recHERsion 2026 | Women-Only Hackathon

About recHERsion

recHERsion 2026 is the flagship women-only hackathon organised by ACM-W, NITK Surathkal, as part of Engineer NITK 2K26, the institute's annual technical fest. This 36-hour online development hackathon aims to empower women in technology by providing a platform to innovate, collaborate and build practical solutions to real-world challenges.

Participants will work on one of two problem statements, develop functional prototypes and demonstrate their solutions. The event encourages creativity, technical excellence, problem-solving and the development of technology-driven solutions with meaningful real-world applications.

Total Prize Pool: ₹50,000

• Problem Statements
• Two problem statements will be released at the beginning of the hackathon. Each team must select one problem statement and develop a solution addressing the challenge presented.
• The problem statements will focus on real-world challenges and encourage participants to apply their technical knowledge, creativity and problem-solving skills to build practical, innovative solutions.
• Detailed problem statements and their requirements will be shared with participants at the beginning of the event.
• Hackathon Format and Process
• recHERsion 2026 will consist of two phases, followed by the final project submission.

Phase 1: Problem Statement Selection — 6 Hours

Date and time: Saturday, 24 October 2026, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM IST

At the beginning of the hackathon, both problem statements will be released to all participating teams.

During this phase, teams must:

• Review both problem statements and understand the challenges.
• Discuss possible approaches and select one problem statement.
• Submit the designated form containing their team name, selected problem statement and required team details.
• Finalise their selection within the allotted six-hour window.

Important: Each team must finalise its chosen problem statement and submit the selection form before the six-hour window closes. Once the selection deadline has passed, changes to the selected problem statement will not be permitted. Teams must continue with their confirmed selection for the remainder of the hackathon.

Phase 2: Prototype Development — 30 Hours

Date and time: Saturday, 24 October 2026, 3:00 PM – Sunday, 25 October 2026, 9:00 PM IST

Teams will have 30 hours to develop their solutions and build functional prototypes addressing their selected problem statements.

During this phase, teams are expected to:

• Design and implement a functional prototype.
• Develop the core features required to address the selected problem.
• Use appropriate technologies, frameworks, tools and APIs.
• Focus on functionality, usability, innovation and practical applicability.
• Complete development within the specified prototyping window.

Important: The prototype development and final project submission deadlines are both Sunday, 25 October 2026, at 9:00 PM IST. Teams must complete their development and submit all required deliverables by this deadline. Any Git commit made to the submitted project repository after the prototyping deadline will result in disqualification.

Final Project Submission:

Teams must submit their completed projects through the designated submission form. The final submission deadline and detailed instructions will be communicated by the organisers.

Each team must provide the following deliverables:

• GitHub Repository: A link to the project's source code and implementation.
• Project Presentation (PPT): A presentation explaining the problem, proposed solution, key features, technical implementation and potential impact.
• Demo Video: A demonstration showcasing the prototype and its core functionality.

Teams must ensure that all deliverables are submitted by 9:00 PM IST on 25 October 2026. No additional development time is available after the deadline. Any Git commit made to the submitted project repository after the prototyping deadline will result in disqualification.

Prizes and Recognition:

recHERsion 2026 features a total prize pool of ₹50,000, with awards distributed across the two problem statements.

Problem Statement 1

• Winner
• Runner-up

Problem Statement 2

• Winner
• Runner-up

The awards will recognise outstanding solutions based on their innovation, technical implementation, functionality and relevance to the selected problem statement.

Evaluation Criteria:

Projects will be evaluated by the judging panel based on the quality of the solution and its implementation. Key considerations include:

• Problem Relevance: Understanding of the challenge and how effectively the solution addresses it.
• Innovation: Originality, creativity and uniqueness of the proposed approach.
• Technical Implementation: Quality of the code, technical execution and use of appropriate technologies.
• Functionality: Completeness of the prototype and demonstration of its core features.
• Feasibility and Impact: Practical applicability and potential to address the problem meaningfully.
• User Experience: Usability, accessibility and overall design of the solution.

Rules and Guidelines:

• The hackathon is exclusively for women students from colleges and universities.
• Teams must consist of 2–3 members. Inter-college teams are permitted.
• Each team must select one of the two problem statements within the six-hour selection phase.
• Teams must submit their team details and selected problem statement through the designated form within the specified window.
• All project development must be completed within the 30-hour prototyping phase.
• Any Git commit made to the submitted project repository after the prototyping deadline will result in disqualification.
• Each team must submit its GitHub repository, project presentation and demo video within the announced submission deadline.
• Projects must represent the team's own work. Plagiarism, unauthorised copying and misrepresentation of contributions are prohibited.
• Participants may use appropriate third-party libraries, frameworks, APIs and tools, subject to their applicable licences and terms. Third-party assets and code must be appropriately acknowledged.
• Teams must be prepared to demonstrate their prototypes and explain their technical implementation.
• Participants must follow the submission instructions and other official event guidelines communicated by the organisers.
• The organisers reserve the right to disqualify teams that violate the event rules.
• The judging panel's decisions regarding rankings and awards will be final.

Important Information:

Hackathon: recHERsion 2026

• Organiser: ACM-W, NITK Surathkal
• Event: Engineer NITK 2K26
• Dates: 24–25 October 2026
• Mode: Completely online
• Schedule: Saturday, 24 October, 9:00 AM to Sunday, 25 October, 9:00 PM IST
• Problem Statement Selection: Saturday, 24 October, 9:00 AM to 24 October, 3:00 PM IST (6 hours)
• Prototype Development: Saturday, 24 October, 3:00 PM to Sunday, 25 October, 9:00 PM IST (30 hours)
• Final Submission Deadline: Sunday, 25 October 2026, at 9:00 PM IST - the same as the prototyping deadline
• Team Size: 2–3 members
• Eligibility: Women students from colleges and universities
• Inter-College Teams: Allowed
• Prize Pool: ₹50,000
• Awards: One Winner and one Runner-up for each problem statement
• Final Deliverables: GitHub repository, PPT and demo video

Participants should regularly check the official Unstop listing and the organisers' communication channels for submission instructions and further announcements.

She builds. She innovates. She leads.

Join recHERsion 2026 and turn your ideas into solutions that matter.