Sankalp Innovation
Challenge 2026
Building AI Solutions for Real-World India
A national-level AI and innovation challenge hosted at MNNIT Allahabad, Prayagraj during SANKALP 2026. In Association with Medha AI.
Problem Statements — Choose Your Challenge
Participants must choose ONE of the following three problem statements.
AI for Concept-to-Visualization Intelligence
Education
Understanding complex concepts often requires more than text or static images. Design an AI-powered system that can intelligently retrieve, validate, and present suitable 3D visual representations of a given concept—and gracefully handle cases where an exact 3D model does not exist.
AI-Powered Career Guidance & Upskilling Development Systems
Skill Development
Develop an AI-powered skill and employability platform that can identify skill gaps, recommend relevant training, and connect people to real job opportunities in their region. Solutions should strengthen Skill India, Digital India, and employment missions.
AI for Local Leadership, Decision Intelligence & Public Trust
Leadership
Local leaders and community administrators operate at the front line of public service delivery, managing citizen issues, development work, public communication, and trust. Design an AI-powered leadership and decision-support system that helps local leaders understand ground realities, prioritize effectively, execute efficiently, and communicate transparently.
Official Timeline
The Sankalp Innovation Challenge follows a multi-phase innovation journey designed to take teams from idea to prototype to deployable system. This ensures participants build real, working AI products — not just concepts.
Registration
Jan 15 – Feb 25
Portal Open
Round 1
Feb 25 – Feb 28
Idea Selection & Concept Presentation
Round 2
Mar 15 – Mar 20
Prototype Development Sprint
Grand Finale
Mar 24 – Mar 26
Final Showdown @ NIT Allahabad
Important: Category and team details cannot be changed after registration deadline (Feb 25).
Total Prize Pool: ₹1,00,000
Compete for exciting cash prizes and exclusive opportunities
1st Place
Best Innovation
₹50,000
Cash Prize + Benefits
2nd Place
Outstanding Solution
₹30,000
Cash Prize + Benefits
3rd Place
Exceptional Effort
₹20,000
Cash Prize + Benefits
Additional Benefits
Mentorship
Expert guidance from industry leaders
Incubation
Startup acceleration opportunities
Recognition
National-level certification
Winners from any challenge track are eligible. Exceptional projects may receive incubation support and mentorship opportunities.
Judging & Evaluation
Comprehensive assessment framework ensuring fair and rigorous evaluation
Judge Scorecard
Mentor Evaluation
Mentors assess:
- Technical competence
- AI understanding
- Code quality
- Execution discipline
Mentor feedback affects finale eligibility
Grand Finale Workflow
Live demo verification
Technical defense
Impact & policy defense
Stress test challenge
Final scoring
Jury deliberation
Who Can Participate
Open to innovators from all backgrounds and skill levels
College Students
Undergraduate and postgraduate innovators
Startup Teams
Early-stage ventures in EdTech and AI
Individual Developers
Solo hackers with passion for impact
Multidisciplinary Teams
Diverse expertise coming together
Key Requirements
Team size: 2–4 members recommended
Open to all undergraduate & postgraduate students
Individual registrations welcome
Prior hackathon experience not required
About Sankalp Innovation Challenge 2026
Sankalp Innovation Challenge 2026 is a national-level AI and innovation challenge hosted at MNNIT Allahabad during SANKALP 2026. Student teams build deployable AI systems that directly support government programs, public service delivery, and community development.
The challenge focuses on three national priorities: Education, Skill Development, and Leadership & Governance.
Key Focus Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about the challenge