37 engineering institutions compete across Go-Kart and Formula Imperial categories in national-level automotive design competition
GREATER NOIDA: Galgotias University hosted the opening of the Formula Imperial & Indian Karting Race 2026 (IKR-2026), bringing together 40 teams from 37 engineering institutions across 14 states in a national-level competition in automotive design, electric mobility and sustainable transportation.
Organised by the Imperial Society of Innovative Engineers (ISIEINDIA) and co-organised by Galgotias University, the event features entries across the IKR Go-Kart and Formula Imperial categories. Students design, build and race their own vehicles, applying classroom learning to real engineering problems and competing against peers from leading technical institutions.
Participating institutions include IIT Roorkee, NIT Warangal, NIT Calicut, NIT Raipur, Jadavpur University, VIT, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, KIIT and Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology. Teams have travelled from Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Telangana, Kerala, Haryana, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Representatives from the MSME Chamber of Commerce, JK Tyre Motorsports, Liqui Moly and IFEVA attended the inauguration and spoke with students about emerging technologies, industry expectations and entrepreneurship.
Commenting on the event, Dr Dhruv Galgotia, Chief Executive Officer, Galgotias University, said, “Every vehicle on this track was designed, built and tested by students. That is the kind of engineering education industry is asking for, and IKR-2026 puts 40 teams through it under real competitive pressure.”
The teams now move into the competitive stages of IKR-2026, where judges will evaluate their vehicles on design, engineering decisions, innovation and teamwork in an industry-oriented format.
About Galgotias University
Galgotias University is one of India’s leading multidisciplinary universities recognised for academic excellence, research, innovation, global collaborations, and industry aligned education. With a vibrant student community of over 50,000 learners and a global alumni network of more than 100,000 graduates, the University has built a rapidly growing ecosystem focused on technology, entrepreneurship, interdisciplinary learning, and real-world impact.
In the QS World University Rankings 2027 by Quacquarelli Symonds, Galgotias University was placed in the 1201-1400 global band and ranked 16th among private universities and 46th among all universities in India. In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027, the University was placed in the 1001-1200 global band and ranked 20th among private universities and 41st among all universities in India. The University is also accredited with NAAC A+, one of India’s highest institutional quality ratings.
Galgotias University offers programmes across engineering, artificial intelligence, computer science, semiconductors, business, law, media, design, health sciences, hospitality, liberal education, and emerging interdisciplinary domains. In 2026, students secured more than 5,500 job offers from over 1,250 recruiters. The University has built strong industry and innovation partnerships with organisations including Apple, Infosys, IBM, Accenture, Microsoft and byteXL, Intel, Cisco, Tata Technologies, L&T EduTech, Capgemini, and Salesforce, while continuing to strengthen its global academic engagement and startup ecosystem.
