How This Dubai Student Made An App to Increase Access to Welfare Programs in India

Neeraj Shah’s idea wasn’t born in a classroom or startup incubator—it started during a internship in the mountains of Himachal Pradesh. While interning at a microcredit firm, he noticed something simple yet powerful: people weren’t accessing life-changing government programs not because they didn’t qualify, but because they didn’t know they existed.

That observation sparked a mission. In high school, Neeraj began developing Scheme Bharat, an app and website designed to simplify government schemes for rural communities, showing citizens which programs they were eligible for, what documents they needed, and how to apply.

Balancing school in Dubai and partnerships across India, he built a team of NGO collaborators, learned app design from scratch, and refined his platform through constant feedback. By the time he graduated, SchemeBharat had grown beyond an idea, it became a bridge connecting people to opportunities that had always been theirs.

Here’s how he built it—and what he learned along the way.

#1: What Inspired you to create SchemeBharat?

Neeraj: During grades 10 and 11, I was interning in Himachal Pradesh at a microcredit firm that worked closely with rural entrepreneurs. Many of the families I met lived on limited income, and when I asked about government support, most people simply shrugged—they either didn’t know what schemes existed or assumed they didn’t qualify. Seeing that disconnect between policy and people really struck me.

Honestly, it was so rewarding to see people realize that a single app could connect them to opportunities they never knew they had.

#2: How did you transform SchemeBharat from an idea into a working app, especially while based in Dubai?

Neeraj: Growing up in Dubai really helped. It’s such a diverse and fast-paced place that you naturally learn to network and collaborate with people from all over. I started by partnering with the NGO where I’d interned in Himachal Pradesh, then reached out through school counselors and friends to connect with others in states like Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.

I started by partnering with the NGO where I’d interned in Himachal Pradesh, then reached out through school counselors and friends to connect with others in states like Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.

The multicultural and fast-paced nature of Dubai allowed me to network extensively.

#3: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from leading SchemeBharat?

Neeraj: To stop and reflect. In any project, it’s easy to just keep working without checking if what you’re doing actually works for people. When I first tested the app in Himachal, I realized my Hindi wasn’t fluent enough to connect deeply with users.

#4: What motivates you to keep expanding SchemeBharat?

Neeraj: My model is completely free as it’s meant to act as a bridge, not a business. There’s so much potential to grow into areas like women’s empowerment and healthcare, because all these issues are connected.

For example, a women’s healthcare scheme doesn’t just help individuals; it impacts entire families and communities. There’s still a massive gap in awareness, and that’s what motivates me to keep building.

Recently, I’ve been particularly interested in how the platform can support women’s empowerment and healthcare accessibility.

These areas overlap naturally—women’s health initiatives influence family well-being, employment, and education. When one barrier falls, multiple others follow.

#5: How does Scheme Bharat align with Dubai’s focus on innovation and technology?

Neeraj: Dubai shaped how I think about technology and systems.

When I was designing Scheme Bharat, I kept asking: What would a Dubai-level user experience look like for rural India?

How do we make information so easy to access that people trust it instantly? That question guided everything from color choice to navigation flow.

Dubai’s transition into a smart-city economy also taught me about scalability. You can start small but still think in frameworks—designing something flexible enough to grow across regions, languages, and needs. I carry that lesson into every new iteration of Scheme Bharat.

#6: What role does Dubai play as a hub for youth-led innovation?

Neeraj: Dubai gives young people visibility.

For students, the key is to reach out. Email government bodies, propose collaborations, involve teachers. The ecosystem is small enough that good ideas don’t get lost, but you have to take the first step. Dubai rewards initiative more than perfection.

The multicultural environment also builds confidence. You’re surrounded by peers who think globally, and that exposure makes you believe your ideas can travel beyond borders.

#7: What advice would you give high-school students applying to college?

Neeraj: The college process can feel overwhelming, but it’s really an exercise in self-discovery. When I was applying to U.S. universities, I approached it like a reflection rather than a checklist. What stories defined me? What issues did I care about deeply enough to spend years working on? Once I framed it that way, the essays started writing themselves.

Also, talk to people who’ve done it before. Ask about their experiences, not their scores. Everyone’s path looks different, and that’s the beauty of it. If you stay curious, keep creating, and build projects that mean something to you, the rest falls into place.

Stay Connected

Connect with Neeraj: Linked-In