Automation Arena (n8n) & Mangathon — MVSREC Student Challenge — Frequently Asked Questions

It is a single competition with two separate tracks, organised by MVSR Engineering College (MVSREC), Hyderabad as part of Samavarthan 2026. The Automation Arena (n8n Edition) is the technical track, where you learn n8n and then build a working automation workflow that solves a real-world problem. Mangathon is the creative track, where you are given a genre and a moral and then produce a 10-frame AI-generated manga story. You choose the track you want to compete in.

The Automation Arena (n8n Edition) has a total cash prize pool of ₹6,500, shared among its winners. Mangathon does not carry cash prizes — its winners receive exclusive anime collectibles instead.

Any undergraduate or postgraduate student, from any academic discipline, can take part. You need basic computer and internet knowledge, and that is the whole bar. You can enter on your own or as a team of up to 2 members.

No. The organisers explicitly make both tracks open to beginners. If you have never touched n8n, the introductory workshop walks you through triggers, nodes, workflow design and integrations before the challenge begins. On the Mangathon side, no previous experience with AI image tools is expected either — you will be using prompt engineering to build your frames.

The event runs from 10 April to 18 April 2026 at the MVSR Engineering College campus in Hyderabad. Registration closes on 17 April 2026, so make sure your form and payment verification are done before that date. Approvals are processed daily.

Registration happens in three steps. First, complete the registration form on Unstop. Next, fill out the private Luma Form. Then your payment is verified manually. Once that verification is through, a QR code is sent to you. Because approvals are handled on a daily basis, it is a good idea to start the process well before the 17 April 2026 deadline.

For The Automation Arena (n8n Edition), you submit a working automation workflow plus a brief explanation of it. For Mangathon, you submit the 10 AI-generated manga frames, an explanation of the story, and the prompts you used to generate the images.

Yes. Participation is allowed either individually or as a team of up to 2 members.

Participants are asked to bring their own laptops. The event takes place at MVSR Engineering College in Hyderabad between 10 and 18 April 2026.

No. This is a college-level student competition, not a government funding scheme, so there is no DPIIT or MSME requirement and no need to have a registered company. Your eligibility rests on being an undergraduate or postgraduate student.

No. The rewards here are cash prizes and anime collectibles, so there is no equity, shareholding or investment component involved in taking part or in winning.

The application deadline for Automation Arena (n8n) & Mangathon — MVSREC Student Challenge is Closed (17 Apr 2026). Deadlines can be revised, so reconfirm on the official source before applying.

Automation Arena (n8n) & Mangathon — MVSREC Student Challenge is offered by MVSR Engineering College, an academic institution. It is provided as non-dilutive funding.