Hackathon Rules & Guidelines

To ensure a fair, transparent, and high-quality experience for all participants, the following rules apply to HackPulse Hackathon 2026.

1. Eligibility
  • This hackathon is open to students only.
  • Participants may register individually or as a team.
  • Team size (if applicable) must follow the defined limits on the platform.
2. Project Requirements
  • All submissions must be original work created during the hackathon period.
  • Pre-existing projects are not allowed unless they are significantly enhanced or rebuilt during the event.
  • Projects must demonstrate clear effort, logic, and implementation.
  • Purely theoretical or idea-only submissions without validation may not be considered.
3. Use of Tools & Technologies
  • Participants are free to use any programming language, framework, or tool.
  • Use of third-party APIs, open-source libraries, and AI tools is allowed.
  • However, the core logic and implementation must reflect the participant’s own contribution.
4. Team Conduct
  • All participants must maintain professional and respectful behavior.
  • Any form of plagiarism, misconduct, or misrepresentation will lead to disqualification.
  • Teams must clearly declare contributions of each member if asked.
5. Submission Rules
  • All submissions must be completed before the deadline.
  • Late submissions will not be considered.
  • Participants must provide accurate and complete information in their submissions.
6. Evaluation Transparency
  • All projects will be evaluated based on defined criteria such as:
    • Problem clarity
    • Innovation
    • Technical execution
    • Practical applicability
  • Judges’ decisions will be final and binding.
7. Intellectual Property
  • Participants retain ownership of their projects.
  • By participating, you grant the organizers permission to showcase your project for promotional or educational purposes.
8. Disqualification Criteria

Participants may be disqualified if:

  • They submit plagiarized or copied work
  • They provide false information
  • They violate any rule or code of conduct
  • They attempt to manipulate the evaluation process
9. General Note

The hackathon is designed to encourage learning, building, and innovation. Participants are expected to act in good faith and contribute positively to the ecosystem.

Theme-Based Evaluation Bonus

To encourage multi-domain thinking and impactful solutions, additional bonus marks will be awarded based on the theme alignment and depth of implementation.

Base Evaluation Score: 100 Marks Theme Bonus: +5 to +10 Marks (per project) Theme Bonus Table
Theme Description Bonus Marks
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Intelligent systems, automation, generative AI +5 to +10
Machine Learning (ML) Predictive models, training systems, data learning +5 to +10
FinTech Payments, financial systems, risk analysis +5 to +10
Web Development Scalable, responsive web platforms +5 to +10
SaaS / Platform Infrastructure Cloud platforms, scalable tools, backend systems +5 to +10
Cybersecurity Data protection, secure systems, threat detection +5 to +10
Data Science & Analytics Insights, dashboards, data-driven decision making +5 to +10
Product Management & Strategy Product thinking, user-centric design, market fit +5 to +10
Climate Tech & Sustainability Environmental impact, green solutions +5 to +10
Open Innovation Cross-domain, unconventional, hybrid ideas +5 to +10
How Bonus Marks Work
  • Projects strongly aligned with a theme receive +5 marks
  • Projects demonstrating deep integration, innovation, or cross-domain excellence may receive up to +10 marks
  • Bonus marks are awarded at the discretion of the jury panel
Important Clarification
  • Bonus marks are additive, not mandatory
  • A project can qualify for only one primary theme bonus
  • Cross-domain projects may receive higher consideration within the bonus range