The word hackathon is a combination of the words “ hack and marathon “ where hack stands for experimental, creative problem solving and marathon stands for the endurance and duration of the event. It starts with a problem statement which can be given by Government, NGO, or Industry. A group of students work on the problem and come out with a solution. The solution is thereafter presented and analyzed whether it is economical, effective, and scalable for the society.
There are different types of hackathons that vary in objectives and themes. Hackathon can be related to finding solutions to software, hardware, and even services. Hackathon are also classified based on the duration of the event e.g. an 8-hour event can be called Octagon and similarly an event can be conducted for 36 to 48 hours.
The aim and objectives of conducting hackathon is to nurture talent in colleges, universities, institutions and channelise students energy through this medium, for the journey of “Mind to Market or Paper to Product”. This will give students exposure in starting up start-up companies while in universities thus giving them a solid foundation and preparing them for their future journeys.
Is Hackathon limited to students of Engineering?
No. Hackathon has a wider scope and is not limited to Engineering students. In fact it is related to all students of Science, Commerce, Arts, Fine Arts, Liberal Arts, Economics & Management with an aim of finding solutions for problems.
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and Hackathon are linked to PM Narendra Modi’s dream of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat. In a symbolic boost to India’s growing startup ecosystem, the Prime Minister has announced that 16 January will be celebrated as National Startup Day. The aim was to provide a stimulus to challenge the mindset and imbibe the culture of innovation which will develop hands that will generate and provide job opportunities and not demand jobs. Ultimately the objective is to develop a culture where students are part of the solution and not the problem. For the students, the sky is the limit and they can play a vital role in strengthening the innovation, entrepreneurship, and startup ecosystem of our nation. Hackathon is a great platform in that direction!