The DevForge - Hackathon

Description: The Devforge is a 24-hour coding marathon where teams of 2–4 developers brainstorm, design, and build innovative solutions to real-world problems under pressure. Collaborate with your squad, tackle challenges, and race against the clock as you turn bold ideas from concept into working solutions — a true test of creativity, problem-solving, teamwork, and technical skill. Eligibility: Open to college students across India Inter-college teams are allowed Inter-specialization teams are allowed Team size must be between 2 to 4 members Rules & Regulations: Participants must bring their own laptops, chargers, and devices. Internet access will be provided. Pre-built projects are not allowed. All code must be written during the hackathon (libraries/frameworks permitted). Teams must present a working prototype at the end. Participants are required to stay on campus for the duration of the hackathon(Food will be provided in the campus) Teams must adhere to all guidelines and submission formats The judges’ decision will be final. Code Freeze: Submission deadline for Day 1 code freeze (09:00 AM) is absolute; no further commits will be considered for Round 2 evaluation. Registration Process: Note: The hackathon will consist of 2 rounds. Round 1 problem statements will be released during the Round 1 registration period. Participants must select one of the provided problem statements and base their Round 1 submission on the selected problem statement. The Round 1 submission must demonstrate how the team intends to approach and solve the selected problem statement. Shortlisted teams will proceed to the 24-hour offline hackathon at the Scaler School of Technology (SST) campus. The final shortlisted teams will compete in the Grand Stage Finals through live presentations and working product demonstrations. Round 1: Register online with team details through Unstop. Select one problem statement from the problem statements released for Round 1. Submit a Plain-text / Markdown / PDF document addressing the selected problem statement and covering: Proposed System Architecture Technical Implementation Strategy Chosen Tech Stack & Tooling Anticipated Challenges & Risk Mitigation Expected Deliverables Presentations/PPTs are not accepted for Round 1. Teams will be evaluated based on the quality, technical depth, feasibility, and clarity of their proposed solution to the selected problem statement. Selected teams will be notified on the registered email. Round 2 (Final Round): Round 2 will be held completely offline on campus premises. Teams will develop their projects in a collaborative, energized environment, with access to mentorship, high-speed internet, and refreshments. Participants are advised to reach the venue 1 hour before the commencement time. This will be a 24 hour event (overnight hackathon).Teams will develop their solutions and undergo desk-side judging on Day 1 morning, including a PPT walkthrough, live functional prototype demo, and codebase analysis. The Top 10 teams will qualify as finalists Finalist teams will present their solutions and working prototypes before the judges, and the final results will be based on these presentations and evaluations.    Disqualification Criteria: Plagiarism or code copying Submitting incomplete or non-functional prototypes Submitting pre-existing projects, cloning repositories without substantial original contributions, or fabricating Git history. Misconduct, offensive behavior, or disrupting the event flow Presenting mockups or pre-rendered videos as live working software during evaluation.  Any form of harassment, destruction of venue facilities, or failure to follow event organizers and campus security directives.   Step-by- Step Registration & Submission Guide: Step 1 (Join Community): Join the official Yugaantar WhatsApp announcement channel for real-time updates and mentorship support. Step 2 (Register Team): Register your team leader on Unstop and send invitation links to 1–3 team members (total team size: 2–4). Step 3 (Select Track): Choose your preferred problem statement from the 7 options (or Wildcard track specifying AI/ML or Open Source evaluation panel). Step 4 (Submit Document): Prepare your System Design Document adhering to the required structure and submit via Unstop prior to the Round 1 deadline. Participant Advisory (What to Pack for Offline Rounds) Hardware & Electronics: Laptops, power adapters, extension cords, mouse/mousepads, and mobile hotspots (backup connectivity). Comfort Items: Light jacket or hoodie (halls are air-conditioned overnight), neck pillow, or compact travel blanket. Personal Essentials: Personal toiletries, medication, hygiene kit, and reusable water bottle.