Narayana National Hackathon 2026

Narayana National Hackathon 2026 is a multi-stage technology and innovation hackathon organized by Jai Narayan Vidya Mandir, Uttar Pradesh, to provide students, developers, innovators, and emerging technologists with a platform to identify real-world problems, develop technology-driven solutions, build functional prototypes, and present their innovations before an evaluation panel.

The hackathon is designed as a 5-round competitive innovation journey, beginning with registration and idea submission and progressing through idea evaluation, prototype development, technical evaluation, and finally the Grand Finale.

Participants will have the opportunity to work on innovative solutions across domains such as Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Web Development, Mobile Applications, Cloud Computing, Data Science, Cybersecurity, Blockchain, IoT, Automation, SaaS, and other emerging technologies, depending on the selected problem statement or theme.

The objective is not simply to develop an idea, but to transform that idea into a practical, technically feasible, scalable, and impactful solution.

Registration:

Registration Fee: FREE

Registration for Narayana National Hackathon 2026 is completely free of cost.

Participants are not required to pay any registration fee or participation fee to register for the hackathon.

Why Participate?

Narayana National Hackathon 2026 provides participants with an opportunity to:

• Solve real-world and technology-driven problems.
• Convert innovative ideas into functional prototypes.
• Work with modern technologies and development frameworks.
• Demonstrate technical and problem-solving skills.
• Gain experience in product development and innovation.
• Present their solutions before an evaluation panel.
• Compete with teams from different colleges and institutions.
• Receive recognition for their innovation and technical contribution.
• Build a project that can potentially be developed further beyond the hackathon.
• Experience the complete journey from Idea → Validation → Development → Evaluation → Final Presentation.
• Compete for a total prize pool of ₹1,00,000.

Hackathon Format

The competition will be conducted through 5 rounds.

Round 1: Registration & Idea Submission

Participants will register for the hackathon and form their teams according to the participation guidelines.

After registration, teams will select a suitable problem statement/theme and submit their initial idea.

The submission may include:

• Team details
• Problem statement/title
• Problem identification
• Proposed solution
• Key features
• Target users
• Expected impact
• Proposed technology stack
• Initial implementation approach

The purpose of this round is to understand the problem being addressed and the innovation proposed by the team.

Teams should clearly explain what problem they are trying to solve and how their proposed technology-based solution can address it.

Round 2: Idea Evaluation & Shortlisting

All submitted ideas will go through an evaluation process.

The evaluation may consider:

• Understanding of the problem
• Relevance of the proposed solution
• Innovation and originality
• Technical feasibility
• Practical applicability
• Scalability
• Potential impact
• Clarity of the proposed approach

Based on the evaluation, selected teams will move to the prototype development stage.

Teams qualifying for the next stage will receive further instructions regarding the development and submission requirements.

Round 3: Prototype Development

This round focuses on converting the selected idea into a working prototype or Minimum Viable Product (MVP).

Teams will be expected to develop a demonstrable version of their proposed solution.

Depending on the selected problem statement, the prototype may include:

• Web application
• Mobile application
• AI/ML solution
• SaaS platform
• Cloud-based application
• Data-driven solution
• Automation system
• IoT-based solution
• Blockchain-based solution
• Cybersecurity solution
• Developer tool
• Digital platform
• Other technology-driven solutions
• Open Innovation

Teams should demonstrate the actual functionality of their solution rather than presenting only a conceptual idea.

Prototype Submission

Teams may be required to provide:

• Project description
• Functional prototype/MVP
• Source code/repository, where applicable
• Presentation/PPT
• Architecture diagram
• Technology stack
• Feature explanation
• Demo video
• Live deployment/prototype link, wherever applicable
• Additional supporting information

The project submission structure will focus on the proposed solution, architecture, innovation, technical details, existing-solution comparison, demonstration, and live deployment/prototype wherever applicable.

Round 4: Technical Evaluation & Project Demonstration

Shortlisted teams will proceed to the technical evaluation stage.

Teams will demonstrate their developed prototype and explain how their solution addresses the selected problem.

The evaluation panel may consider:

Problem Understanding

How clearly does the team understand the problem?

Innovation

How innovative or differentiated is the proposed solution?

Technical Implementation

How effectively have the selected technologies been implemented?

Functionality

Does the prototype work as intended?

User Experience

Is the solution understandable, usable, and accessible to its intended users?

Scalability

Can the solution potentially support a larger number of users or expanded use cases?

Feasibility

Can the solution realistically be implemented beyond the hackathon?

Impact

What potential value can the solution create?

Presentation

How clearly does the team communicate its idea, architecture, implementation, and future scope?

Demonstration

How effectively does the team demonstrate its working prototype?

Round 5: Grand Finale

The Grand Finale will be the final stage of Narayana National Hackathon 2026.

Top 20 Teams

A total of 20 teams will be selected for the Grand Finale based on their performance throughout the preceding rounds.

These 20 finalist teams will receive instructions regarding:

• Final presentation
• Prototype demonstration
• Presentation format
• Schedule
• Participation mode
• Technical requirements
• Grand Finale process

Hybrid Grand Finale – Offline + Online

To make the Grand Finale accessible to participants from different locations, Narayana National Hackathon 2026 will provide a hybrid participation option.

The Grand Finale will support both:

Offline Participation

Teams who are able and willing to travel to the designated Grand Finale venue can participate physically at the venue.

Offline finalists will be able to:

• Present their solution in person.
• Demonstrate their prototype before the evaluation panel.
• Interact with judges and organizers.
• Interact with other finalist teams.
• Participate in the on-ground Grand Finale experience.

Online Participation

Teams that are unable to attend the physical Grand Finale due to:

• Travel constraints
• Distance from the venue
• Location-related limitations
• Academic commitments
• Other genuine circumstances

will have the option to participate in the Grand Finale online.

Online finalists will receive the necessary instructions for:

• Virtual presentation
• Online prototype demonstration
• Video conferencing
• Screen sharing
• Technical setup
• Final evaluation

Important Grand Finale Policy

The Grand Finale is not restricted exclusively to teams that can travel to the physical venue.

All 20 selected finalist teams will have the option of participating through the applicable offline or online mode, subject to the final instructions and technical arrangements communicated by the organizers.

The hybrid format is intended to provide finalists with flexibility and ensure that travel or geographical limitations do not prevent a selected team from presenting its innovation.

Prize Pool

Total Prize Pool: ₹1,00,000

The Narayana National Hackathon 2026 will offer a total prize pool of ₹1,00,000 across multiple award categories.

Award Prize

Prize Money

Winner

₹30,000

First Runner-Up

₹20,000

Second Runner-Up

₹20,000

Best Prototype Project

₹10,000

Best Women Team – Idea Award 1

₹10,000

Best Women Team – Idea Award 2

₹10,000

Total Prize Pool

₹1,00,000

Winner

The team selected as the overall Winner of Narayana National Hackathon 2026 will receive a prize of:

₹30,000

First Runner-Up

The team selected as the First Runner-Up will receive:

₹20,000

Second Runner-Up

The team selected as the Second Runner-Up will receive:

₹20,000

Best Prototype Project

A special award will be presented to the team demonstrating an outstanding functional prototype/project, with a prize of:

₹10,000

This category recognizes strong prototype development, implementation, functionality, and demonstration.

Best Women Team – Idea Awards

Two teams will be recognized under the Best Women Team Idea category.

• Best Women Team Idea – Award 1: ₹10,000
• Best Women Team Idea – Award 2: ₹10,000

Total Women Team Idea Awards: ₹20,000

These awards are intended to recognize innovative ideas presented by eligible women-led teams, subject to the eligibility and evaluation criteria communicated by the organizers.

Grand Finale Presentation

During the Grand Finale, each finalist team will present its solution before the evaluation panel.

Teams should be prepared to explain:

• Problem Statement
• Problem Background
• Proposed Solution
• Target Users
• Key Features
• Innovation
• Technical Architecture
• Technology Stack
• Development Approach
• Working Prototype
• Live Demonstration
• Existing Solutions and Comparison
• Advantages of the Proposed Solution
• Scalability
• Future Scope
• Expected Impact

The presentation material should clearly communicate the solution, architecture, innovation, technical implementation, existing-solution comparison, demonstration, and live deployment/prototype wherever applicable.

Suggested Technology Domains

Participants can build solutions using one or more relevant technology domains, depending on the selected problem statement.

Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning

• Machine Learning
• Deep Learning
• Natural Language Processing
• Computer Vision
• Generative AI
• Recommendation Systems
• Predictive Analytics

Software Development

• Web Applications
• Mobile Applications
• SaaS Platforms
• Enterprise Applications
• Developer Tools
• Automation Systems

Cloud & DevOps

• Cloud Computing
• Serverless Architecture
• Containerization
• APIs
• Distributed Systems
• DevOps

Data & Analytics

• Data Science
• Data Analytics
• Business Intelligence
• Predictive Modeling
• Data Visualization

Emerging Technologies

• Blockchain
• Internet of Things
• Cybersecurity
• Robotics
• AR/VR
• Automation

Participants are encouraged to choose technologies that are appropriate to the problem rather than using technology merely for complexity.

Evaluation Framework

Projects may be evaluated across the following dimensions:

Evaluation Area

What Will Be Considered

Problem Understanding

Clarity and relevance of the identified problem

Innovation

Originality and uniqueness of the solution

Technical Approach

Appropriateness and implementation of technology

Functionality

Working capability of the prototype

Feasibility

Practical possibility of implementation

Scalability

Potential for expansion and larger adoption

User Experience

Usability and accessibility

Impact

Potential value and real-world applicability

Presentation

Clarity and quality of explanation

Demonstration

Effectiveness of prototype demonstration

The exact criteria, weightage, submission requirements, and timelines may be communicated by the organizers for each round.

Team Formation

Participants may form teams according to the team-size requirements specified by the organizers on the official hackathon opportunity page.

Teams are encouraged to have members with complementary skills such as:

• Frontend Development
• Backend Development
• AI/ML
• Mobile Development
• UI/UX
• Database Management
• Cloud & DevOps
• Cybersecurity
• Research
• Product Development
• Business/Market Analysis
• Presentation

A multidisciplinary team can help address different aspects of product development, from technical implementation to user experience and presentation.

Who Can Participate?

The hackathon is intended for students and emerging technology enthusiasts interested in:

• Software Development
• Artificial Intelligence
• Machine Learning
• Data Science
• Cloud Computing
• Web Development
• Mobile Development
• Cybersecurity
• Blockchain
• IoT
• Automation
• Product Development
• Technology Innovation

Participants should review the eligibility and team-size requirements specified on the official hackathon opportunity page before registering.

Code of Conduct & Originality

All participating teams are expected to maintain professional conduct throughout the hackathon.

Participants must:

• Submit their own work or work they are legally authorized to use.
• Respect intellectual property rights.
• Avoid plagiarism.
• Provide accurate information regarding their project.
• Disclose the use of third-party APIs, libraries, datasets, open-source components, or external services wherever required.
• Follow all rules and instructions communicated by the organizers.

Any submission found to violate applicable rules may be subject to review or disqualification according to the event guidelines.

Prototype & Project Requirements

Participants are encouraged to focus on developing a functional and demonstrable solution.

The project should clearly communicate:

Problem → Solution → Technology → Implementation → Impact

Teams should avoid limiting their submission to only:

• Static PPTs
• Concept-only proposals
• Non-functional mockups

A functional prototype/MVP is strongly encouraged wherever the selected problem permits it.