Plaksha University, Mohali · Sep 19–20, 2026

TECH FEST

Event 01

Bid2Build

A strategy and innovation challenge

Money’s tight, the task’s a mystery, and the auction waits for no one.

  1. 01BidTech auction
  2. 02TradeResource exchange
  3. 03InnovateStartup pitch
Date
Time
3:00 – 5:00 PM
Teams
3 – 4 players
Prize
₹20,000 pool
Registrations Closed

Event 02

The Corrupted File

Indian tech history and investigation

Tech history has a bug. Try finding it.

  1. 01ReceiveThe case file
  2. 02ReconstructSpot the false claims
  3. 03PresentDefend the truth
Date
Time
5:30 – 7:30 PM
Teams
4 players
Prize
₹20,000 pool
Registrations Closed

We are excited to announce Prayas ’26, Plaksha’s first standalone technology festival.

Event 03 · The finale

The Hackathon

Build. Break. Solve.

A 24-hour build sprint on the theme of AI for good. Teams find a problem worth solving and take it from concept to working prototype on campus — four tracks, dedicated mentors, one night.

Date
Reporting time
11:00 AM
Duration
24 hours
Prize pool
₹2,00,000
Team size
3 – 4
Tracks
4
Eligibility
BTech, years 1–4

The format · two rounds

01

Online screening

Submit the problem you want to solve and your proposed solution as a PDF or video. No prototype needed at this stage.

02

Offline hackathon

Shortlisted teams come to campus on Sep 19 for a 24-hour build sprint — concept to working prototype.

Four tracks · sealed until day one

01

Track 01

Open Innovation

02

Track 02

Urban Planning

03

Track 03

Future Finance

04

Track 04

Medical Diagnostics

Flow of the event · Sep 19–20

9:00 – 11:00 AM

Registration, verification & welcome kit distribution

Bharti Reception

11:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Rules, guidelines & code of conduct — tracks and problem statements revealed

1001

12:00 PM

Hackathon commences — coding begins

1001

12:00 – 2:30 PM

Lunch

Mess

3:00 – 5:00 PM

Bid2Build

1002

5:00 – 6:30 PM

Snacks

Mess

5:30 – 7:30 PM

Corrupted File

1002

7:30 – 8:00 PM

Dinner

1002 (packed)

8:30 – 10:00 PM

Surprise!

—

11:00 PM – 12:00 AM

Bake sale

1002

12:00 – 2:00 AM

Mid-hackathon checkpoint

1001

8:30 – 10:30 AM, Sep 20

Breakfast

Mess

12:00 PM, Sep 20

Project prototype submission deadline

—

12:00 – 2:00 PM, Sep 20

End-hack evaluation

1001

12:00 – 2:30 PM, Sep 20

Lunch

Mess

2:00 – 4:45 PM, Sep 20

Presentations

1002

5:00 – 5:30 PM, Sep 20

Prize distribution ceremony

1002

5:30 PM, Sep 20

High tea

1002

Registrations closed — inter-college teams of 3–4, BTech years 1 to 4.

Registrations Closed

Mentorship

  1. 01

    One mentor per track

    Guiding teams start to finish.

  2. 02

    Mid-hack checkpoint

    Course-correct while it still matters.

  3. 03

    End-hack checkpoint

    Sharpen the build before judging.

Prayas ’26 Brochure

The full brief

Events, tracks, timeline and prizes — one document

Cover page of the Prayas ’26 brochure
Page 1 of the brochure
Download PDF

Hackathon track

3–4 teams shortlisted per track for the final · Winner ₹35,000 · Runner-up ₹15,000

Prayas ’26 · Tech Hackathon

Rules & guidelines

Wi-Fi

  • Network Plaksha-Events, password Welcome@2026.

ID, venue access & general reminders

  • Lanyard and ID must be worn at all times — losing it may lead to disqualification.
  • Permitted areas: Bharti Building, Gate 1, Summer/Winter Court, Mess.
  • From 8:00 PM to 8:00 AM, participants may not leave the Bharti Building.
  • Leaving the venue or campus requires organizer permission, except in emergencies.
  • Use electrical points, extensions and equipment responsibly; keep your workspace clean and dispose of waste in the designated bins.
  • Take care of your own laptops, chargers and belongings — organizers aren’t responsible for loss or damage.
  • Need help at any point? Talk to your POC, mentor or organizer — do not hesitate to ask.

Code of conduct Build hard. Behave harder.

  • Treat participants, mentors, judges, volunteers, organizers and venue staff with respect.
  • Zero tolerance: harassment or discrimination, threatening or abusive behaviour, cheating or plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, misrepresenting your work, tampering with another team’s project or equipment, and deliberately disrupting the event.
  • Zero tolerance for any inappropriate conduct involving minors (POCSO). Respect personal space and boundaries; never share or photograph anyone’s personal information without permission.
  • If something feels wrong, report it to your POC, organizer or event safety contact — don’t ignore it.

On campus & external collaboration

  • No smoking, vaping, alcohol, drugs, weapons or illegal activity.
  • Internet access is permitted for hackathon-related work, but only registered team members may contribute to your project.
  • External collaboration is not allowed — no video calls, screen sharing, AnyDesk/TeamViewer or remote desktop, remote pair programming, external developers, outsourcing, or anyone outside your registered team acting as a remote teammate.

Venue etiquette Keep the space hackable.

  • Keep your table organized and cables secured.
  • Use the designated rest areas and nap rooms (1101 and 1102).
  • Ask organizers before moving venue equipment, and report anything damaged immediately.
  • Don’t block corridors, mess with another team’s setup, leave food or waste at your workstation, damage venue property, or unnecessarily disturb other teams.

Food & refreshments

  • All meals through tomorrow’s lunch — two lunches, snacks, dinner and breakfast — are provided by Plaksha at no extra cost.
  • Food stalls beside Uncle Tonnies Café: Taco Bell, Belgian Waffle, Banta Stall, Cold Coffee Cart, Ice Gola Stall.
  • Also open: Uncle Tonnies Café (outside the venue, left of Gate 1), Chicago Pizza (first floor of the Mess), and the Tuck Shop.

Submission

  • Your project must be on GitHub — no GitHub, no valid submission.
  • Final deadline: 12:00 PM, Sep 20. Every team submits project code on GitHub and a PPT.
  • After 12:00 PM: no code changes, commits, repository updates, or PPT edits. Late submissions will not be accepted — not even a second late.

Evaluation, by mentors

  • Mid-hack (12–2 AM): problem & solution 50%, innovation 25%, feasibility 25%.
  • End-hack (12–2 PM, Sep 20): problem & solution 25%, innovation 25%, feasibility 25%, prototype & demo 25%.

Serious violations of any of the above may result in immediate disqualification and/or removal from the venue.

Bharti Block · you are here

Venue map

Campus map marking the route from Bharti Block to the mess/tuck shop, Gate 1 and the food stalls
Bharti Block to Mess/Tuck, Gate 1 and the food stalls