiversity, conservation and sustainability initiatives.

Judged on

Environmental outcomes, evidence and long-term sustainability.

03

Awareness and Advocacy

Campaigns, storytelling, journalism, podcasts and films that move audiences to act.

Judged on

Reach, clarity of message and engagement.

04

Innovation for Good

Technology, AI, entrepreneurship and design with real-world social benefits.

Judged on

Originality, feasibility and application.

05

Systems Change

Policy, governance and institutional transformation projects.

Judged on

Influence, systemic reach and leadership at scale.

06

Collective Impact

Student teams, clubs and youth organisations driving sustained initiatives.

Judged on

Structure, coordination and year-round activity.

The Awards

National Recognition
and Categories

Up to twelve awards across four categories, presented at the national award ceremony.

Up to 3 awards

Generation Impact India Champion

The highest honour. Receives extensive media coverage, university recommendation letters, and a feature speaker spot at the national award ceremony.

4 awards

Community Impact Leaders

Celebrating top performers from North, South, East, West, Central and Northeast regions.

Up to 3 awards

Breakthrough Changemaker Award

Recognising exceptional potential and growth trajectory in younger high schoolers and emerging leaders.

2 awards

Impact School or Institute of the Year

Honouring schools with the strongest sustainability infrastructure and student engagement.

Who can apply and how

Find your division

Select your academic level to review specific eligibility and award paths.

Middle School Division, Grades 6 to 8

For individual students, or teams of a minimum of 2 members.

Focus area Early stage initiatives, school community drives and emerging youth leadership.

High School Division, Grades 9 to 12

For individual students, or teams of 2 to 5, from CBSE, ICSE, IB, IGCSE and State Board schools across India and abroad.

Focus area Sustained community impact, environmental initiatives and technology for good.

College and Higher Education Division

For uxndergraduate student teams, campus clubs, or individual youth leaders.

Focus area Scalable social innovations, institutional policy changes and ecosystem partnerships.

Requirement 01

Sustained work

Active implementation for a minimum of three months, ongoing or completed, from June 2025 onwards.

Requirement 02

Easy application

A simple 15 to 20 minute submission requiring a project summary and timeline, measurable impact metrics, supporting media, and a mentor or teacher recommendation.

Requirement 03

Zero cost

No entry fees for any school, college or student group.

Key dates and award roadmap

From application to stage

6 Sep – 15 Oct 2026

Online application window open

16 – 25 Oct 2026

Judging review

Top 5 finalists per category selected

26 Oct 2026

Finalist announcements

Public People's Choice voting opens

31 Oct – 5 Nov 2026

National award ceremony

Recognition function

How applications are judged

Stage 1

Initial screening

Eligibility check, including verification of the three month active rule.

Stage 2

Jury review

Shortlisting of the top finalists across the six impact tracks.

Stage 3

Grand finale

The awards ceremony, where winners are announced and honoured.

Schools and institutions

Are you a principal or an institutional lead?

Empower your students to showcase their initiative on a national platform. Nominate your institution today, or request a virtual briefing for your school coordinators.

Submit multiple student projects across different categories
Your institution is eligible for Impact School or Institute of the Year, 2 awards
No entry fees for any school, college or student group
A virtual briefing for your school coordinators, on request
Nominate your school or college Request coordinator call

Information brochure

Everything on this page in one document, formatted for circulation to staff, students and parents.

PDF to be supplied.

Frequently asked questions

Before you apply

Why is there a minimum 3 month project stage requirement?

To ensure projects have demonstrated real world application rather than remaining just an idea on paper.

Is there an entry fee to apply?

No, participation in the Gen Impact India Awards is 100% free.

Can a school or college submit multiple entries?

Yes, institutions can submit multiple student projects across different categories.

Applications

Start your submission

Choose what you are here to do. Nothing can be saved yet, so have your project details ready before you begin.

Your entry

Lead applicant

Your institution

The work

Accepted file types: images, PDF, Word, PowerPoint or video. Up to 5 files, 10MB each.

Mentor or teacher recommendation

Consent