Gandhinagar: Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Thursday launched the Gujarat Gyan Guru Quiz (G3Q-2026) and the Seva First Innovation Challenge (SFIC) at Gandhinagar Town Hall, opening two state-level initiatives focused on knowledge, technology, innovation and youth participation.
Organised jointly by the State Education Department and the Science and Technology Department, the initiatives aim to connect students and citizens with knowledge about government programmes, development initiatives and contemporary challenges while creating opportunities for young people to use technology and creativity for practical solutions.
The G3Q-2026 will offer cash prizes worth more than ₹11 crore, while the Seva First Innovation Challenge carries prizes worth ₹1 crore.
CM Patel Calls on Students to Become ‘Yojana Doots’
Addressing students at the launch, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said student life provides an opportunity to balance education and career-building with social responsibility.
He encouraged students to understand government schemes and help eligible family members, friends and other citizens access their benefits. According to the Chief Minister, people can sometimes miss out on welfare schemes because they lack information about eligibility requirements or the application process.
Patel suggested that students can act as ‘Yojana Doots’, helping people obtain accurate information about government schemes and supporting eligible beneficiaries in accessing them.
He also highlighted the government’s focus on taking welfare benefits beyond urban centres and reaching villages and people who remain outside the coverage of various schemes. He referred to the state’s saturation approach for areas such as gas connections, housing and water connections.
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G3Q-2026 to Combine Knowledge, Competition and Scheme Awareness
The Gujarat Gyan Guru Quiz has been designed to combine learning with competition and awareness. The 2026 edition will cover students from Classes 9 to 12, college students and general citizens of Gujarat.
The competition will take place at three levels — taluka/municipal corporation, district and state — over a period of eight weeks.
Participants can play the online quiz from 8 AM to 10 PM, Sunday to Friday. Registration opened on September 18 through the G3Q portal, while the competition is scheduled to begin on September 20.
The state-level prizes include ₹1 lakh for the first school-level winner and ₹3 lakh for the first college-level winner. Overall prize money of more than ₹11 crore will be transferred directly to winners’ bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
The initiative builds on Gujarat’s earlier Gyan Guru Quiz programme, which has also been used as an educational and competitive platform. The state’s Knowledge Consortium of Gujarat has previously undertaken work related to video-based multiple-choice questions for the G3Q.
AI-Based Learning to Be Part of G3Q-2026
Education Minister Dr Pradyuman Vaja said the 2026 edition will go beyond a conventional quiz by integrating an AI-based learning system.
The system is intended to provide students with a personalised learning experience while making the competition more interactive. The participation base has also been expanded to include not only school and college students but general citizens of the state.
Vaja said youth can contribute to the development of a Viksit Bharat through knowledge, technology and service. He described the initiatives as an effort to connect students’ knowledge, creativity and enthusiasm with nation-building.
He also encouraged young participants to remain curious, work hard and develop clear goals. Referring to scientists such as Jagadish Chandra Bose, C.V. Raman and Newton, he stressed the importance of learning through experimentation and persistence.
Seva First Innovation Challenge Targets Real-World Problems
Alongside G3Q-2026, the government launched the Seva First Innovation Challenge to encourage students to develop technology-based solutions for practical problems.
Under the theme “One Problem, One Idea, One Revolutionary Solution,” participating teams will work on challenges faced by government departments, municipal corporations and industries.
The initiative will allow students to develop prototypes and receive guidance from experts. Around 20,000 students are expected to be connected with real-world administrative and industrial challenges.
The best innovations will compete for prizes worth ₹1 crore. Students and youth from across Gujarat can register through the SFIC portal.
The challenge is intended to provide a bridge between classroom learning and practical problem-solving, giving students an opportunity to apply technical knowledge to issues affecting public systems and society.
Youth Participation Linked to Viksit Bharat@2047
Chief Minister Patel also urged young people to participate in the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan, being organised around the 25 years of public service associated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said development should not remain limited to major cities and emphasised the need to bring different sections of society into the mainstream of development.
Patel also encouraged students to contribute through service-oriented activities, including cleanliness awareness and other initiatives according to their convenience.
He said collective participation by citizens and the government, particularly young people, is necessary to advance the broader vision of Viksit Bharat.
From Job Seekers to Job Creators
Minister of State for Higher and Technical Education Trikam Chhanga said the programmes are also aimed at strengthening youth participation in the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.
He said the strength of a state or country depends significantly on its human resources and youth. The government aims to create an environment where young people can become not only job seekers but also job creators.
According to him, platforms such as quizzes and hackathons can help students develop creativity, innovative thinking and logical skills.
The launch was attended by Additional Chief Secretary, Education Department, Mukesh Kumar, Commissioner of Higher and Technical Education Dilip Rana, officials and employees of the Education Department, educationists and a large number of students.
With G3Q-2026 combining digital learning, competition and public-scheme awareness, and SFIC connecting students with real-world technological challenges, Gujarat is placing youth participation at the centre of its education, innovation and development initiatives.
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