STUDENT GUIDELINES · GRADES 3–12
Student Guidelines
Your problem statement, the rules, and exactly how judges will score you.
Date
Sat, 12 Dec 2026
Venue
Delhi (venue to be announced on 20 Nov)
Mode
In person
Entry
Solo, or team of 2 via school
Register by
25 Nov 2026
BEFORE YOU START
Who can take part
Students in Grades 3–12 from schools across India. You do not need to take part in the State or National Olympiad to enter.How you enter
Register independently as an individual, or through your school as a team of 2. Your school chooses its participants directly or through its own school hackathon.Build before the day
You prepare your project in advance and present it on 12 Dec. There is no building at the venue.What you can win
Top 3 in every grade from 3 to 12. Every participant gets an eDC IIT Delhi certificate.YOUR CHALLENGE
Choose your grade
Grades 3–5
Imagine with AI
YOUR CHALLENGE
Think of a real problem people face in your school, neighbourhood or family. Imagine how AI could help solve it. Pitch your idea, explain how it works, and show a simple demonstration. Connect it to Viksit Bharat.
Link your idea to one of the six aspirations of Viksit Bharat (a developed India by 2047): zero poverty, quality school education for all, affordable healthcare, skilled jobs, women in economic activities, farmers making India the food basket of the world.
For inspiration only: food wasted at school functions, grandparents forgetting medicines, pests in the school garden. These are only examples. Pick a problem you have seen yourself. Health ideas should remind, inform or organise. They should not diagnose illness or replace a doctor.
Plan your pitchGuiding questions and a 4-slide structure+
Ask yourself:Your 4 slides or poster panels:
Who faces this problem, and why does it matter?
What would the AI do, and what information would it use?
How will you show it?
What could go wrong, and how do you keep people safe?
1The problem
2My AI idea
3How it works
4Keeping people safe
GuidelinesTime, slides, demo, AI tools and safety+
ITEM
GUIDELINE
Time
5 minutes in total, including judges’ questions. Aim for about 3 minutes of pitching.
Slides or posters
Up to 4 slides or poster panels, in any size you like.
Demo
Show how the idea could work. No finished product is needed.
AI tools
A teacher or parent should choose and operate any AI tool, because many AI tools have a minimum user age.
Keep it simple
Explain your idea in your own words.
Safety
Name one risk and how your idea keeps people safe. Use made-up names. Don’t show classmates’ photos or personal details.
How you’re judged5 criteria · 100 points+
1. Problem understanding and community relevance20 pts
A real problem from your school, home or neighbourhood: who faces it, why it matters, what happens today.To score highest: Give a real example you have seen yourself and link it to Viksit Bharat.2. Creativity and originality20 pts
Your own twist on a familiar idea, or something new. Not a common example repeated.To score highest: Show that your idea came from your own observation and thinking.3. Sensible use and explanation of AI20 pts
What the AI will do, what information it uses, and how a person uses the result.To score highest: Explain all three simply and correctly, and say why AI is a good fit for this problem.4. Demonstration and clarity20 pts
A simple demo that matches your idea, presented clearly and on time.To score highest: Make your demo engaging and easy to understand, and answer questions with confidence.5. Potential benefit and responsible use20 pts
Who it helps, which Viksit Bharat aspiration it supports, one risk, and how you protect people.To score highest: Add a thoughtful safeguard, and include people who might be left out.Total: 100 points. Judges score your thinking, not the cost of your equipment or the polish of your slides.
Grades 6–8
Innovate with AI
YOUR CHALLENGE
Identify a specific problem in your community and the people it affects. Propose an AI-powered solution and demonstrate it through a prototype, mock-up, workflow or AI tool demo. Show why AI is genuinely useful here, and how your solution is practical, fair and safe. Connect it to Viksit Bharat.
Link your idea to one of the six aspirations of Viksit Bharat (a developed India by 2047): zero poverty, quality school education for all, affordable healthcare, skilled jobs, women in economic activities, farmers making India the food basket of the world.
For inspiration only: families missing government schemes, textbook language that’s hard to follow, crop pests noticed too late. Research a problem from your own community. Health ideas should remind, inform or organise. They should not diagnose illness or replace a doctor.
Plan your pitchGuiding questions and a 5-slide structure+
Ask yourself:Your 5 slides:
Who is affected, and how do you know?
What is the user journey from start to finish?
Why is AI better here than a non-AI option?
Is it feasible, fair and private?
How can users check the AI’s output?
1Problem and evidence
2Solution and why AI
3User journey and data
4Demo
5Feasibility, impact and responsible AI
GuidelinesTime, slides, evidence, AI tools and privacy+
ITEM
GUIDELINE
Time
6 minutes in total, including judges’ questions.
Slides
Up to 5 slides, plus your demo.
Demo
A prototype, mock-up, workflow or AI tool demo. No finished product is needed.
Evidence
Back up your problem with observations, interviews or research, and say where it came from.
AI tools
Use only tools allowed for your age. A teacher or parent can operate them if needed. Name every tool you used.
Data and privacy
Use made-up or anonymised data. Don’t name people from your interviews without their permission.
Backup
Keep a recording or screenshots of your demo.
How you’re judged5 criteria · 100 points+
1. Problem research and relevance20 pts
A specific problem and the people it affects, backed by evidence, with a clear link to a Viksit Bharat aspiration.To score highest: State your sources clearly and show a clear link to your community and to Viksit Bharat.2. Originality20 pts
A fresh solution, or a clear improvement on existing ones.To score highest: Show that your own research and insight shaped your solution.3. Quality and appropriateness of AI approach20 pts
What the AI does, the data it needs, the user journey, and sensible reasons for using AI.To score highest: Make a strong case for why AI is needed over a non-AI option, with realistic data needs.4. Prototype or demonstration, and explanation20 pts
A demo that matches your solution, explained clearly and on time.To score highest: Prepare your demo well, and answer questions with confidence and accuracy.5. Feasibility, impact and responsible AI20 pts
Whether it can work, its benefit and limits, privacy and fairness, and how users can check the AI.To score highest: Discuss all of these realistically, add practical safeguards, and give users a way to challenge the AI.Total: 100 points. Judges score your reasoning, not the cost of your equipment or the polish of your slides.
Grades 9–12
Build, Create & Demonstrate
YOUR CHALLENGE
Choose one of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Identify a real need linked to it, then build and demonstrate a working project in one category. A prototype is fine. Be ready to explain what you built yourself, what tools you used, and what’s still incomplete.
The 17 SDGsPick one goal+
1 No Poverty2 Zero Hunger3 Good Health and Well-being4 Quality Education5 Gender Equality6 Clean Water and Sanitation7 Affordable and Clean Energy8 Decent Work and Economic Growth9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure10 Reduced Inequalities11 Sustainable Cities and Communities12 Responsible Consumption and Production13 Climate Action14 Life Below Water15 Life on Land16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions17 Partnerships for the Goals
State your chosen goal at the start of your presentation. More at sdgs.un.org/goals.
CategoriesGame, App, Movie, AI Agent, Web+
CATEGORY
WHAT TO SHOW
EXAMPLE (FOR INSPIRATION ONLY)
Game Development
Gameplay, controls, objective, and what makes the game work.
A waste-sorting game that teaches segregation at home (SDG 12).
App Development
The main user flow and the key features that meet the need.
A medicine-reminder app for older people (SDG 3).
Movie Making
The film or an excerpt, the concept, creative choices and your own production contribution.
A short film on staying safe in heatwaves (SDG 13).
AI Agent
The agent’s goal, inputs and outputs, workflow, safeguards and one realistic test.
A study-planning agent for board exam students (SDG 4).
Web Development
Key pages, interactions, accessibility basics and intended users.
A site mapping accessible public places in your town (SDG 11).
Choose one category at registration and stick to it.
Plan your 8 minutesSuggested presentation flow+
1Need and SDG
2Demo
3What I built
4What works and what’s next
5Judges’ questions
GuidelinesTime, slides, films, disclosure and tech check+
ITEM
GUIDELINE
Time
8 minutes in total, including judges’ questions. A category-specific panel judges your entry.
Slides and films
Use as many slides as you need within your 8 minutes. Movie Making entries can play the full film or an excerpt.
Honesty
Be clear about what works and what’s incomplete. A prototype is fine.
Disclosure
Name all borrowed code, templates, APIs, music, footage and AI-generated content. Only use assets you have permission to use.
Data and privacy
Use anonymised data. Keep real people’s personal data out of public AI tools, and don’t let your project make high-stakes decisions about people.
Tech check
Bring a charged device and adapters, keep an offline copy, test logins beforehand, and keep a recorded backup of any online or AI feature.
AI Agent entries
Show what happens when the agent is wrong or unsure.
How you’re judged5 criteria · 100 points+
1. Problem / user need and purpose20 pts
A clear need, defined users, and a sound link to one SDG.To score highest: Research the need well, name specific users, and explain your SDG link strongly.2. Originality and design / technical quality20 pts
An original concept with sound design and technical choices for your category.To score highest: Make your concept distinctive, with high-quality, well-reasoned work.3. Functionality or execution20 pts
Core features work reliably in the demo, or the film is complete and coherent.To score highest: Make it polished and reliable, and show how it handles errors or unusual cases.4. Demonstration and explanation20 pts
A clear demo on time, explaining what you built, the tools you used, and what’s incomplete.To score highest: Give a confident, well-structured demo with precise, honest answers.5. Usefulness / impact, accessibility and responsible practice20 pts
Realistic impact, basic accessibility, responsible data use and full disclosure.To score highest: Back up your impact with evidence, design accessibility in from the start, and add clear safeguards.What judges look for under “Functionality”
CATEGORY
LOOK-FORS
Game
Gameplay runs, controls respond, the objective is clear, the game loop works.
App
The main user flow works end to end; key features meet the need.
Movie
The film plays; the story is coherent; picture and sound are clear.
AI Agent
It reaches its goal from realistic inputs; safeguards work; one realistic test is shown.
Web
Key pages and navigation work; accessibility basics are in place.
Total: 100 points. The same criteria apply to all five categories.
RULES AND EVENT DAY
Everything you need to know
Rules for everyoneOriginality, disclosure, data and ownership+
One entry each. You can be part of one entry only, in the grade you are in on the event date.
Make it your own work. You can use AI tools, tutorials and templates, but you must be able to explain everything.
Tell the judges what you used. Name any AI tools, code, templates, images, music, videos, datasets or APIs that you did not make yourself.
Don’t copy. Never present someone else’s work as your own, and only use material you have permission to use.
Keep people’s data safe. Use made-up or anonymised data. Never put classmates’, teachers’ or neighbours’ personal details into AI tools.
AI is not the final word. Your project should never make important decisions about real people based on what an AI says.
Your work stays yours. By entering, you allow the organisers to show your entry for event and educational purposes, with your consent and your name credited.
Consent, conduct and safetyConsent form, code of conduct and venue safety+
Get consent. Participants under 18 need parent or guardian consent for taking part, emergency contact and any support needs.
Be respectful. Bullying, harassment, unkind language or unsafe behaviour may lead to removal from the event. Respect other participants’ devices and work.
Use AI kindly. Don’t make anything harmful, fake, hateful or that invades someone’s privacy.
Ask before you click. Don’t photograph or record other participants or their work without permission.
Stay safe at the venue. Follow instructions from organisers and volunteers, stay in your assigned area, and leave only through the check-out process with your school’s accompanying adult.
Event day and what to bringChecklist and timings+
What to bring
Charged deviceCharger and adaptersHDMI adapterOffline copy of your workBackup recording or screenshotsSchool IDRegistration confirmationSigned consent form
On the day
Test your links, logins, sound and video before your slot. Don’t plan to create accounts during judging.
Don’t bring unsafe equipment, chemicals or sharp tools.
Arrive at your check-in time. Late arrival may cut your setup time, and judges may stop you when your time ends.
Your check-in time and judging slot will be emailed to you before the event.
PenaltiesWhat happens if a rule is broken+
SITUATION
WHAT HAPPENS
Running over time
You are stopped when your time ends. Anything after that is not scored.
Not disclosing AI tools or borrowed material
Marks deducted, or disqualification
Copied work
Disqualification
Real personal data used without consent
Disqualification
AWARDS AND RESULTS
Prizes and certificates
GRADE BAND
WINNERS
Grades 3–5
Top 3 in each grade (3, 4, 5)
Grades 6–8
Top 3 in each grade (6, 7, 8)
Grades 9–12
Top 3 in each grade (9, 10, 11, 12)
Every participant
An eDC IIT Delhi certificate.Winners
The top 3 in every grade win special goodies and the chance to present on the big stage at the Grand Finale.National spotlight
The event is covered on ET Now and ET Swadesh.Special awards, ties and resultsHow winners are confirmed+
Special awards may be given, for example for community impact, responsible AI, creativity, accessibility or storytelling. The final list will be shared before the event.
Ties are decided by the score on the most important criterion first, then the responsible use and impact score.
Judges’ decisions are final. If you think a rule was not followed, tell the event contact. You can’t appeal to change a judge’s opinion of your work.
FAQ
Quick answers
Do I build my project at the venue?+
No. You prepare your project beforehand and present it to the jury on 12 Dec 2026.
Do I need to take the Olympiad to enter?+
No. The Hackathon and the National Olympiad are separate. You can enter either, or bundle both.
Can I enter as a team?+
Yes, if you register through your school: school entries can be solo or a team of 2. Independent registrations are individual only.
What if the internet fails during my slot?+
Play your backup recording or show your screenshots. Keep an offline copy of everything.
Questions?Contact the HAILM Hackathon Organising Team.