Student groups or associations, companies, universities, and government bodies usually organize these hackathons all over India. There can be university-level, state-level, and national-level hackathons depending on the target audience and specific goals.
Phases of Hackathon:
1. Pre-Hackathon Phase:
This phase focuses on event preparation, announcements, equipment handling, etc.
From creating problem statements and challenges for participants to solve and sending invitations to final reminders and pre-check-in steps, this phase covers all.
2. The Main Event or The Live Hackathon Phase:
The main event or the live hackathon takes over 24-72 hours of time, depending on the finalized scheduled and decided event format. In this phase, the teams brainstorm and identify possible solutions to their assigned challenges and continue solving the further statements allotted to them until the given time duration is over.
3. Post-Hackathon Phase:
In the post-hackathon phase, the scores and results are evaluated. In the case of solution-based hackathons, all attendees – individual and team participants – are required to present their solutions.
Whether it is final winner announcements, prize distribution, or any other follow-up process, all are part of the post-hackathon phase.
Famous Hackathons of India
1. Smart India Hackathon (SIH)
The Smart India Hackathon (SIH) is one of the prestigious hackathons in India. This event is organized by the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell in collaboration with AICTE.
The Smart India Hackathon (SIH) has two editions:
- Software Edition: This focuses on digital solutions.
- Hardware Edition: This focuses on tangible prototypes.
2. AngelHack India
AngelHack is India’s premier hackathon series, bringing together tech innovators and entrepreneurs on a common platform. This hackathon provides amazing networking opportunities with peers & global investors, fosters collaborations, and offers several rewards, including mentorship, funding opportunities, etc.
3. NASSCOM Product Conclave Hackathon
Organized by NASSCOM, the premier IT industry body in India, it focuses on solving industry-specific challenges and fosters collaboration between corporates and developers. It collaborates with tech giants such as Microsoft, IBM and TCS to present challenges that are directly relevant to industry needs.
4. HackerRank India Challenges
HackerRank is known among hackathon enthusiasts for its programming contests and skill assessments. The hackathons test participant’s coding, algorithmic and problem-solving skills on a global platform. Organized by Goldman Sachs India, HackerRank India Challenges is structured around algorithmic challenges and real-world problem statements.
5. JHUB Hackathon
This hackathon is organized by Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad. It focuses on bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application.
6. T-Hub Hackathon
It is recognized as India’s largest innovation hub and startup incubator. T-Hub Hackathons are highly regarded for their industry relevance and focus on entrepreneurship.
7. IndiaHacks
IndiaHacks by HackerEarth is a global leader in developer assessment. The participants will get several opportunities, from hands-on experience with the latest technologies to enhance their technical skills and foster connections.
8. IBM Call for Code Hackathon
The IBM Call for Code Hackathon is organized by IBM, which has gained immense popularity across India. It aims at using technology to solve humanitarian challenges.
Below you will find a curated list of upcoming major Indian hackathons in 2025.
Upcoming Major Indian Hackathons 2025:
Event Name | Date / Location | Overview |
13th February, 2025 | It focuses on fostering innovation among students in emerging technologies like AI, blockchain and IoT. Participants will get the opportunity to work together and participate as teams to solve real-world challenges with opportunities to win prizes and gain recognition. | |
8th February, 2025 / Kolkata | It is a coding competition that is aimed at discovering and nurturing budding developers. The hackathon presents unique challenges across various technology domains by enabling participants to showcase their talent, learn from peers and win exciting prizes. | |
11th February, 2025 – 14th February, 2025 / Kolkata | It focuses on building practical solutions for real world challenges. Participants work in teams to develop innovative projects that are often under tight deadlines. The event provides a fast paced, exciting environment for developers, designers and tech enthusiasts to shine. | |
20th February, 2025 – 27th February, 2025 / Bengaluru | It is a prominent hackathon that invites participants to create software solutions for modern challenges. The event is designed to encourage creativity, collaboration and technical excellence among participants. | |
10th January, 2025 – 12th January, 2025 / Adisaptagram, Hooghly | It is an inclusive student-focused hackathon that promotes innovation across various domains. Participants collaborate to develop projects in fields like artificial intelligence, sustainability and software development. | |
3rd February, 2025 – 6th February, 2025 / Hyderabad | It is a series of regional hackathons that focus on sustainable development. Participants address challenges aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as clean energy and poverty reduction. | |
8th January, 2025 – 10th January, 2025 / Bhubaneswar | It explores advanced technologies like AI, blockchain and IoT and invites all the participants from academia and industry to create impactful solutions with opportunities for recognition and networking. | |
11th January, 2025 / Nagpur | It brings together developers to create innovative CRM solutions using Salesforce technology and provides hands-on experience, mentorship and the chance to collaborate with industry experts. | |
18th January, 2025 / Mumbai | It is hosted by PanIIT Alumni India during its national conference and is Asia’s largest design and code hackathon. The participants tackle challenges requiring technical expertise and creative design solutions using platforms like Figma. | |
To Be Announced | It fosters global collaboration among students and professionals. Participants explore diverse themes including tech for good, enterprise solutions and AI innovations. | |
26th September, 2025- 28th September, 2025 / New Delhi | It is part of a renowned series of Ethereum hackathons that is focused on advancing blockchain technology. Participants work on decentralized applications, smart contracts and Web3 solutions. | |
10th September, 2025 / Bangalore | It is a specialized event for engineers who are working on digital verification and systems design. Participants explore hardware-software integration challenges and work on innovative projects. |
Hackathons enable audiences to solve real-world challenges or problem statements, collaborate with industry experts and transform ideas into impactful solutions. Whether you are a student, a tech professional or an entrepreneur, participating in these hackathons is a rewarding experience and can help enhance your background.
Frequently asked questions
Core technical skills like coding, design and domain knowledge are necessary to succeed in a hackathon, along with other skills like teamwork, time management and creativity.
To prepare for a hackathon, you need to familiarize yourself with the theme, learn relevant technologies and practice building quick prototypes.
