The Young Innovators Program (YIP), a flagship innovation movement spearheaded by the Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC), has set a new benchmark in democratizing innovation across the state. YIP 8.0, the program’s eighth cohort, achieved historic growth by closing idea registrations for university students and students of industrial, design and infrastructure institutes (categories 2-4) on 10 December.
The College and Higher Education categories saw 1,98,037 student registrations and 29,840 ideas, a three-fold increase compared to previous cohorts.
Combined with submissions from schools (Category 1), YIP 8.0 received a staggering 4,82,738 student registrations and 48,518 ideas – double the participation and ideas of previous years.
The highlight of this year’s cohort is a paradigm shift in institutional participation. Unlike previous years, when engineering and technical institutions predominated, YIP 8.0 drew nearly 50% of total college ideas from arts and science colleges. The significant participation of ITI students underscores the program’s mission of inclusivity and accessibility.
The increase in participation signals a transformation – empowering young minds to identify real-world problems and develop solutions that create social value. With 30.5% of all registered students pitching their ideas, YIP 8.0 is demonstrating exceptional engagement and deep-rooted acceptance within Kerala’s academic ecosystem, a statement said here on Friday.
Published – 12 Dec 2025 20:49 IST
