PowerNextAI HackathonCPRI × MITBLR
Harness the power of AI to solve real-world challenges in India’s power sector.
Vision
What if the next breakthrough in India's power sector comes from a college campus in Karnataka? What if your AI model could help make power systems smarter, more reliable, efficient and sustainable? This is your opportunity to move beyond classrooms, assignments and routine coding challenges—and work on problems that matter to the real world.
For the first time, undergraduate engineering students from colleges across Karnataka are invited to come together for an exciting innovation challenge at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and the Power Sector. Bringing together CPRI—a leader in power-sector research and development—MAHE, one of India's highly ranked universities, and Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT) Bengaluru, with its focus on cutting-edge fundamental and applied research, this hackathon offers a unique platform to learn, build and innovate.
The journey begins with a screening of your team's basic domain knowledge and AI capabilities. Selected teams will then take on real-world challenges and develop solutions with the potential to go beyond the hackathon. Outstanding teams may get the opportunity to work with CPRI scientists and experts to further develop, validate and potentially deploy their innovations. Karnataka's talent has powered India's technology revolution. Now, can your team help power its energy future?
Calling Karnataka's Young Engineering Innovators! Harness the power of AI to solve real-world challenges in the Power Sector. Join a unique hackathon brought to you by CPRI, Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT), MAHE. Selected teams can work with CPRI scientists to develop, validate and potentially deploy impactful solutions for India's energy future.
About the Organizers
Central Power Research Institute
The Central Power Research Institute (CPRI) is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Power, Government of India. Established in 1960, CPRI functions as the national laboratory for the power sector, engaged in applied research, testing, and standardization of electrical equipment and systems. CPRI plays a pivotal role in ensuring the reliability and quality of India's power infrastructure.
cpri.in
Manipal Institute of Technology, Bengaluru
MIT Bengaluru is a premier engineering institution under the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), a deemed university of eminence. The institution fosters a culture of applied research and innovation, preparing engineers to solve real-world problems across domains including energy, infrastructure, and embedded systems.
manipal.edu
VLSI & Embedded Design Club
VED is MIT Bengaluru's student community for VLSI and embedded systems design. It runs hands-on labs, PCB and chip-design workshops, and project sprints that take students from schematic to working hardware — the same systems-level rigor this hackathon's power-grid tracks call for.
vedmitblr.vercel.app
IEEE MIT Bengaluru Student Branch
The IEEE MIT Bengaluru Student Branch connects students to the global IEEE community through technical talks, standards-aligned workshops, and competitions spanning power systems, electronics, and computing.
Selection Process
Screening
Round
Before the main hackathon, all registered teams will go through a screening round to assess their basic domain knowledge and AI capabilities. This is your first opportunity to demonstrate your team's readiness to tackle real-world power sector challenges.
Participating teams will receive a set of files — including a test dataset (CSV) and accompanying documentation — and will be evaluated on their ability to analyze, process, and draw meaningful insights from real-world power sector data.
Format
Online
Materials
Test CSV + Docs
Outcome
Top teams advance
Key dates
01
Registration Opens
15 Aug 2026
Teams register on the hackathon portal by creating a team profile and inviting members. Each team selects their preferred challenge track and submits institutional credentials for verification. Registration is open to all eligible undergraduate and postgraduate students from accredited Indian institutions.
02
Shortlist Announced
25 Sep 2026
A review committee comprising CPRI engineers and MIT Bengaluru faculty evaluates all registered teams for technical readiness and domain alignment. Shortlisted teams receive confirmation via email and gain access to preparatory resources, datasets, and mentor contact information on the portal.
03
Day 1 — 10 Oct 2026
10 Oct 2026
Shortlisted teams arrive at the venue for check-in and orientation. CPRI domain experts reveal the official problem statements for each track. Hacking begins immediately after the reveal, with dedicated mentor slots available throughout the day for technical guidance and feasibility review.
04
Day 2 — 11 Oct 2026
11 Oct 2026
Teams present their working solutions to a panel of CPRI scientists, MIT Bengaluru faculty, and industry reviewers. Evaluation covers technical depth, real-world applicability, and quality of engineering. The day concludes with the prize ceremony, where winning teams are recognized and awarded.
Who can participate
Team Size
Minimum
3
members
Maximum
5
members
Eligibility
- Must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate program at a recognized engineering college in Karnataka.
- Participants from different academic branches within the same institution may form a team.
- All team members must be from the same institution.
Institution Requirements
Open to eligible engineering colleges in Karnataka only.
What you'll need to register
- Institutional email address for each member
- College ID number
- GitHub profile (for technical verification)
Ready to register? Create your team on the portal.
Hackathon Rules
To ensure a fair and competitive environment, all participants must strictly adhere to the following rules.
Fair Play & Evaluation Integrity
Participants must not manipulate datasets, benchmarks, demonstrations, or evaluation results to misrepresent their solution. Plagiarism, impersonation, unauthorized access, deliberate disruption, or other forms of unfair competition may result in disqualification.
Team Size
Teams must consist of 3 to 5 members. Solo participation is not permitted.
Submission Deadline
All projects must be submitted via the official portal before the timer reaches zero. Late submissions will not be judged.
Code of Conduct
Treat everyone with respect. Harassment of any kind will not be tolerated and will result in immediate disqualification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get in Touch
Contact
For queries related to the CPRI × MITBLR PowerNextAI Hackathon 2026, reach out to the organizing team. Please include your team code if your query is about an existing registration.