MahaGAD AI Sahayak Grand Challenge

The MahaGAD AI Sahayak Grand Challenge is an initiative by the Maharashtra State Innovation Society (MSInS) in partnership with the General Administration Department (GAD), Government of Maharashtra. The challenge seeks capable Indian startups to design, develop, and deploy the MahaGAD AI Sahayak — an advanced AI-based Government Resolution (GR) Information Management System. The solution will be an in-house, on-premise, secure and scalable platform that enables efficient search, retrieval, summarisation, and contextual interpretation of All India Service (AIS) rules, IAS rules, and Government Resolutions. It must support natural language queries in Marathi and English and provide accurate, source-cited answers to promote transparency and consistency in administrative decision-making.

The platform will act as a conversational AI assistant for government officials, powered by a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) architecture using Large Language Models (LLMs). It must include a secure GR repository, an automated document ingestion and indexing pipeline (using Elasticsearch or an equivalent vector database), an administrative dashboard for usage and performance monitoring, and analytics for policy-level insights. Deployment must be in a containerised manner on GPU-based government infrastructure, following Government of Maharashtra IT security and data privacy guidelines.

Selected startups will deliver a complete end-to-end solution: development, deployment, training, documentation, and long-term maintenance. Shortlisted applicants will present their technical approach and demonstrate a live Proof of Concept (PoC) as part of the evaluation.

• Develop an on-premise AI system to interpret GRs, IAS & AIS rules for the Government of Maharashtra.
• Support natural language queries in Marathi and English using RAG and LLMs.
• Automated document ingestion with Elasticsearch or equivalent vector database.
• Deploy on GPU government infrastructure with full data sovereignty; must be containerized.
• Long-term commitment: four- to five-year maintenance, training, and documentation.
• Shortlisted startups must present a live Proof of Concept (PoC) during evaluation.

Applicants must be Indian startups recognised under applicable government norms and eligible per MSInS guidelines. Proven expertise in AI, natural language processing, large language models, and enterprise-grade software development is required. The startup must be capable of building multilingual AI systems supporting Marathi and English, including mixed-language queries, and must be ready to deploy on on-premise government infrastructure with full data sovereignty (no external cloud platforms). Developers must comply with all security, confidentiality, and IT compliance requirements of the Government of Maharashtra. The selected startup will commit to providing training, documentation, and post-deployment maintenance and enhancement support for up to five years.

MahaGAD AI Sahayak Grand Challenge is open to startups at any stage. It is open to startups registered anywhere in India.

The most recent application window for MahaGAD AI Sahayak Grand Challenge closed on 5 Feb 2026. Many programmes run repeat cohorts, so it is worth checking the official site for the next round.

The grant amount is not specified, but selected startups will receive funding to develop, deploy, and maintain the MahaGAD AI Sahayak system. Details may be communicated during the selection process. All development must be done in compliance with government standards.

MahaGAD AI Sahayak Grand Challenge is offered by Maharashtra State Innovation Society (MSInS), a government body. As a government-backed grant, it is publicly funded and open to eligible startups across India. You can verify current details and timelines on the provider's official website before applying.

Applications will be reviewed based on eligibility and technical capability. Shortlisted startups will be invited to present their technical approach and demonstrate a live Proof of Concept (PoC). Final selection will consider the ability to build a RAG-based multilingual AI assistant, deploy on government infrastructure, and meet security and data privacy requirements. The selected startup will then sign an agreement for full-cycle delivery and up to five years of maintenance support.

Before you apply to MahaGAD AI Sahayak Grand Challenge, keep the following documents ready:

• A pitch deck or short business plan describing the problem, product and traction
• Company registration documents and PAN
• Founder identification (PAN / Aadhaar) and brief profiles
• Recent financial statements or projections
• Product details — a demo, prototype or working link if available

Exact requirements are confirmed on the official application portal — treat this as a preparation checklist.