Guidelines · Student Project Initiative 2025

Student Project Funding

Encouraging innovative technological solutions aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals for undergraduate and postgraduate IEEE student members.

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UG PG UG & PG
General instructions

2025 Student Project Initiative

IEEE Madras Section invites project proposals for the 2025 Student Project Initiative, aimed at encouraging innovative technological solutions that address critical challenges aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is an excellent opportunity for undergraduate and postgraduate IEEE student members to design impactful, socially relevant engineering solutions.

Focus themes

Focus SDG themes for 2025

Projects must align with one or more of the following priority SDGs.

Undergraduate
  • SDG 2 – Zero Hunger
  • SDG 3 – Good Health & Well-being
  • SDG 4 – Quality Education
  • SDG 6 – Clean Water & Sanitation
  • SDG 7 – Affordable & Clean Energy
Postgraduate
  • SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
  • SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities
UG & PG
  • SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production
  • SDG 13 – Climate Action
  • SDG 14 – Life Below Water
Who can apply

Eligibility criteria

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Teams must consist of IEEE student members only (max 4 members).

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Non-IEEE students are not eligible.

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Project mentor must be an IEEE member.

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One professional member may mentor up to 3 projects.

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Project submission limits per institution depend on active IEEE student membership count (see below).

IEEE Student Membership Project Limit
Up to 25 members 4 projects
Up to 50 members 6 projects
Up to 100 members 10 projects
100 to 500 members 15 projects
Above 500 members 20 projects
Submission checklist

Proposal requirements

Your proposal must include:

Project Title
Team Members & Affiliations
Relevant SDG(s)
Problem Statement & Background
Project Objectives & Expected Impact
Technical Approach & Innovation
Timeline & Milestones (6 months preferred)
Budget Estimate
Expected Outcomes
Sustainability Plan (if applicable)

Endorsement letters from

Faculty Mentor (with seal)
Head of Institution (with seal)
Evaluation

Selection process

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Preliminary Screening - eligibility, completeness.

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Technical Review - SDG alignment, innovation, feasibility, impact potential, clarity of proposal, sustainability / scalability.

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Scoring and Ranking based on a standard rubric.

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Shortlisting of top proposals; teams may be invited for clarifications or presentations.

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Final Selection - based on score, diversity, feasibility.

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Prizes - three prizes offered for each SDG.

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Final validation of the project will be considered only if the project is completed in the form of a working prototype.

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Change of project title or team members will not be entertained after proposal submission.

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The list of funded projects (2010–2024) under the IEEE Madras Section SPF is provided in Annexure–II. Repetition of the same or similar projects will not be considered for Student Project Funding again.

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Final validation will be conducted at the designated venues; projects will be selected or rejected based on evaluation by the panel of judges. Only selected projects receive awards and certification - other participants are not eligible for participation certificates or funding.

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For each SDG category, only the top three projects will be awarded prizes, based on the final project demonstration and the recommendations of the expert jury.

Integrity

Originality guidelines

IEEE strictly enforces originality. Teams must:

Submit original work.
Avoid plagiarism; cite sources properly.
Use AI tools only for idea support - not as direct content.
Ensure compliance with IEEE ethics and intellectual honesty.
Submission

How to submit

Submit Proposal
Deadline: 24 December 2025

We request all faculty coordinators, IEEE student members, and mentors to circulate this announcement widely within your departments. We encourage our students to participate actively and contribute innovative solutions that drive positive societal and environmental impact.

Dr. T. Shanmuganantham

Chair, Students Funded Projects — IEEE Madras Section

shanmugapu2010@ieee.org

Dr. M. Venkateshkumar

Vice Chair, Students Funded Projects — IEEE Madras Section

Ready to submit your proposal?

Have your team, mentor, and endorsements ready before the 24 December 2025 deadline.