The DrillBit Scholarship for Original Voices 2026 is a national student writing initiative for undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD students studying in India. It is open only to students enrolled at recognised Indian colleges and universities. Choose a theme, explore an idea that matters to you, and express it in an article that could only have been written by you.
Rs 25 lakh, shared across 150 students.
Top 3 overall also receive a featured interview and a published blog. Top 20 highest-scoring entries may receive a publication opportunity and an author profile, subject to consent and editorial approval. Selected strong entries outside the 150 may receive a Certificate of Merit. Every entry that passes screening and completes evaluation receives a Digital Participation Certificate.
Six themes. Choose the one that inspires you to make a difference.
Go beyond what’s already available online.
Bring your own research, insights, and original perspective.
Four steps, idea to submission.
Choose your theme and develop your own point of view.
Create your first draft in your own words.
Upload to DrillBit and review your originality report.
Finalise and submit through the official process.
Watch the scholarship webinar.
The full recording of our webinar on the DrillBit Scholarship for Original Voices 2026. Watch it before you register or start writing, and come back to it whenever you need to.
Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)Hosted on YouTube. Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)
The rules, in one place.
- Word count
- 1,000 – 2,500 words
- Language
- English
- Format
- DOCX or PDF
- Entries
- One entry per participant · individual participation only
- Theme
- One approved theme
- Authorship
- Must be your original work, created specifically for this program
- Previous publication
- Must not have been previously published or submitted elsewhere for an award
- Citations
- Required wherever external sources are used
- Who can enter
- Indian students only - you must be enrolled at a recognised college or university in India. Students studying outside India are not eligible.
- Eligibility
- Current UG, PG or PhD student at a recognised Indian college or university, with genuine, unaltered student ID or enrolment proof belonging to you and not used by another participant
- Declarations
- Originality, authorship, AI use and publication consent
Use the tools. Keep your voice yours.
- Brainstorming and idea exploration
- Grammar checking and language assistance
- Formatting support
- General feedback on clarity or structure
- Submitting substantially AI-generated writing as your own
- Using AI to replace your original analysis and voice
- Ghostwriting services
- Having another person substantially rewrite your article
- Presenting someone else's research, analysis or content as your own
AI use must be disclosed through the required AI Assistance Declaration. A confirmed integrity breach - plagiarism, ghostwriting, substantial undisclosed AI writing, fabricated references or statistics, misrepresented authorship, recycled submissions, or a duplicate or forged student ID - can result in disqualification, forfeiture or withdrawal of an award and, where applicable, recovery of a disbursed award.
100 points. Half of them are for being you.
Three windows. Don't wait for the last one.
Register early, then use the window to choose your theme and develop your idea.
Opens firstDraft, check your originality report and submit.
Screening, independent editorial evaluation and final jury review.
Six reasons. None of them cost you anything.
Compete for a share of the Rs 25 lakh pool.
Certificates, trophies and special recognition.
Selected entries may be published on DrillBit platforms.
Turn your ideas into something you can show people.
Demonstrate how you approach real problems.
Write something that is unmistakably yours.
The Top 10 students will receive exclusive mentorship from DrillBit experts and internship opportunities to help them build practical skills and advance their academic and professional journey.
The five-minute final check.
There will be many articles. Many ideas. Many perspectives.
That is the sentence the entries that stand out earn.
Your ideas. Your voice. Your originality.
Register for the DrillBit Scholarship for Original Voices 2026 and read the complete guidelines - themes, eligibility, submission rules, AI policy, evaluation criteria and FAQs.
