Institutional Hackathon: Hack for Social Cause (VBYLD 2026)
7th November 2025
NSS Units, Dronacharya College of Engineering (DCE), Gurugram, successfully organized the Institutional Hackathon under My Bharat Social Hackathon 2025 initiative, on 7thNovember 2025aligned with the VBYLD 2026 (Viksit Bharat Youth Led Development) program initiated by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India. The hackathon, titled “Hack for Social Cause,” aimed to empower youth between 18-29 years to develop scalable, technology-driven solutions for social good.
The event was conducted in collaboration with multiple stakeholders to ensure effective mentorship, guidance, and program execution. The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports provided policy oversight, while IIT Bombay, as the National Knowledge Partner, offered technical mentoring. State Nodal Institutions coordinated state-level hackathons and mentorship programs, and local institutions facilitated institutional-level activities. The My Bharat portal served as the digital backbone for registration and program management, ensuring seamless participation and communication.
15 highly competitive teams, comprising over 60 students and volunteers, participated in the event. The event encouraged participants to submit innovative solutions aligned with the nine pillars of Viksit Bharat 2047, with particular focus on digital governance, citizen services, rural development, sustainability, smart infrastructure and safety, and education and skilling.
The evaluation process was conducted in two phases. The first phase involved a thorough documentation review, while the second phase included live presentations and demonstrations. Teams were assessed based on innovation and originality, social impact and scalability, technical feasibility, and presentation clarity. The judging panel consisted of Dr. Manoj (Associate Professor, CSE Department), Ms. Neha Raghav (Assistant Professor, CSE Department), and Mr. Sandeep (Assistant Professor, AIML Department), ensuring a fair and comprehensive evaluation.
After rigorous evaluation, Team Infra emerged as the winner with their project titled “PotholeSense: Automated Road Safety Auditing System” under the theme of smart infrastructure and safety. The solution utilized Python, TensorFlow Lite, and edge computing with mobile or Raspberry Pi devices to detect road anomalies such as potholes, cracks, and uneven surfaces. The system provided real-time geo-tagging, severity scoring, and automated reporting. The panel appreciated the project for its practical social impact, high scalability, and cost-effective technical design, deeming it suitable for deployment across Indian road networks.
The Institutional Hackathon successfully fostered a culture of youth-led innovation and problem-solving at DCE Farrukhnagar. Team Infra has been formally instructed to refine their prototype and documentation in preparation for the State-Level Hackathon (Stage 2). Overall, the hackathon provided students with a platform to apply technology for social good, enhanced their problem-solving abilities, and encouraged them to contribute meaningfully toward a technologically advanced and inclusive India by 2047.