INSPIRE MANAK Statistics: Awards, Schools and States
· 1 min read · 3 official sources
INSPIRE Awards MANAK gave Rs 10,000 awards to 49,805 school students in 2025-26, out of 11,47,343 who took part from 2,74,528 schools, according to replies in Parliament. DST released Rs 64.65 crore under it that year up to 12 March 2026. Year-wise awards, funding, participation and state-wise school registrations are below.
INSPIRE Awards – MANAK: key numbers
Infographic
INSPIRE MANAK students awarded by year
Number of students supported under INSPIRE MANAK in each financial year, from a Rajya Sabha reply published by PIB on 23 July 2026.
| Year | Students supported |
|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 52,720 |
| 2022-23 | 43,381 |
| 2023-24 | 46,926 |
| 2024-25 | 50,009 |
| 2025-26 | 49,805 |
Source: pib.gov.in, as on 23 July 2026
Funds for INSPIRE MANAK by year
Funds allocated, released or used under INSPIRE MANAK each year. The 2025-26 figure is as on 12 March 2026. From a Lok Sabha reply published by PIB on 18 March 2026.
| Year | Funds (Rs crore) |
|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 56.10 |
| 2022-23 | 51.50 |
| 2023-24 | 53.72 |
| 2024-25 | 58.29 |
| 2025-26 (to 12 Mar) | 64.65 |
Source: pib.gov.in, as on 12 March 2026
Participation in INSPIRE MANAK by year
Students and schools that took part in INSPIRE MANAK nominations, and districts covered, from a Lok Sabha reply published by PIB on 1 April 2026.
| Year | Students who took part | Schools | Districts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 8,54,553 | 2,24,283 | 719 |
| 2024-25 | 10,13,229 | 2,53,459 | 723 |
| 2025-26 | 11,47,343 | 2,74,528 | 729 |
Source: pib.gov.in, as on 1 April 2026
States with the most schools registered on E-MIAS (2026)
Schools registered on the E-MIAS portal used for INSPIRE MANAK nominations, for the 15 states with the most schools. The all-India total is 6,98,385. From a Lok Sabha reply published by PIB on 18 March 2026.
| State | Schools registered |
|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | 88,842 |
| Karnataka | 78,072 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 71,671 |
| Rajasthan | 57,418 |
| Bihar | 45,479 |
| Odisha | 43,821 |
| Gujarat | 35,843 |
| Tamil Nadu | 35,801 |
| Chhattisgarh | 34,692 |
| Jharkhand | 32,242 |
| Maharashtra | 24,682 |
| Punjab | 22,663 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 21,343 |
| Telangana | 19,720 |
| Jammu and Kashmir | 16,797 |
Source: pib.gov.in, as on 18 March 2026
How an idea moves through INSPIRE MANAK
What the numbers show
INSPIRE Awards MANAK is the school stage of DST's INSPIRE programme, for students aged 10 to 17 in classes 6 to 12. Each selected student gets Rs 10,000 to build a model of their idea. A Rajya Sabha reply of 23 July 2026 says 49,805 students were supported in 2025-26. The yearly count has ranged from 43,381 (2022-23) to 52,720 (2021-22) over the five years shown.
Participation keeps rising
Far more students take part than win. A Lok Sabha reply of 1 April 2026 says 11,47,343 students from 2,74,528 schools took part in 2025-26, up from 8,54,553 students and 2,24,283 schools in 2023-24. The scheme reached 729 districts in 2025-26. The number of awards has stayed roughly level over the same period while participation has grown.
Funding
Funds under MANAK were Rs 56.10 crore in 2021-22 and Rs 64.65 crore in 2025-26 up to 12 March 2026, the highest in the five years shown even though the year was not complete.
Where the schools are
Schools must register on the E-MIAS portal before they can nominate students. 6,98,385 schools were registered in March 2026. Uttar Pradesh (88,842), Karnataka (78,072) and Madhya Pradesh (71,671) have the most. West Bengal has only 3,659 registered schools and Kerala 6,712, low for their size. Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas are listed separately in the reply.
What the figures do not tell you
Registration does not mean a school nominates every year. The award count is for students supported, and the reply does not split it by state. The funding table mixes amounts allocated, released or used, as the reply itself states.
Where to check
The INSPIRE Awards portal at inspireawards-dst.gov.in has the nomination window and results. DST answers questions on INSPIRE in most sessions of Parliament, and PIB publishes those replies.
Frequently asked questions
How many students get the INSPIRE MANAK award each year?
49,805 students were supported in 2025-26 and 50,009 in 2024-25, according to a Rajya Sabha reply of July 2026. Each gets Rs 10,000 to build a model of their idea.
How many students take part in INSPIRE MANAK?
11,47,343 students from 2,74,528 schools took part in 2025-26, covering 729 districts. Participation was 8,54,553 students in 2023-24.
Which state has the most schools registered for INSPIRE MANAK?
Uttar Pradesh, with 88,842 schools registered on the E-MIAS portal, followed by Karnataka with 78,072 and Madhya Pradesh with 71,671, as per a reply of March 2026.
How much does the government spend on INSPIRE MANAK?
Funds were Rs 56.10 crore in 2021-22, Rs 58.29 crore in 2024-25 and Rs 64.65 crore in 2025-26 up to 12 March 2026.
Do government school students win INSPIRE MANAK awards?
Yes. DST said in March 2026 that 1,82,430 students from government schools received awards in the last five years.
Eligibility, documents and how to apply: INSPIRE Awards – MANAK full guide
Charts, data files and the infographic are free to download, share and embed with a link back to this page.
Sources
This guide was checked against these official pages:
- pib.gov.in (www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2288309)
- pib.gov.in (www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2241758)
- pib.gov.in (www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2247715)