case_competition
Molequest Case Challenge
Wednesday, 28 October 2026 — 6 January 2027
by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras
epigeneticsgenomicsmolecular-biologycase-competitionbiotechepigeneticsstudents
case_competition
28 Oct — 6 Jan
Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Prize Pool
₹30,000
Registration Deadline
2 Dec 2026
Team Size
1 – 4 members
About
Molequest Case Challenge is a multi-round case competition organised by IIT Madras for students who enjoy reading, reasoning, and connecting the dots. Teams dive into biological puzzles, work out what is happening at the molecular level, and build solutions that hold up when the evidence takes an unexpected turn. The theme for this edition is Epigenetics — participants are asked to think like scientists and uncover what the epigenome is hiding.
Who Should Apply The competition is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students. It is aimed at students interested in epigenetics and genomics, molecular biology, biotechnology, biochemistry, biomedical engineering, and plant and agricultural biotechnology.
Format & Timeline The event runs across three rounds, each testing a progressively deeper layer of scientific competence: conceptual knowledge, analytical depth, and real-time adaptability.
Round 1 is an online quiz testing grasp of basic molecular biology and epigenetics fundamentals — the toolkit needed to crack the cases ahead. Teams must think fast and be sharp to earn a place in the next round.
Round 2 is a submission round. Teams are given a set of cases, pick one, study the data provided, and submit a written report answering the questions in the case document.
The finals are held offline at IIT Madras. Teams arrive with a prepared PPT based on their Round 2 work and are handed a sealed envelope revealing new findings. They then have one hour to rework their PPT to incorporate changes in their reasoning, and must defend their Round 2 report before a panel of judges — explaining what changes and what does not change in their reasoning because of the new information.
Prizes The total prize pool is ₹30,000. Winners receive hard-copy certificates, and finalists receive merit certificates in soft copy.
Eligibility Open to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Teams may have 1 to 4 members.
About the Organiser The competition is organised by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, one of India's premier technical institutes, based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
How to Apply Registration closes on 2026-12-02. Apply via the official Unstop listing linked above.
Eligibility
Open to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Teams of 1–4 members.
Prizes
Prize Pool
₹30,000 + hard-copy certificates
Finalists
Merit certificates (soft copy)
case_competition
28 Oct — 6 Jan
Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Prize Pool
₹30,000
Registration Deadline
2 Dec 2026
Team Size
1 – 4 members
