CBSE Science Exhibition 2026-27: Rules and 14 Ideas

The CBSE Science Exhibition 2026-27 is open to students of Classes 6 to 11, in teams of up to two students and one science teacher, on the theme "STEM for Science, Technology and Innovation for a Sustainable and Viksit Bharat". Schools (not students) must register, pay the fee and submit project details online between 27 October and 14 November 2026.

This guide covers CBSE Circular Acad-69/2026 (27 October 2026): sub-themes, team rules, judging marks and the next rounds. It ends with 14 low-cost project ideas, two per sub-theme. The ideas are our suggestions, not CBSE's.

What CBSE has announced

The exhibition runs first at the regional level and then at the national level, between November 2026 and January 2027.

Theme: STEM for Science, Technology and Innovation for a Sustainable and Viksit Bharat (the circular spells it "Vikshit").

Seven sub-themes:

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Better Life
2. Green Energy & Environmental Conservation
3. Mathematical Modelling and Computational Thinking
4. Health, Hygiene and Sanitation
5. Indigenous Agricultural Practices
6. Science for Rural Transformation
7. Disaster Management

A project may be an investigation-based study, an application of basic principles of science and technology, or a novel solution or indigenous design to a problem. Exhibits must be made with eco-friendly materials.

Who can take part and how teams work

Registration and fee

• Who registers: the school, using its LOC credentials on the CBSE Science Exhibition portal.
• Dates: 27 October to 14 November 2026. The last date for registration and fee payment is 14 November 2026.
• Fee: the circular says "The registration fee for all schools is Rs. 3000/-", paid through the online payment gateway. The user guide attached to the circular adds that the fee "will be calculated automatically based on the number of teams being registered by the school". The circular does not spell out the amount for a second team, so schools should check the amount shown on the portal.
• After payment: the portal shows a Team ID and password. The mentor teacher logs in with these to enter the project details.

Regional venues, travel and safety

• Regional venues will be notified on the CBSE Academic website and emailed to schools.
• The school or team bears all costs, including lodging and boarding in the venue city.
• Each team must be accompanied by a parent/guardian or the mentor teacher. If a participating student is a girl, the accompanying mentor teacher must also be a woman, or a guardian must go.
• Schools must get NOC/consent from parents before the regional or national event, and are responsible for students' safety.
• Teams from schools abroad take part in the regional round online. Winners must travel to India for the national round at their own cost.

How exhibits are judged

The judges' decision is final. Notice that 35% goes to creativity and originality, and 10% to low cost and portability. A simple idea with your own twist can beat an expensive kit.

What happens after the regional round

About the best 14 exhibits at each regional venue (CBSE says the number may change with quality) go to the national exhibition, whose date and venue will be announced. National winners are recognised and awarded. Their names will be forwarded for consideration for NCERT's Rashtriya Bal Vaigyaanik Pradarshani 2027, and winners may also get direct entry to the IRIS Science Fair in 2027-28, subject to selection.

14 project ideas for the seven sub-themes

These are starting points. Pick one, ask a real question, measure something, and add your own idea to it.

1. AI for Better Life

• Leaf health checker: photograph healthy and spotted leaves from the school garden and train a simple image classifier in a free browser tool. Show how accuracy changes when you add more varied photos. Explore the idea first in our AI Crop Health Detection simulator, and see how unbalanced photos can fool a model in ML Bias Detective.
• Sound alert helper: train a model to recognise a pressure-cooker whistle or doorbell and flash a light, for people who cannot hear well. Try the steps in AI Can Hear Us, where claps and snaps become dots on a graph.

2. Green Energy & Environmental Conservation

• Bottle solar water heater: paint a used bottle black and place it in a box lined with old foil. Compare its water temperature every 15 minutes with a plain bottle.
• Kitchen waste to biogas: seal vegetable peels and water in a bottle with a balloon on top. Record how much the balloon fills each day with different waste mixes.

3. Mathematical Modelling and Computational Thinking

• School water tank model: write an equation for how long the tank lasts from inflow, outflow and number of users. Test it with a bucket and a marked tap, then predict savings from small changes.
• Shortest bus route: pin your area's map to cardboard and use thread to find the shortest route that picks up every stop. Write the steps as a flowchart and compare your answer with a guess.

To explore the thinking behind these, try Ecosystem Balance (a real mathematical model of predators and prey), Flowchart Builder and Sorting Algorithm Detective.

4. Health, Hygiene and Sanitation

• Foot-pedal handwash station: build a tippy-tap from a used can, sticks and rope so nobody touches the container. Count how much water each wash uses.
• Layered water filter: fill a cut bottle with gravel, sand and charcoal. Compare the cloudiness of water before and after, and explain why filtered water still needs boiling.

5. Indigenous Agricultural Practices

• Mulching test: grow seedlings in two trays, one covered with dry leaves. Measure how often each needs water.
• Mixed cropping demo: grow a cereal and a pulse together in one tray and alone in others. Compare growth over four weeks and link it to soil health (Class 10 Agriculture notes).

6. Science for Rural Transformation

• Pot-in-pot clay cooler: put a small clay pot inside a bigger one with wet sand between them. Track how long tomatoes stay fresh compared with a basket.
• Rainwater recharge pit model: use a tray of soil to show how a pit filled with gravel and sand lets rainwater soak in instead of running off (Water Resources notes).

7. Disaster Management

• Shake-table buildings: build two towers from ice-cream sticks, one with cross-bracing. Place them on a tray on marbles and test which stands longer.
• Flood warning alarm: make a float switch with a bottle cap, foil, a cell and a buzzer that rings when water rises to a mark (Electricity notes).

What to do next

• Students: talk to your science teacher this week. Only the school can register you, and the deadline is 14 November 2026.
• Teachers: choose the sub-theme and title carefully, because neither can be changed later.
• Everyone: keep a notebook of every test and reading. Judges reward clear science and good explanations.

FAQ

Can a student register directly? No. The school registers online using its LOC login and pays the fee.

What is the last date? 14 November 2026, for registration, fee payment and project details.

How many students are in a team? A maximum of two students from the same category, plus one mentor science teacher.

Can Class 12 students take part? The circular has only two categories, Classes 6–8 and Classes 9–11, so Class 12 is not included.

Can we change our project after registering? No. The sub-theme and project title cannot be changed, and neither can the team members.

Next step: Turn your idea into a model you can explain by trying Ecosystem Balance, free with a Learnijoy account.

Last updated: 1 November 2026. Source: CBSE Circular Acad-69/2026, CBSE Science Exhibition 2026-27.