FIRST Tech Challenge India
by FIRST India
National robotics league season
FIRST Tech Challenge India is a competition by FIRST India for students in Grade 7 to 12, open to students across India. Registration closes 11 Sept 2026.
Mode
In-Person
Eligibility
Grade 7 to 12
Fee
₹46,020
Duration
One season, from the September kickoff to the February national championship
Format
Team · Teams of 20
Time needed
About three hours a week across the season, rising around tournaments. The season runs from the kickoff in September through design and build in the autumn, a three-day regional qualifier in January, and four days at the national championship for teams that advance.
Key dates
- Registration opens
- 1 Jul 2026
- Registration closes
- 11 Sept 2026
- Competition
- 8 Jan 2027 to 14 Feb 2027
Ahmedabad Regional Qualifier, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
About this opportunity
FIRST Tech Challenge is the middle and high school tier of the FIRST robotics family, run in India by FIRST India. A team of 15 to 20 students with at least two coaches designs, builds and programs a classroom-scale robot, then competes head to head in two-on-two alliance matches against other teams.
Each match runs a 30 second autonomous period, where the robot follows only the code the team wrote, followed by two minutes of driver control. Robots are built on a reusable platform using parts from suppliers such as GoBilda and REV Robotics, and teams may program in Java, Python, JavaScript, C++ or block-based languages. Beyond the robot, teams build a team identity, raise funds and do community outreach, and awards recognise that work as well as robot performance.
A team registers with FIRST globally to get its six-digit international team number, then enters one of the regional qualifying tournaments FIRST India runs across the country. Teams that advance go to the India National Championship, and the national champions represent the country at the FIRST World Championship.
The commitment is about three hours a week across the season, from the September kickoff to the tournaments in January and February. Around a hundred teams take part nationally.
Eligibility
- Grade level
- Grade 7 to 12
- Age range
- 12 to 18 years
- Location
- Nationwide
Prerequisites
- Student aged 12 to 18 during the season
- Membership of a team of 15 to 20 students with at least two coaches
- A six-digit FIRST international team number obtained from firstinspires.org
- Team registration paid for one regional qualifier
Open to teams of 15 to 20 students aged 12 to 18, roughly grades 7 to 12, with at least two coaches. Teams may be school based or community based. A team registers as a team, not student by student, and must first obtain a six-digit international team number from FIRST before entering an Indian regional qualifier.
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Academic details
Difficulty: Intermediate
Rewards and recognition
Prizes
Tournament awards
Awards recognise robot performance and design alongside the team's outreach, fundraising and identity work, and there is a separate FIRST Tech Challenge Leadership Award with its own nomination window.
Recognition
National championship stage
Skills your child builds
Highlights
- Two-on-two alliance matches with a 30 second autonomous period
- Six regional qualifiers feeding a national championship in Pune
- National champions go to the FIRST World Championship
- Awards for outreach and team identity as well as robot performance
Rounds & format
Regional qualifying tournaments run across six cities. Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, and Pune. Teams that advance go to the India National Championship, and the national champions represent India at the FIRST World Championship. Within a tournament, teams play two-on-two alliance matches. Each match is a 30 second autonomous period, where the robot runs only on the team's own program, followed by two minutes of driver-controlled play.
How entries are judged
Two things are assessed separately. Match play is scored by referees against the published game rules, with alliance results deciding the tournament rankings. Awards are decided by judges who interview each team and review its engineering notebook, robot design, programming approach, outreach and fundraising, so a team can win significant awards without topping the match standings. The FIRST Core Values, covering teamwork, inclusion and gracious professionalism, run through the judged awards.
Selection process
Entry is open: any team that obtains a FIRST team number and pays the regional qualifier fee can compete, and there is no selection round beforehand. Advancement to the India National Championship is earned at the regional qualifier through match results and judged awards. National champions advance to the FIRST World Championship.
How to apply
- 1Register the team with FIRST at firstinspires.org and obtain the six-digit international team number
- 2Pay the FTC India regional qualifier team registration fee on the FIRST India portal
- 3Complete the FTC India team information form you are redirected to after payment
- 4Build and code the robot through the season, then compete at the assigned regional qualifier
Fees & financial support
Fee details
Team registration for one regional qualifier is Rs 39,000 plus GST of Rs 7,020, Rs 46,020 in total, paid once per team on the FIRST India portal. Teams that advance to the India National Championship pay a separate championship registration of Rs 49,000 plus 18 percent GST. Robot hardware, travel and accommodation are the team's own costs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the last date to register for FIRST Tech Challenge India?
The registration deadline is 11 Sept 2026.
Is FIRST Tech Challenge India free?
No. The registration fee is ₹46,020.
Who can participate in FIRST Tech Challenge India?
Students in Grade 7 to 12. Children aged 12 to 18.
What will my child gain from FIRST Tech Challenge India?
A full robotics season: design, build and code a competition robot. Two-on-two alliance matches at a three-day regional qualifier. Advancement to the India National Championship in Pune. National champions go on to the FIRST World Championship. Awards for outreach, fundraising and team identity, not only the robot. Programming in real languages: Java, Python, JavaScript, C++ or blocks.
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