VAANI (Vibrant Advocacy for Advancement and Nurturing of Indian Languages)

VAANI (Vibrant Advocacy for Advancement and Nurturing of Indian Languages) is a central scheme of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) that supports conferences, seminars, and workshops in twenty-two Indian languages. Each year the council sets aside around ₹4 crore to run 200 such events, with every selected institution getting up to ₹2,00,000 per programme and subject experts paid an honorarium of up to ₹5,000 per session.

AICTE launched the third edition of the scheme on 17 April 2026. Online applications for AICTE-VAANI 2026-27 were invited from 18 April 2026, and the last date of 17 May 2026 was later extended to 31 May 2026 for fresh proposals. The shortlisted institutions were announced in July 2026, and an orientation for the selected proposals was held on 21 July 2026. The scheme remains open for new event proposals in the current financial year through the AICTE-ATAL portal.

VAANI (Vibrant Advocacy for Advancement and Nurturing of Indian Languages) - Introduction

AICTE launched VAANI to promote technical knowledge in Indian languages and to build a strong knowledge base in local languages. The scheme helps close the gap between mother-tongue schooling and English-medium higher education by making events and study material available in native languages. It covers twenty-two Indian languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, and Urdu.

The 2026-27 edition focuses on sixteen thrust areas in emerging fields such as Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, Quantum Technology, Hydrogen Energy, Cybersecurity, Space and Defence, and Agrotech. Since its start, the scheme has helped publish more than 200 research papers in Indian languages and has strengthened the link between academic institutions and industry. Each event runs for two to three days and needs a minimum of fifty participants.

Benefits

The scheme gives the following financial support:

• Grants of up to ₹2,00,000 per programme for conferences, seminars, and workshops.
• Honorarium for subject experts capped at ₹5,000 per expert per session.
• Reimbursement of actual expenses after the event is completed successfully and documents are submitted.
• Government institutions get a 50% advance of the approved amount.

Terms and Conditions: Events must be completed within six months of approval. At least one-third of resource persons must come from industry, and the coordinator must keep a webpage for the event on the institute website. The AICTE logo must be displayed clearly at the event. Any unused funds must be returned through RTGS or NEFT, and cancellation requires immediate reporting with refund of the grant along with 10% simple interest.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet these criteria:

• The institute must be AICTE approved, including those offering BBA or BCA programmes.
• The coordinator must be a full-time regular faculty member, preferably Professor or Associate Professor, with at least 10 years of experience, and the co-coordinator must have at least 7 years of teaching and research experience.
• Participants must be limited to faculty members, research scholars, M.Tech scholars, research fellows, or industry professionals.
• The event must be conducted in one of the 22 scheduled Indian languages.
• An institution can apply only once per financial year.

Application Process

STEP 1 - Visit the AICTE-ATAL portal at the AICTE ATAL portal and open the VAANI scheme module for 2026-27.

STEP 2 - The coordinator must complete the online form and upload the required documents, including the bilingual brochure and the letter of authorization.

STEP 3 - Applications go through scrutiny and an expert committee review based on merit and the scheme objectives.

STEP 4 - Approved institutions receive a sanction letter. After the event, institutions must submit expenditure proof, geotagged photos, and reports within 15 days for reimbursement.

Support - Email tbwdip1tlb@aicte-india.org or call 011-29581311. Send hard copies to: The Director, Training & Learning Bureau, All India Council for Technical Education, Nelson Mandela Marg, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi-110070.

Highlights

Documents

Required documents include a bilingual brochure featuring experts and discussion topics, a letter of authorization from the Head of the Institute, geotagged photographs and event videos with the official logo, media reports or social media links tagging AICTE, a Statement of Expenditure and Utilization Certificate, and a Programme Completion Report. Preference during evaluation goes to institutions with NBA-accredited courses, high student admission rates above 80% for five years, NAAC scores of 3.01 or above, NIRF or QS rankings, and UGC or AICTE conferred autonomous status.

References

• Third edition of AICTE-VAANI scheme press release
• VAANI 2026-27 proposal deadline extension notice
• AICTE ATAL application portal

FAQ's

What is the required professional experience for a co-coordinator?

The co-coordinator must have at least 7 years of experience in teaching and research.

Are BBA and BCA institutions eligible?

Yes, AICTE approved institutions offering BBA or BCA programmes are eligible to apply.

How often can an institution apply for this grant?

An institution may receive the grant only once per financial year.

What is the registration window for VAANI 2026-27?

Online applications opened on 18 April 2026 and the deadline of 17 May 2026 was extended to 31 May 2026 through the AICTE-ATAL portal.

What is the language requirement for the event?

The event must be conducted in one of the 22 Indian languages, such as Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali, or others listed in the scheme document.