Karnataka Innovation Top Idea Grand Finale 2022-23 winning school teams yet to get cash prize and award certificate:

Government school student teams who won the Karnataka Innovation Prototyping Camp and Top Idea Grand Finale 2022-23, held by Samagra Shikshana-Karnataka (SSK) in July 2023, have not received the prize amount and award certificate even after seven months.

Government school student teams who won the Karnataka Innovation Prototyping Camp and Top Idea Grand Finale 2022-23, held by Samagra Shikshana-Karnataka (SSK) in July 2023, have not received the prize amount and award certificate even after seven months.

“The grand finale award ceremony was held in Bengaluru on July 24, 2023. However, only award certificates were distributed to the winning teams, not cash prize. As soon as the ceremony was over, the organisers took back the certificates owing to some errors and they promised us that they would correct the errors and redistribute them. However, neither the award certificates nor the prize amount have been given so far,” the winning student teams alleged.

The Karnataka Innovation Prototyping Camp and Top Idea Grand Finale was organised by ‘Yuwaah’ in collaboration with UNICEF, Skill India and SSK to inculcate the spirit of innovation and enhance creativity among schoolchildren. The competition consisted of demonstration of models invented by government school students and prototyping boot camp and grand finale.

A total of 32 teams from across the State participated in the grand finale with their new inventions. Prizes were announced for the top six ideas finally.

‘Crops dryer’ developed by the students of Government High School of Niluvagilu, Chikkamagaluru district won the first prize. The second prize was awarded to ‘waste plastic low cost home’ developed by the students of Government Higher Primary School, Devagalli, Mysuru, and the third prize was awarded to the ‘vegetable grower’ unit invented by the students of Government Higher Primary School, Belni village, Uttara Kannada district.

‘Eco house’ developed by students of Government Co-Junior College, Hunnur, Bagalkot district, ‘fuel sensor’ developed by students of Government PU Boys College (High school), Chitradurga district, and ‘weed cutting machine’ by students of Government Higher Primary School, Yaranal, Vijayapura district got consolation prizes.

“We made innovations for this competition with our own pocket money, participated in the grand finale and won the prize. As this is a State-level competition, the award certificate has more value. However, owing to the negligence of the organisers, there is no prize amount or award certificate,” the students said.