Internal Smart India Hackathon
15th - 16th September 2023
Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC), Ministry of Education (MoE), Dronacharya College of Engineering, Gurugram organized an “Internal Hackathon” on 15th & 16th September, 2023 to shortlist the teams for Smart India Hackathon 2023.
Smart India Hackathon 2023 is a nationwide initiative aimed at empowering students to tackle real-world issues and cultivate a culture of innovation and problem-solving. It was built on the success of previous SIH’s editions (SIH2017, SIH2018, SIH2019, SIH2020….), fostering out-of-the-box thinking among engineering students across India.
SIH 2023 featured a total of 239 problem statements, consisting of 58 hardware and 181 software challenges. These problem statements were categorized under State Government, Central Ministry, Industry Personnel, and Student Innovation. The themes encompassed a wide range of areas, including Smart Automation, Fitness & Sports, Heritage & Culture, Med tech/Biotech/Health tech, Agriculture, Food tech & Rural Development, Smart Vehicles Transportation & Logistics, Robotics and Drones, Clean & Green Technology, Tourism, Renewable/Sustainable Energy, Blockchain & Cybersecurity, Smart Education, Disaster Management, Toys, and Miscellaneous sectors like Hospitality, Financial Services, Entertainment, and Retail.
Smart India Hackathon 2023 provided students with the unique opportunity to address challenges faced by Ministries, Departments, Industries, PSUs, and NGOs, with the aim of creating world-class solutions for top organizations including industries.
The primary goal of organizing the Internal Hackathon at DCE was to critically evaluate the solutions proposed by participating teams for the diverse problem statements presented by multiple organizations and Ministries in India. It allowed students to gain a comprehensive understanding of the problems from various angles and develop effective solutions.
Day 1 – 15th September, 2023 - Team Participation and Evaluation:
A total of 105 teams enthusiastically participated in the event. Faculty members of the college, experts in their respective domains, conducted the evaluation. The esteemed faculty members on the judging team included:
- Prof. Ashwani Kumar (CSE Dept.)
- Prof. Vimmi Malhotra (CSE Dept.)
- Dr. Shipra (AIML Dept.)
- Prof. Bhumika (CSE Dept.)
- Prof. Neha Verma (ECE Dept.)
- Dr. Kunal (ME Dept.)
- Dr. Ankit (Applied Science Dept.)
- Pooja Sharma (EEE Dept.)
Feedback provided by the faculty members was invaluable and incorporated by the participating students. After the initial evaluation, 65 teams were shortlisted to proceed to the next stage.
Day 2 – 16th September, 2023 - Presentations by Shortlisted Teams:
On the second day, the shortlisted teams had the opportunity to present their solutions. This phase allowed teams to showcase their innovative ideas, problem-solving approaches, and the practical applicability of their solutions. Evaluation criteria included novelty, complexity, clarity, feasibility/practicability/sustainability, scale of impact, and potential for the future.
The final evaluation was conducted by a panel of esteemed jury members with expertise in various fields:
- Baljeet Singh, Senior Manager-Supply Chain Management (Procurement), Jubilant Ingrevia Ltd.
- Hemant Kumar, Founder Director, DigiBC India Private Limited
- Gaurav Mattas, Assistant Manager – Marketing, Scholastic.
- Nidhi Manchanda, Programmer Analyst, Cognizant Technologies
- Vipanshu Parashar, Developer Relations Marketing Executive, Packt
Smart India Hackathon 2023 continues to be a driving force in fostering innovation and problem-solving skills among India's youth. With a diverse range of problem statements and active student participation, the initiative played a pivotal role in addressing real-world challenges and promoting a culture of innovation in the country. The internal hackathon at Dronacharya College of Engineering marked a significant step in this journey, providing a platform for students to refine their solutions and gain valuable insights from experts in the field.