Great Indian Hackathon 2026 (GIH 2026) — Online Contest for Developers — Frequently Asked Questions

It is a long-duration online hackathon organised by Internshala for developers, students and tech enthusiasts across India. Rather than a single weekend event, it stays open for weeks so participants can register, build and submit their projects during the window. Winners receive cash prizes, gadgets, certificates and career opportunities.

The hackathon window runs from 15 October 2026 to 30 December 2026. The listed application deadline is 15 October 2026, which is also the day the hackathon opens, so you should register on or before that date if you plan to take part. Project submissions continue through the window until 30 December 2026, after which judging begins.

The contest is open to Indian residents — developers, students and tech enthusiasts alike. There is no restriction on which sector, technology or industry you work in, and no requirement to be part of a registered company, a DPIIT-recognised startup or an MSME. Solo entrants and teams are both allowed, with no team size limit mentioned.

You can do either. Solo participants and teams are both explicitly welcome, and the program details do not mention any cap on how large a team can be. Pick whichever format suits the project you want to build.

Entry is paid through one of three ticket tiers: ₹749 for Super Early Bird (until 30 June), ₹1,499 for Regular (until 30 September) and ₹2,499 for Techie Premium (until 30 November). Promo codes are available. The Techie Premium option also includes physical goodies and a one-hour one-on-one session with industry developers.

Winners get cash prizes whose exact value varies, electronic gadgets as physical rank rewards, a route into paid tech internships that pay a recurring monthly stipend, and priority entry to networking events. High-performing winners also receive a direct selection pass to return as paid mentors for GIH 2027.

Yes. Every registered participant receives a 5-day online internship of 2 hours per day in Android Development with Kotlin & Jetpack Compose, an Internship Certificate, a MOOC course certificate, digital skill badges and a Hackathon Participation Certificate. Those benefits apply regardless of where you finish in the rankings.

No. Nothing in the eligibility rules asks for DPIIT recognition, MSME registration or any specific corporate structure. This is an individual-and-team coding competition open to Indian residents, so those startup registrations are not part of the entry requirements.

No equity is involved. GIH 2026 is a paid-entry competition — you buy a registration ticket rather than giving away a stake — and there is no mention of the organisers taking equity in what you build. What you receive is prizes, certificates, training and internship access.

Registration happens through the official Internshala competition page at internshala.com/competitions/great-indian-hackathon-2026/. You select a ticket tier, complete the payment, and then submit your project during the hackathon window. No separate document checklist is published, so completing the registration is the main step before you start building.

Apply directly through the official application link on this page. Review the eligibility criteria and prepare your startup documents before you begin.