School kitchens are heating up again. CBSE has thrown open registration for the Regional Level of its Young India Culinary Championship (YICC) 2026-27, the second stage of a cooking contest for students of Classes VI to XII. Schools that ran the School Level round have until 31 August 2026 to sign up their winning teams, and there’s no fee at any stage.
The School Level is done. Now the winners move up. Only students who topped their school’s YICC round can go forward, and they compete in pairs, two students to a team.
CBSE YICC 2026-27 Regional Level: what schools must do
Registration is online and open only to schools that had registered for the School Level, conducted it, and now want their winners to play at the Regional Level. Schools fill the form here: https://forms.gle/sJs4uhUDN6PGVTvX7.
A word of caution from the board: once a school registers, it should turn up. CBSE has asked schools to avoid withdrawal or non-participation after signing up.
The consent form signed by a parent or guardian must be uploaded along with the registration.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Who can register | Schools whose students won the School Level YICC |
| Team size | Two students per team |
| Last date | 31 August 2026 |
| Participation fee | NIL |
| Registration link | forms.gle/sJs4uhUDN6PGVTvX7 |
Two categories, two styles of cooking
The Regional Level keeps the same two-category split as before:
- Category I, Non-Fire Cooking: Classes VI to VIII. No fire or heating appliances allowed. Teams make any one dish from salad, sandwich or canapé, plus one Indian savoury dish, using only bread, vegetables, fruits, dairy products and savoury mixes. Time allowed: 90 minutes.
- Category II, Fire Cooking: Classes IX to XII. Teams prepare one starter and one main course. Cuisine can be Modern Western, Asian or Indian. Non-vegetarian food is strictly not allowed. Time allowed: 90 minutes.
Both categories must plate two portions of each dish, one for display and one for judging. Judges score out of 100 across taste, texture and presentation, hygiene, nutrition, creativity, and workplace organisation. Some ingredients, tools and crockery will be provided at the venue; anything a team brings from outside has to be declared through a declaration form on the day of the competition.
Venue cities and timeline
The Regional Level will run in four venue cities with professional kitchens: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. Schools are grouped under these cities by their CBSE Regional Office. The exact venue for each school will be told after Regional Level registrations close.
| Stage | When | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Regional Level | September-October 2026 | Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai |
| National Level (Finale) | November-December 2026 | Chandigarh |
Top teams from each region go to the National finale in Chandigarh, judged by industry experts and chefs. Participating schools and students arrange their own travel, lodging and boarding.
For queries, schools can write to drpoojaakshay.cbse@gmail.com. The clock is on the registration form: 31 August 2026 is the cut-off.