


Build • Innovate • Make an Impact
AI Kaushal brings together students, engineers and innovators to build practical AI solutions that can scale across the public and private sectors.
Organised by InMobi with the Department of IT & Electronics, Government of Uttar Pradesh, it aims to make Lucknow a hub of AI innovation.
By connecting government, academia and industry, AI Kaushal gives participants a platform to turn ideas into working prototypes that improve public services, boost business productivity and create meaningful impact in people’s lives.
You will have to be a current resident of Uttar Pradesh to be eligible to participate in this hackathon.
Note: Participants must provide valid proof of eligibility as applicable: a valid Student ID, a valid Employee ID or employment proof, or reasonable proof of a start-up such as GST registration, Startup India recognition, or an incorporation document.
Learning and innovating through real-world challenges, gaining practical experience, and building skills for future careers.
Building innovative solutions, scaling ideas, and connecting with investors, mentors, and collaborative opportunities.
Driving innovation, mentoring emerging talent, and leveraging expertise to solve civic challenges and create impact.
Five simple steps to enter the hackathon. Showcase your innovation and let your ideas take centre stage.
Tap any step below to see full details
1 November - 15 November
1 November - 15 November
15 November - 20 November
8 December - 9 December
9 December
UP's 2.3 crore farm households routinely sell at sub-optimal prices - no real-time mandi data, no short-term price trend, and poor awareness of MSP schemes and procurement windows. Most farmers carry feature phones and speak Hindi, Awadhi or Bhojpuri, rather than English.
Hands-on vocational learners need step-by-step, safety-aware guidance that a trainer isn't always around to give. Separately, job-seekers need interview practice tied to real roles - not generic tips that don't map to what an employer will actually ask.
UP has no single platform connecting students - from Year 2 onward - across universities and colleges with companies offering internships of varying length, stipend and PPO terms. Matching happens ad hoc, college by college.
Job-seekers and employers on the Rojgar Sangam website both face a cold search. Applicants wade through listings that don't fit them, and employers sift through candidates who miss basic requirements, with no clear explanation of why a match is good or bad.
UP's Family ID (Ek Parivar, Ek Pehchan) already links ~4 crore families to 98 schemes across 32 departments - the gap is the last mile. Citizens don't know what they qualify for, can't parse the eligibility fine print, and stall on forms written for Hindi, Urdu, Awadhi or Bhojpuri readers with handwriting or scans involved.
the CM Helpline (1076) and Jansunwai portal take in hundreds of thousands of grievances a month across 75 districts, routed mostly by hand. Officials have no visibility into recurring issues, chronic department backlogs, or seasonal spikes - and the identical shape of problem shows up wherever unstructured citizen input needs sorting, not only in grievances.
Pitch your idea in 3 steps:
Entries are first screened against the published criteria for that use case, then independently scored by the Expert Panel. Shortlisted teams will be announced on 20 November 2026.
Every entry is read against these four criteria. Here's exactly what the panel is looking for.
How well you understand the problem and how directly your idea solves it. We're looking for a clear grasp of who's affected and why it matters.
What sets your idea apart from existing tools and current workarounds. Novelty of approach counts for more than novelty of concept.
Whether your proposed approach holds together, uses the right techniques for the problem, and puts AI at the centre of the solution rather than the edges.
Whether a credible version of this can be built in 24 hours, with realistic assumptions about data and architecture, and a clear sense of what's in and out of scope.
Shortlisted teams are invited to IIIT Lucknow for a 24-hour hackathon, where you will build and refine your minimum viable product. You will work alongside mentors, industry experts and fellow participants to turn your idea into a working solution.
Please note: The organisers reserve the right to introduce checkpoints during the hackathon that teams must meet to remain in contention. These will be communicated on the day.
The final demo stage is reserved for the most innovative MVPs that best solve the use case. Make the cut and you'll pitch live to industry leaders and senior government officials.
Top 5 winning teams walk away with real prizes and recognition that goes well beyond the hackathon.
A winner's credential to proudly add to your resume and LinkedIn.
Students from top performing teams becoming eligible for paid internships.
Top teams get an invite-only connect with some of the best tech minds in the country.
Winning teams could gain wider recognition for their AI innovations through features on InMobi's social media channels.
Every shortlisted participant gets exclusive goodies and a participation certificate.
One community builds a city. Together we build Lucknow's future.

Stay ahead of every milestone on the journey to the AI Kaushal Hackathon.
1 November
Hackathon Announcement
1 November - 15 November
Idea Submission
20 November
Shortlist Announcement
8 December - 9 December
Hackathon @ IIIT Lucknow
9 December
Demo and prizes
Pitch your idea in 3 steps:
Everything you need to know about the AI Kaushal Hackathon.
The hackathon is open to students, working professionals, and startups who are current residents of Uttar Pradesh. Teams of up to 4 members are welcome.
Choose a use case from the Use Cases section, then click 'Submit Your Idea' to fill in the registration form. You'll receive a confirmation email once your entry is received.
No, participation in the AI Kaushal Hackathon is completely free of charge.
Yes, individuals can participate. However, we encourage team participation (up to 4 members) to bring diverse skills and perspectives to your solution.
For the initial phase of idea submission, you need to answer all the questions in the submission form with any other supporting references (architecture, solution overview, etc.). Please review the evaluation criteria and accordingly answer the questions. Shortlisted teams will be invited to the in-person hackathon.
Each of the top 5 winning teams will receive a cash prize of ₹1,00,000, along with the opportunity for large-scale deployment. For more details, please refer to the Final Demos & Awards section above.
Idea submissions are open from 1 November to 15 November 2026. Shortlisted teams will be announced on 20 November 2026.
The in-person hackathon will be held at IIIT Lucknow on 8th and 9th December 2026.
Whether you have questions about eligibility, use cases, the hackathon process, or submission guidelines, our team is here to help.
FOR QUERIES