Opportunity brief
Overview:
Beyond the naked eye lies a universe of chaos, beauty, and hidden potential. Are you ready to decode it?
The Petri Dish Challenge invites budding microbiologists to identify an unknown bacterial culture using standard microbiological techniques. Participants will explore bacterial isolation and culture, Gram staining, biochemical tests and antibiotic susceptibility testing. They must analyse experimental data, draw scientific conclusions and present their findings clearly.
The event consists of an online quiz round followed by an offline laboratory round at IIT Madras. Participants will be shortlisted for the final round based on their performance in the online round.
Target Audience:
Students interested in:
- Microbiology and microbial identification
- Biotechnology and biomedical sciences
- Wet-lab techniques, bacterial culture and biochemical analysis
- Experimental reasoning and scientific interpretation
Eligibility:
Undergraduate and postgraduate students from all disciplines, including engineering, science, medical, arts, commerce, management and law.
Format:
Round 1: Online Quiz
- Platform: Unstop
- Format: Online quiz covering biotechnology, microbiology and microbiology laboratory techniques
- Structure: Approximately 30–40 questions
- Dates: December 12-13,2026
- Participants must attempt at least one quiz to be considered for qualification to the offline final round.
Final Round: Offline at IIT Madras
- Location: UG Labs, IIT Madras
- Dates: January 4–5, 2027
Participants will receive an unknown bacterial sample and conduct laboratory investigations, including:
- Staining and cell morphology, including cotton blue staining
- Cell count and viable cell determination
- Antibiotic susceptibility testing and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC)
- Lactose fermentation and extracellular enzyme activity/synthesis
- Motility testing and biochemical characterisation
The final round includes hands-on experiments, lab report preparation, live presentations and a viva.
Evaluation Criteria:
- Selection and execution of appropriate laboratory tests
- Accuracy of observations, recordings and interpretation
- Scientific reasoning and evidence supporting bacterial identification
- Quality and clarity of the lab report and presentation
- Performance during the viva examination