Rules & terms

01Rules & regulations

Eligibility and teams

1. Each team must consist of a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 members.
2. Inter-college teams are allowed.
3. The hackathon is open to all UG and PG students.
4. Each participant can be part of only one team.

Registration and fee

5. The hackathon has two rounds: an online screening round, followed by the 24-hour offline round.
6. Registration and participation in the online screening round are free.
7. Teams selected for the offline round must pay a registration fee of ₹800 per team.
8. Only shortlisted teams can attend the offline round. The judging team’s selection is final.

Screening and shortlisting

9. A maximum of 600 teams will be accepted for the initial online screening round. Registration will close once 600 teams have registered/submitted their entries.
10. Following evaluation of the online screening round, 60 teams will be shortlisted for the offline round.
11. Shortlisted teams will be contacted with payment instructions. Participation in the offline round will be confirmed only after successful payment of the ₹800 team registration fee within the specified deadline.

Event rules

12. All work for the 24-hour round must be done during the event.
13. Teams must choose one of the six domains: AgriTech, FinTech, Cybersecurity, HealthTech, Hardware/IoT & Robotics, or Open Innovation.
14. Participants must carry a valid college ID card.
15. Teams must bring their own laptops, chargers and hardware components.
16. All code and designs must be original. Plagiarism or pre-built projects will lead to disqualification.
17. Open-source libraries and APIs are allowed, with proper credit.
18. Participants must carry an extension board/extension cord required for their team’s setup and power requirements.

PPT / presentation requirements

19. All teams must use the official PPT template provided by the Organiser.
20. The exact PPT template, slide structure, formatting and layout must be followed without modification.
21. The college/institution name, logo, or other college-identifying information must not be mentioned or displayed anywhere in the PPT.

Judging and conduct

22. The judges’ decision is final.
23. Participants must follow the college’s rules and discipline at all times.
24. The Organisers can disqualify any team for misconduct.
25. Details on the schedule, submissions and judging criteria will be shared with selected teams.

02Detailed terms and conditions

General

1. These “Terms and Conditions” shall govern the COLOSSUS Hackathon organised by Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Technology (“Organiser”).
2. By registering for the Hackathon, the participants (“Participants”) agree to abide by all the Terms and Conditions.
3. The Organiser reserves the right to cancel, postpone, or change the date, offline venue, and time of the Hackathon without prior notice. No refund of any personal expenses incurred by Participants will be provided if the Hackathon is cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.
4. The Organiser reserves the right to amend the Terms and Conditions without prior notification, and Participants agree to be bound by such amendments.

General eligibility

1. The Organiser reserves the right to determine participant eligibility and may disqualify entries that violate third-party rights, laws, or regulations, or that use inappropriate or explicit content.
2. The Organiser will accept entries from those below the age of 18 (minimum age of 14) provided they are accompanied by a parent or guardian, or have completed the required ‘Minor Release and Waiver of Liability and Indemnity Form.’

Registration, submission and shortlisting

1. The Hackathon will accept submissions from a maximum of 600 teams for the initial Round 1 submission.
2. Registration for Round 1 will be closed immediately once 600 teams have successfully registered/submitted their entries. No further registrations will be accepted after the limit is reached.
3. Following the evaluation of Round 1 submissions, 60 teams will be shortlisted for the offline round of the Hackathon.
4. The shortlisted teams will be contacted by the Organiser through their registered contact details and will be provided with instructions regarding the offline round.
5. Each shortlisted team will be required to pay a team participation fee of ₹800 within the specified deadline to confirm their participation in the offline round.
6. The ₹800 payment is applicable only to teams shortlisted for the offline round and is not required at the initial Round 1 registration stage.
7. A shortlisted team will receive official confirmation for participation in the offline round only after successful payment of the ₹800 team participation fee.
8. Failure to complete the payment within the specified deadline may result in the team forfeiting its shortlisted position, and the Organiser may offer the vacant slot to another eligible team.

Team composition and participation

1. Each team must have between 2 and 4 members. Each individual is only permitted to register in one team.
2. Participants must pre-select their team names at the time of registration. The team leader will be responsible for submitting the participation details of all team members.
3. All team members must be present in person at the Hackathon venue throughout the event. Failure to do so may result in disqualification for the entire team.
4. Team demonstration and presentation: Each selected team has 5 minutes to present, including a minimum 30-second live demo of their working proof of concept/prototype/app, followed by a Q&A session with the judges.
5. PPT template: All teams must use the official PPT template provided by the Organiser. The exact template, structure, formatting, and slide layout must be followed without modification.
6. College name restriction: The name of the college/institution must not be mentioned anywhere in the PPT presentation. Teams must ensure that no college name, logo, or other college-identifying information appears in the submitted PPT.
7. Extension board: Participants must carry an extension board/extension cord required for their team’s setup and power requirements during the Hackathon.

Winner selection / judging criteria

1. Winners will be selected by a panel of Judges. By submitting any Hackathon entry, entrants release the Organiser and its affiliates from any liability for claims, costs, injuries, losses, or damages arising from the decisions of the Judges.
2. The Organiser reserves the right to suspend, amend, or modify any rules, terms, and conditions, including the judging criteria, without prior notice. Modifications will be announced via the Hackathon platform and emails.
3. Teams will be judged based on criteria including, but not limited to:
   • Impact How the project benefits the target audience.
   • Creativity Ingenious solutions and original ideas.
   • Design Thought-out blueprint, front-end layout, and UI/UX.
   • Execution Clear timeline and effective results from start to finish.

Team prizes

1. Prizes are non-transferable. Participants accepting a prize will be solely responsible for all applicable taxes.
2. The Organiser reserves the right to change the prizes at any time without prior notice.

Awards

1. Prizes are non-transferable. Accepting a prize makes the recipient solely responsible for all applicable taxes.
2. Cash rewards will be paid within 60 days of the Hackathon date, with TDS deductions as per government regulations.

03Conduct

Rules of conduct

1. Participants must comply with these Terms and Conditions, all legal requirements, and refrain from creating unlawful or objectionable content.
2. Participants must not use content protected under third-party rights or subject to confidentiality obligations to third parties.
3. Participants agree that all decisions by the Organiser and Judges are final and binding.
4. Participants must remain at the venue and on the designated communication platforms throughout the Hackathon. Non-compliance may result in disqualification.

Cancellation and withdrawal

Participants may withdraw from the Hackathon at any time by notifying the Organiser in writing. The Organiser reserves the right to disqualify any Participant who withdraws from the Hackathon without a valid reason.

Photographic and video recordings

Participants agree that any photo or video containing their likeness or voice, recorded during the Hackathon, may be published by the Organiser on any media, including the Organiser’s website and social media channels, for 10 years worldwide.

Code of conduct and anti-harassment

1. The Organiser supports appropriate behaviour by all participants, including during all activities. All attendees, sponsors, partners, volunteers, and staff are expected to maintain a respectful and welcoming environment.
2. Harassment, including offensive comments, threats, intimidation, stalking, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention, will not be tolerated.
3. Participants asked to stop harassing behaviour must comply immediately. Violations may result in sanctions or expulsion from the Hackathon.
4. Hackathon participants violating any rules mentioned may be sanctioned or expelled from the hackathon without a refund (if applicable) at the discretion of the hackathon organisers.

Intellectual property rights

1. Participants retain full ownership and control over their ideas and submissions.
2. Sponsors, judges, or third parties may request to discuss or offer funding for participants’ ideas. Participants have full discretion to engage in such discussions or accept offers.
3. The Organiser is not responsible for any transactions or agreements between participants and third parties. Any agreements, transactions, or issues arising are solely between the participant and the third party. The Organiser bears no responsibility if any party fails to honour their agreement.
4. Participants warrant that their submissions do not infringe on third-party intellectual property rights and agree to indemnify the Organiser against any claims arising from such infringements.

04Liability & legal

Limitation of liability

The Organiser shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising out of or in any way connected with the Hackathon, including but not limited to, loss of profits, loss of business, loss of goodwill, loss of use, or other intangible losses, whether based on contract, tort, strict liability, or otherwise, even if the Organiser has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Data security

Data security will be managed according to the rules and regulations outlined in the IT Act 2008.

Prevailing terms

These Terms and Conditions shall prevail over any inconsistent terms, conditions, provisions, or representations contained in any other promotional or advertising materials for the Hackathon.

Governing law

These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Indian Government. Any disputes arising out of or in connection with these Terms and Conditions shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of India.

Confidentiality

Participants must maintain the confidentiality of any proprietary information or trade secrets of the Organiser and other Participants obtained during the Hackathon. Disclosure of such information to any third party is prohibited without prior written consent from the owner of the information.

Ethical standards

Participants must adhere to the highest ethical standards and ensure that their actions do not harm the reputation or integrity of the Organiser, sponsors, or other Participants.

Force majeure

The Organiser shall not be liable for any failure to perform its obligations under these Terms and Conditions due to circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to, acts of God, natural disasters, war, civil unrest, strikes, or other labour disputes, or any other similar events.

Food and health disclaimer

1. The Organiser is not responsible for any food allergies, ingredients, or pre-existing health conditions of the participants. Participants are responsible for managing their health and any related concerns during the Hackathon.
2. A first aid kit will be available for any emergencies that might occur during the event.

Damage and liability disclaimer

1. Participants and their respective teams are solely responsible for any damage caused during the Hackathon. If any damage is caused, the responsible party and the entire team will be held accountable and required to pay the specified amount upfront to cover the damages.
2. The Organiser will not be held liable for any damage, loss, or injury incurred by Participants during the Hackathon.