MVGR-IIC Conducts Internal Hackathon for Smart India Hackathon 2026
The Institution’s Innovation Council (MVGR-IIC) of Maharaj Vijayaram Gajapathi Raj College of Engineering (Autonomous), Vizianagaram, successfully conducted the Internal Hackathon for Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2026 on 28th September 2026, providing students with a platform to develop innovative, technology-driven solutions to real-world challenges.
Smart India Hackathon is a national-level initiative conducted under the aegis of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell (MIC). The initiative encourages students to apply creativity, technical knowledge, and problem-solving skills to address pressing societal and industrial challenges.
Objectives of the Hackathon
The internal hackathon aimed to identify and nurture promising student innovations and shortlist teams for further progression in the national-level SIH 2026 selection process. The problem statements provided opportunities for students to develop solutions across diverse domains, including HealthTech, Agriculture, Smart Vehicles, Smart Education, Disaster Management, Cybersecurity, Renewable Energy, and other emerging areas.
The event focused on promoting critical thinking, teamwork, entrepreneurship, and socially impactful innovation while helping students refine their problem statements, technical approaches, and presentation skills.
Student Participation and Outcomes
The hackathon witnessed enthusiastic participation from students across various disciplines. A total of 88 teams registered, representing 528 students. Of these, 76 teams were found eligible to participate in the internal hackathon process, and 60 teams successfully submitted their solution presentations.
The participating teams addressed 46 distinct problem statements, demonstrating their ability to analyse challenges, explore innovative approaches, and propose technology-driven solutions. Following the evaluation process, 50 teams, including waitlisted teams, were shortlisted for further progression in the SIH process.
The participation figures reflected strong student engagement and gender representation, with 235 male students and 233 female students reported among the eligible participants, highlighting the inclusive nature of the initiative.
Address by the Institution’s Leadership
Addressing the participants, Prof. Y. M. C. Sekhar, Principal, MVGR College of Engineering, encouraged students to strengthen their critical-thinking abilities, adaptability, and innovation skills to develop effective solutions to real-world problems.
Prof. R. Ramesh, Provost, motivated students to transform promising ideas into viable startups and highlighted the institutional support available to nurture entrepreneurship and innovation.
Prof. M. Siva Subramanyam, President, MVGR-IIC, participated in the event along with faculty mentors and students. The MVGR-IIC team and faculty mentors played a vital role in guiding participants through ideation, problem analysis, evaluation, mentoring, and refinement of their proposed solutions.
Evaluation and Judging Panel
The proposed solutions were evaluated by an interdisciplinary panel of faculty experts representing various departments of the institution. The judging panel comprised:
- Dr. M. Siva Subramanyam – Professor
- Dr. B. V. Ramanaiah – Professor
- Dr. V. R. Sankar Cheela – Associate Professor
- Dr. G. V. S. R. Pavan Kumar – Associate Professor
- Dr. P. Madhavi Lakshmi – Associate Professor
- Dr. A. Vara Prasad – Associate Professor
- Dr. M. Swarna – Associate Professor (TP)
- Sri P. Pavan Kumar – Distinguished Assistant Professor
- Sri P. Gurumurthy Reddy – Senior Assistant Professor
The panel assessed the teams’ proposed solutions and provided valuable inputs to help students strengthen their ideas and improve their prospects in subsequent stages of the competition.
Fostering a Culture of Innovation
The Internal Hackathon for SIH 2026 reaffirmed MVGR College of Engineering’s commitment to fostering innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, entrepreneurship, and problem-solving among students. The initiative encouraged students to move beyond theoretical learning and apply their knowledge to challenges with practical and societal relevance.
Through the continued efforts of MVGR-IIC, faculty mentors, and the institutional leadership, the college aims to empower aspiring innovators to transform their ideas into impactful solutions and prepare them for participation in the national-level Smart India Hackathon 2026.
