Participation surge for Young Innovators Programme 8.0

The Young Innovators Programme (YIP), a flagship innovation movement spearheaded by the Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC), has set a new benchmark in democratising innovation across the State. YIP 8.0, the eighth cohort of the programme, has achieved historic growth with the closure of idea registrations for students in colleges and those in industrial, design, and infrastructure institutes (Categories 2-4) on December 10.

The college and higher education categories recorded 1,98,037 student registrations and 29,840 ideas, reflecting a threefold increase compared to previous cohorts.

When combined with school (category 1) submissions, YIP 8.0 has amassed an astounding 4,82,738 student registrations and 48,518 ideas - twice the participation and idea count of previous years.

A highlight of this year’s cohort is the paradigm shift in institutional participation. Unlike previous years, which saw a predominance of engineering and technical institutions, YIP 8.0 has drawn nearly 50% of the total college ideas from arts and science colleges. Significant participation from ITI students underscores the programme’s mission of inclusivity and accessibility.

The surge in participation signals a transformation — empowerment of young minds to identify real-world problems and develop solutions that create societal value. With 30.5% of all registered students submitting their ideas, YIP 8.0 demonstrates exceptional engagement and deep-rooted acceptance within Kerala’s academic ecosystem, a statement here on Friday said.