The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) has announced a major national initiative to bolster the country's digital defenses. Its Entrepreneurship Development Cell has joined forces with the prominent domestic think tank, CyberPeace, to organize a high-stakes national hackathon.
A 36-Hour Sprint Against Digital Threats
The eRaksha Hackathon 2026 is scheduled to take place at IIT Delhi from January 16 to January 18. This intensive 36-hour event aims to mobilize student innovators from across India. Their mission is to create practical, deployable solutions to counter some of the most pressing digital dangers of our time.
The hackathon forms a core part of IIT Delhi's annual entrepreneurship gathering, BECon'26. It also acts as a precursor to the larger AI Impact Summit scheduled for later in the year. The competition will push participants to delve into advanced technological domains.
Core Challenges: From Deepfakes to Smart Home Security
Students will be tasked with developing prototypes and systems focused on critical areas. The problem statements include creating agentic AI systems that can operate autonomously and AI-driven tools for detecting deepfakes and manipulated media to verify content authenticity.
Another significant challenge involves designing intelligent security solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT), specifically aimed at autonomously securing home-based smart devices. Participants will also work on innovative edge-based security architectures.
Mentorship, Prizes, and National Recognition
Officials stated that teams will receive guidance from a combination of industry veterans and academic mentors. This support is designed to help them shape their ideas into innovative and scalable solutions with real-world application.
Beyond the intense coding and development experience, the event offers substantial rewards. Selected top-performing teams will be awarded cash prizes. Furthermore, the hackathon provides a powerful platform for national visibility and networking with top leaders in the tech and cybersecurity sectors.
The most standout solutions will earn the opportunity to be showcased at the prestigious India AI Impact Summit 2026. For participants, the event is more than a competition; it's a skill-building exercise in rapid prototyping, collaborative problem-solving, and exposure to the latest practices in cybersecurity and applied artificial intelligence.
