Gujarat project to help children secure patents for innovative ideas
Gandhinagar, June 23
A new initiative aimed at helping children transform original ideas into intellectual property rights has been launched in Gujarat, with plans to support the filing of provisional patents for up to 30 innovations developed by school-age students.
The project, called Kidnovation, has been launched by the Children's Research University (CRU) set up by the Gujarat government, and will identify around 100 talented children from across the state.
The programme seeks to promote creativity, scientific thinking and experiential learning in line with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Announcing the initiative on Tuesday, Dr T.S. Joshi, Vice-Chancellor of the Children's Research University, said selected participants would receive specialised training in prototyping, design and innovation before their ideas are assessed for patentability.
"Under this project, around 100 talented children from across Gujarat will be selected. The selected children will receive specialised training in prototyping, design and innovation. After evaluating their creative ideas, provisional patents for 20 to 30 innovative concepts will be filed with the Indian Patent Office. Importantly, 100 per cent ownership of the patents will remain in the names of the children themselves," Joshi said.
The project was launched on the 87th death anniversary of educationist Gijubhai Badheka.
According to the university, the initiative is intended to encourage children to move beyond idea generation and gain exposure to the scientific, technical and legal processes involved in innovation.
Officials said the institution was conceived during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Gujarat chief minister, with a focus on nurturing creativity among children and encouraging innovation through education.
The programme will run from June 23 to November 15, 2026. During July and August, organisers will conduct idea-scouting and mentoring activities across the state.
In September, shortlisted concepts will undergo scientific evaluation and screening. A two-day residential prototyping boot camp is scheduled for October 15 and 16 at the Children's Research University to coincide with the birth anniversary of former President Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
Around 50 children are expected to participate in the camp, where selected ideas will be developed into working prototypes.
Nilesh Pandya, Director of the Training Centre at the Children's Research University, said the project would also create a long-term record of participants' innovation journeys.
"During the project, the innovation journeys of all 100 children will be documented and compiled into a 'Kidnovation Log', which will be made permanently available as a digital archive. In addition, a policy-based white paper on intellectual property development in primary education will be prepared and submitted to the Education Department of the state government," Pandya said.
Several organisations will support the implementation of the programme by assisting with patent drafting, prototyping, innovation screening, teacher coordination and documentation.
The initiative comes as Gujarat continues to place emphasis on creativity and Indian knowledge traditions within its education system.
By linking student innovations with the patent process, the project aims to provide young innovators with formal recognition and ownership of their original ideas.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is an interesting concept, but I wonder about the execution. Filing patents is expensive and complex even for adults – are we sure 12-year-olds can navigate this process effectively? The training component sounds good, but I hope the focus remains on nurturing curiosity rather than just creating paperwork. Still, any initiative that gets kids excited about science is a win in my book.
As a teacher in Ahmedabad, I can tell you the real challenge is identifying these 100 kids. Many talented children in rural Gujarat don't even have access to proper science labs, forget about patent guidance. The idea is wonderful – especially keeping 100% ownership with the children – but I hope the scouting teams actually visit smaller towns and talukas, not just schools in cities. The Kidnovation Log digital archive is a brilliant touch though! 📚
Impressive that they're launching this on Gijubhai Badheka's death anniversary – fitting tribute to a pioneer of child-centered education. The prototyping bootcamp on October 15-16 coinciding with Dr. Kalam's birthday is also a nice touch. My only concern is the timeline: November 2026 end date seems a bit rushed for serious patent work. But if even 10 of these patents become real products, this project will be a huge success.
Honestly, I have mixed feelings. On one hand, this is fantastic for building a culture of innovation from a young age. On the other hand, our school curriculum is already overloaded and teachers are burdened with non-teaching work. How will they manage this extra responsibility? The government should also ensure that children who don't get selected don't feel discouraged. But yes, cheers to CRU for thinking different! ✨
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