How to take part

Only a participating institution can select a student. Look for yours in the list of participating institutions. If it is not there, ask the Head of your institution to register it by 21 Oct 2026.

Between 15 Oct 2026 and 21 Oct 2026, your institution assesses its interested students. If it uses the portal's online test, your Institutional Coordinator gives you its link and access code: 50 questions in 30 minutes, in the language you choose.

Your institution selects one student on merit. The selected student receives a personal registration link by e-mail.

Register with your personal link, or on the registration page by choosing your institution. Keep ready a photograph, an ID proof, the nomination form signed and sealed by the Head of your institution, and the details of your Faculty Supervisor/Guide.

The Nodal Officer of your State/UT verifies your application, and CICT announces the selected students by e-mail and on this portal. Follow your application on the Application status page.

You take part in the one-month internship and the live online orientation, write a research paper with your Faculty Supervisor/Guide, and receive a stipend of ₹10,000. The dates are on the Schedule.

Register your institution with the details of the Head of the Institution, the Institutional Coordinator and the Faculty Supervisor/Guide. If your Nodal Institution has listed your institution, complete the registration from the invitation e-mail. The Nodal Officer of your State/UT accepts it.

Sign in with the e-mail address of the Institutional Coordinator or of the Head of the Institution. A six-digit code is mailed to you; there is no password.

Switch on the portal's online test, choose its days, and give your students its link and access code; you see every student's score, ranked. You may also assess them in any other suitable mode.

Select the student on the institution's page, from the ranked list or by entering a student assessed in another way. The portal mails the student a personal registration link, with a copy to you.

Have the nomination form signed and sealed by the Head of the Institution and give it to the student, who uploads it with the registration. The institution's page shows you when the student has registered.

Organise Thirukkural activities for all your students, such as essay writing, quizzes, recitation, storytelling and poster-making, and send a brief report to CICT in the prescribed format.

CICT creates the console account of the Nodal Officer of each State/UT from the details furnished by the Nodal Institution. You sign in to the console with your e-mail address.

Upload the list of institutions identified by your Nodal Institution (Annexure-II) under Institutions in the console: each one is invited by e-mail. Accept or decline the institutions that apply on the portal, by 21 Oct 2026.

The Progress page of the console shows which institutions of your State/UT have assessed their students, selected one and registered them, with their coordinators. The portal reminds those that are behind, and you can remind them too.

In the verification queue of the console, check each student's photograph, ID proof and nomination form, and verify the application or reject it with a remark.

Encourage the campus activities of the institutions of your State/UT and help CICT gather their reports.