Featured News & Annoucements Saransh: Three Minute Thesis Competition

SARANSH – Thesis Competition for PhD students- 2025

September 26, 2025 INYAS Office

SARANSH – Thesis Competition for PhD students– 2025

Sponsored by SPRINGER NATURE

INYAS is pleased to announce the 5th edition of Saransh – Thesis Competition for PhD students. Saransh is an opportunity for the new generation of budding Indian scientists to communicate their research to the wider population beyond the scientific community.

Purpose:

The need for scientific innovations arises from challenges faced by the society at large. However, it is often seen that dissipation of such knowledge to the population is laced with challenges like dearth of appropriate platforms, lack of proper connect with audience and excessive use of scientific jargon. “Saransh” by Indian National Young Academy of Sciences (INYAS), is an attempt to bridge the gap between the budding scientists and the community at large. It aims to provide a platform to PhD scholars across the country to present their work to a wider audience who have little or no knowledge in their area of research.

Eligibility:

The competition is open to PhD students registered in any State/ Central Institution or University (government or private) in India only.
The student entering the competition must have completed at least 2 years of doctoral research and must not have defended his/ her thesis yet.
There is no entry fee.
Letter of endorsement for participation by PhD Guide/Supervisor/Head (pdf file) on official letterhead is required.

Registration and entry to the competition

Registration and entry to the competition will be done through an online application form.

Preliminary Round

Submit your entry by uploading a video presentation to YouTube. The video must show both your slides and your own voice/video recording. Ensure the YouTube link is correct and publicly accessible to avoid disqualification.
Your presentation must contain a maximum of three slides. Using any animations or additional slides will result in disqualification.
Presentations can be in either English or Hindi.
Explain your research in simple terms, assuming your audience has no prior knowledge of your subject.
Clearly communicate the real-world implications and importance of your work. Using analogies is encouraged to help explain complex ideas.
The video must be exactly 3 minutes or less. Exceeding this limit, even by a single second, will lead to immediate disqualification.

Final Round (Live Online Competition through Video Conference)

An INYAS jury will review all YouTube submissions from the first round. Approximately ten of the best entries from each category will be chosen to advance to the final round. We will announce the finalists on the INYAS website and notify them directly via email.

The Live Event: The final round is a live competition held online via video conference. Here’s what to expect:

Updated Slides: You can either use the same three slides from your initial video or you can modify and improve them for the final presentation.
Presentation Rules: The rules are the same as the first round:

3 slides maximum, with no animations.
Present in either English or Hindi.
Explain your work simply for a non-expert audience.
Focus on the real-world impact of your research.

Strict 3-Minute Time Limit: You will have exactly three minutes for your presentation. This will be strictly enforced, and exceeding the time limit will lead to disqualification.
Q&A Session: After your presentation, the judges will ask you questions about your research. This Q&A time does not count towards your 3-minute presentation limit.

General guidelines

Each participant is allowed to submit only one entry for the entire competition.
You must select one of the following four categories for your submission:
- Category A: Physical/ Mathematical Sciences
- Category B: Chemical Sciences
- Category C: Life Sciences
- Category D: Engineering Sciences
Your video must show you speaking in one corner of the screen with your presentation slides clearly visible. You will need a similar setup for the live final round. For an idea of how to achieve this, you can look at this example link, but feel free to use any method you prefer: https://www.panopto.com/blog/the-best-way-to-record-a-powerpoint-presentation/
By entering the competition, you agree to let INYAS use your submission materials (video, slides, etc.) for promotional or informational purposes.
Please keep the original, editable version of your presentation file (e.g., PowerPoint), as we may ask for it at a later stage.
Results will be posted on the INYAS website, and winners will also be contacted directly.
The decision of the INYAS jury is final in all matters regarding the competition.

Judging Criteria

Our jury will evaluate your entry based on four key areas: (a)Originality of Research: The novelty and significance of your work; (b) Structure & Clarity: How well-organized, logical, and easy your presentation is to follow; (c) Presentation Style: Your confidence, engagement, and effectiveness as a speaker; and (d)Accessibility for Non-Experts: Your ability to explain complex research in simple terms for an audience outside your field.

Important Dates and Deadlines