Bosscoder School of Technology launched BuildX and the National Young AI Talent Olympiad for school students. These initiatives help students build AI products and develop problem-solving skills. Rajat Garg said, “We believe they should have an opportunity to experience that world before they enter college.” Students get early industry exposure.
Initiatives give students an opportunity to build AI-powered products, develop problem-solving skills and gain early exposure to industry
As artificial intelligence reshapes the way products are built and businesses operate, the gap between what students learn in classrooms and what they encounter in the real world is becoming increasingly important.
Recognising the need for earlier exposure to technology and real-world problem-solving, Bosscoder School of Technology (BST) has launched two initiatives for school students, BuildX, an Internpreneurship Bootcamp, and the National Young AI Talent Olympiad.
Both initiatives are designed to give students an opportunity to move beyond conventional classroom learning and experience the process of solving problems, building products, working with AI and presenting their ideas.
BuildX: Giving students an opportunity to build, not just learn
BuildX is a five-week online Internpreneurship Bootcamp designed for students in Classes 11 and 12 and engineering aspirants.
The programme follows a five-stage journey - Ideate, Build, Validate, Execute and Pitch, giving students an introduction to the different stages involved in taking an idea from a problem statement to a working product.
Students learn how AI, GenAI tools and basic coding can be used to develop their ideas into products or prototypes. The programme also introduces them to user validation, iteration and product thinking, helping them understand that building a product is not simply about writing code.
Students are encouraged to identify a problem, develop a possible solution, build it, seek feedback and refine their idea before finally pitching what they have created.
The objective is to give students an early understanding of how technology and product teams operate in the industry.
For students considering engineering, technology or entrepreneurship, the experience can also help them begin building a portfolio of projects before entering college.
“Students are growing up in a world where AI is becoming part of almost every industry. We believe they should have an opportunity to experience that world before they enter college,” said Rajat Garg, Director, Bosscoder School of Technology.
“BuildX is not about teaching students to become professional developers in five weeks. It is about giving them the confidence to identify a problem, experiment with technology, build something of their own and learn how to communicate their solution.”
Students who complete the required sessions can receive a certificate of completion, while eligible high-performing students can also receive a letter of recommendation and opportunities for internships with BST.
National Young AI Talent Olympiad goes beyond an examination
BST has also launched the National Young AI Talent Olympiad, giving school students an opportunity to test their aptitude and subsequently apply their skills to building with AI.
The Olympiad is structured as a multi-stage journey rather than a conventional examination.
The first stage is the National AI Aptitude Assessment, which tests areas including Mathematics, Quantitative Aptitude, and Logical and Analytical Reasoning.
Students who qualify can progress to Build With AI, where they receive exposure to industry professionals and work on developing an AI-powered product or prototype based on a problem they want to solve.
Participants then get an opportunity to pitch their product, bringing together problem-solving, technology and communication skills.
The final stage is a fully sponsored campus hackathon at Bosscoder School of Technology, where selected students work alongside BST students on real-world challenges.
Top performers can compete for rewards including a MacBook Air M5 and a paid internship opportunity at Bosscoder School of Technology.
The Olympiad also aims to connect students with professionals from the technology ecosystem, including professionals associated with companies such as Google and Microsoft and startup founders.
The current programme is open to eligible Class 12 students from partner schools across CBSE, ICSE and other recognised boards, with participation free for students registering through their schools.
Preparing students for an AI-first world
The initiatives come at a time when AI is rapidly changing the skills expected across technology and other industries.
For students aspiring to pursue engineering, simply understanding technical concepts may increasingly need to be complemented by the ability to apply those concepts to open-ended problems.
This is where experiential learning can play a role.
Building a product requires students to make decisions that do not always have a single correct answer. They need to identify a problem, think about potential users, experiment with solutions, respond to feedback and communicate their thinking.
These are also skills students are likely to encounter later during college projects, internships, hackathons and their early careers.
“Education has traditionally rewarded students for arriving at the right answer. The real world often begins with figuring out what the right question is,” said Mr. Garg.
“By giving students opportunities to build and compete, we want them to become more comfortable with ambiguity, experimentation and iteration.”
Moving from academic preparation to real-world exposure
For school students, early exposure to AI and product development can also help them make more informed decisions about their future areas of study.
A student who has experimented with building a product may develop a clearer understanding of whether technology, engineering or entrepreneurship interests them. Similarly, participating in a national competition can expose students to peers and problem-solving approaches beyond their own school environment.
BuildX and the National Young AI Talent Olympiad represent two different approaches to the same objective - creating opportunities for students to learn by doing.
As AI continues to change the nature of work, the ability to build, adapt and communicate may become an increasingly important part of preparing young people for higher education and future careers.
For students, that preparation may begin earlier than it once did - not necessarily with their first college project, but with their first attempt to turn an idea into something real.
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