E-Rakshak is a comprehensive cybersecurity and innovation hackathon collaboratively organized by Surat City Police, NEXUS, and NIT Surat. This event is designed to inspire and empower college students to develop impactful technological solutions that address critical challenges in digital safety, cybercrime prevention, forensic intelligence, and the broader online security ecosystem.
Who Should Apply
Participation is strictly limited to college students (Undergraduate and Postgraduate programs). Teams must be composed of members all belonging to the same institute; inter-college teams are not permitted. Teams should consist of 3 to 4 members.
Hackathon Structure & Timeline
The competition unfolds in three distinct rounds:
- Round 1 – Online CTF Challenge (June 20, 2026): Participants will engage in a Capture-the-Flag (CTF) cybersecurity challenge. This round is designed to rigorously test skills in ethical hacking, digital investigations, and problem-solving. Teams achieving scores above a predefined cutoff will advance to the next phase.
- Round 2 – Prototype Development + Mentorship (July 1, 2026 onward): Shortlisted teams will receive specific problem statements and embark on a month-long guided mentorship period. During this phase, teams will work closely with assigned mentors to develop a functional prototype or proof-of-concept addressing their chosen problem. Progress will be periodically evaluated based on defined scoring criteria, leading to the selection of top-performing teams for the final round.
- Round 3 – Final Presentation at NIT Surat (1st Week of August 2026): Teams that successfully navigate Round 2 will present their developed solutions offline at SVNIT Surat. A distinguished panel of experts from Surat City Police, academia, and industry will judge the presentations. Each team must demonstrate their prototype's functionality, highlight its technical strengths, and articulate its real-world impact. Final winners will be determined based on jury scoring.
Prizes
E-Rakshak offers a total cash prize pool of ₹2,25,000, distributed among the top-performing teams.
Eligibility
Open exclusively to undergraduate and postgraduate college students. Teams must comprise 3 to 4 members, and all members must be from the same academic institution. The event is hosted in India, targeting Indian students.
How to Apply
Registrations for E-Rakshak opened on May 15, 2026. The final registration deadline is June 12, 2026. Interested teams should apply via the official event page.
