Lucknow student secures Third Position in IELTS Future Stars of India

The initiative by IDP IELTS South Asia shortlisted 340 entries from over 40 schools, with students sharing their perspectives on how AI could shape their lives and future

Lucknow, 24 October 2026: IDP Education, a global leader in international education services and co-
owner of IELTS, has announced Vedanshi of St Joseph Montessori School, Lucknow, among the 18
Future Stars of India selected through its national writing challenge. Vedanshi secured third position in
the junior category.
The pilot edition of IELTS Future Stars of India invited students from Classes 9 – 12 to express their
thoughts on how artificial intelligence (AI) could influence their lives and future. The initiative shortlisted
340 entries from over 40 schools, of which 25 were selected by the selection committee. The final panel
then selected 18 Future Stars.

An IDP spokesperson said, “Through IELTS Future Stars of India, we wanted to give young learners a
platform to express themselves in English, think creatively and share their perspectives on the world
around them. AI was chosen as the theme because it is increasingly shaping how we learn, work and live,
making it relevant to young people and their future. The range of ideas shared by students showed how
they are thinking about these changes and their impact on their lives, highlighting the importance of
helping young people think critically and communicate their ideas with confidence.”

The writing challenge featured two themes: “If AI Could Solve One Problem in My Life” for students in
Classes 9 – 10, and “My Future Self in the Age of AI” for students in Classes 11 – 12. Entries were
evaluated out of 100 marks across four equally weighted criteria: clarity and coherence, language use
and grammar, personal expression and originality, and relevance to the theme.

The pilot edition of IELTS Future Stars of India gave school students across India a platform to express
their ideas creatively.