Opportunity brief
All that you need to know about HackQuest: Code for Communities 2.0
HackQuest, the flagship hackathon of Pantheon'26, BIT Mesra's annual tech fest from 4th to 6th September 2026, brings together developers and innovators to build solutions for real-world challenges.
GDG Code for Communities encourages developers to use technology to solve meaningful community and societal problems, fostering learning, collaboration, and impact.
This year, Pantheon's HackQuest and GDG Code for Communities come together as Code for Communities 2.0, creating a bigger platform and opportunity to build, innovate, collaborate, and make a real-world impact.
Eligibility & Teaming:
- Open to all undergraduate and postgraduate students across India
- Students from any stream or specialization (technical or non-technical) can apply
- Team size: 2-3 members
- Inter-specialization teams: Allowed
- Solo participation is not permitted
Hackathon Format & Timeline:
Round 1: Online Idea Submission:
Teams must submit a 5-slide PPT proposing their solution for one of the provided problem statements.
Slide Requirements:
- Introduction – Team name, team members, college/institution, etc.
- Problem Statement – Clearly explain the problem you are solving.
- Proposed Solution – Present your unique approach and how it addresses the problem.
- Tech Stack – Mention the technologies, frameworks, and tools you plan to use.
- Closing Slide – Highlight the expected impact, scalability, and key takeaways.
Last Date to Submit PPT: 1st September 2026, 11:59:59 AM
Result Announcement: 2nd September 2026
- Finalist teams will be selected based on clarity, innovation, feasibility, technical approach, and relevance to the problem statement.
Round 2: Offline Build & Demo Round:
Dates: 5th-6th September 2026
Venue: Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra
Selected finalist teams will develop and implement their proposed solutions during the 24-hour offline hackathon. Participants will have access to mentors, technical guidance, and required tools throughout the event.
Participants will also get the opportunity to attend special sessions featuring inspiring and prominent figures from the startup and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Judging Criteria:
- Innovation & creativity
- Relevance to theme and problem
- Technical depth and execution
- Impact & scalability
- Demo quality and presentation
Themes & Problem Statements:
Participants can choose from four key tracks focused on solving real-world community challenges through Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies:
- AI for Digital Public Infrastructure & Governance (Innovation) - AI-powered solutions for better public services, governance, citizen experiences, and digital infrastructure.
- Clean Air & Climate Resilience (Sustainability) - Technology-driven solutions addressing air pollution, climate risks, environmental challenges, and community resilience.
- Smart Health & Supply Chain Resilience (Resilience) - Intelligent solutions for healthcare delivery, resource management, and resilient supply chains.
- Agricultural Intelligence (Cooperation) - AI-powered solutions that support farmers, improve agricultural decisions, enhance productivity, and strengthen agricultural ecosystems.
Participants are encouraged to develop practical, scalable, and impactful solutions addressing real-world challenges within their chosen track.
Participants Register Here (Mandatory): https://hack2skill.com/event/codeforcommunities2
Sign-in to AlchemystAI (Mandatory): https://platform.getalchemystai.com/