BENGALURU: More than 20,000 students are in the race to come up with the best solution for nine union ministries and more than 40 private sector firms, in the Smart India Hackathon. The second round of the marathon, a five-day challenge, began on Monday at Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering and REVA University in Bengaluru among 17 other nodal centres across India. The event will conclude on July 12.
The Smart India Hackathon 2019 – Hardware edition is being organised by Persistent Systems in association with MHRD, AICTE, MIC, and i4C.
This edition –Smart India Hackathon’s Hardware edition – will “build practical hardware-based solutions on problem statements,” the organisers said.While solutions are being sought, Dr Anand Deshpande, chairman and MD, Persistent Systems, and co-chairman, Smart India Hackathon, said the challenge also offers students the opportunity to work hands-on and build innovative prototypes that address real-world problems. It offers encouragement to students to “think beyond what they learn in their classroom,” Deshpande said.
After the success of Software edition, a 36-hour software product development competition that was held on March 2 and 3, Vivek Kulkarni, chief architect and delivery head, Persistent Systems, and secretary, executive committee, Smart India Hackathon, expressed confidence that at least 1,500 finalists will crack the 198 complex problems given by over 40 private organisations and nine Union ministries. “This year, the student participation has exceeded 1 lakh, and the Hardware edition is five times bigger than its predecessor,” he added, talking about the growing interest shown by students in developing tech solutions at a young age.
Students entering the competition were given training by Persistent, which was responsible for designing and creating online training sessions to help participants come up with solutions. The training is also available on the human resource development ministry’s Swayam portal, company officials said.
“The organisation also conducted several Facebook Live sessions to spread awareness among students,” they added.