National Hackathon finale to be held on Dec 8–9

VCE Shamshabad, has been selected as one of the 60 nodal centres across India—and among only five in Telangana—to host the Grand Finale of the Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2025 – Software Edition, scheduled on December 8 and 9.

The Smart India Hackathon, organised by the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell and the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), is considered one of the world’s largest hackathons, bringing thousands of student innovators together to develop technology-led solutions for real-world challenges. Being chosen as a nodal centre is widely regarded as a mark of national recognition for both institutions and participants.

This year’s event will witness 151 students from 11 states competing at the VCE campus. The college will host problem statements sponsored by the Government of Jammu & Kashmir, including those from its Higher Education Department and Directorate of Colleges.

Unlike typical hackathons that centre on open-ended problems or corporate case studies, SIH is deeply integrated with governance. Ministries, public-sector units, district administrations, and state departments put forward real administrative and citizen-service challenges. Students are required to build working prototypes that can be evaluated for direct implementation.

This model makes SIH one of India’s most influential innovation programmes. Solutions emerging from the hackathon are frequently piloted, funded, or adopted by government bodies.

Over the years, SIH has become a national innovation movement, drawing participation from nearly every state and exposing students to problem-solving at scale.

Hackathons like SIH play an increasingly important role in experiential learning, giving students exposure to time-bound development cycles, teamwork, rapid prototyping, and collaborative decision-making. With rising emphasis on innovation in higher education, SIH continues to serve as a bridge between academia and governance—an uncommon platform where young coders work directly on issues shaping public systems.

Speaking about the selection, Prof. JVR Ravindra, Principal and Nodal Centre Head, said the opportunity reflects the institute’s sustained focus on innovation and real-world learning.

Prof. Krishna Chaithanya Janapati, Nodal Centre SPOC, noted that the diversity of participants and the involvement of the Jammu & Kashmir government will lead to highly relevant and impactful prototypes.

As the countdown to the national finale begins, VCE prepares to host student teams who will work intensively over 36 hours—continuing India’s growing culture of hackathons that turn young talent into frontline problem-solvers.