India, Oct. 16 -- For most Indian families, IIT Bombay is a destination with a long road of preparation behind it. This journey typically begins in Class 10 or 11 and depends on an entrance exam. Very few people talk about the years before.

What not many know is that there is a nearer door. A curious child can reach for it with nothing more than a 60-minute exam and a habit of asking why. It is a national AI challenge hosted at Techfest, IIT Bombay, and the route to it starts with an exam taken at home or at school.

One point needs to be clear from the start. This is not a shortcut into IIT. What it offers is early exposure to a serious technical environment, where curiosity and problem-solving count as much as marks.

Techfest is the s...