ISRO opens YUVIKA 2026, sets strict merit criteria to scout Class 9th talent for space science

The Indian Space Research Organisation has announced the 2026 edition of its Young Scientist Programme, popularly known as YUVIKA, short for YUva VIgyani KAryakram. The initiative is aimed at school students and seeks to introduce them to the basics of space technology, space science, and space applications at an early stage.

ISRO has designed the programme with a clear objective, to identify young talent and guide students towards careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Officials said the move is part of a long-term effort to build India’s future scientific workforce.

Students studying in Class 9 as on January 1, 2026, and enrolled in schools within India, are eligible to apply. ISRO has made it clear that representation from every State and Union Territory will be ensured, giving students from across the country an equal opportunity.

Selection for YUVIKA-2026 will be merit-based and multi-layered. The highest weightage, 50 percent, will be given to marks secured in Class 8 or the most recent examination.

Other parameters include:

The inclusion of rural school weightage signals ISRO’s attempt to widen access and identify talent beyond urban centres.

YUVIKA-2026 will be hosted at nine major ISRO centres:

Students will receive direct exposure to space laboratories, satellite technology, remote sensing applications and propulsion systems.

ISRO will reimburse travel expenses for selected students. The reimbursement will be limited to II AC train fare or equivalent authorised AC bus fare from the nearest railway station or bus terminal to the reporting centre and back. Students must submit original travel tickets for reimbursement. If travel is undertaken in a higher class, reimbursement will be capped at the II AC fare. The agency will bear all costs related to course material, accommodation and boarding during the programme.

YUVIKA is not merely an orientation programme. It is a strategic intervention to nurture scientific curiosity at a formative age. By combining academic merit with co-curricular achievements and rural representation, ISRO appears to be widening the talent pool.

At a time when global space competition is intensifying, India’s space agency is investing in its youngest minds, long before they step into engineering colleges or research laboratories.

Applications open on February 27. For many Class 9 students, this could be their first step into the world of rockets, satellites, and space missions.