The Nodal Officer/SPOC must be a currently serving faculty member (e.g. Lecturer, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, HOD, Dean, Director, or Principal). The SPOC will be responsible for:

• Coordinating student participation
• Submitting the official application form
• Ensuring accuracy and completeness of all submitted information
• The application form must be submitted only by the SPOC.

• The name of the team should be unique and must not include the name of the institution.
• Teams must consist of 3–5 students, including a Team Leader.
• All team members must belong to the same institution (inter-college teams are not permitted).
• Teams are encouraged to include at least one female participant.
• Interdisciplinary teams are encouraged; students may come from any discipline or year of study (e.g. nutrition, science, engineering, IT, agriculture, public health, management, humanities).
• Team composition cannot be changed after submission of the Application Form. Any changes, if at all, may be done only with written approval from the Organizing Committee.

• The SPOC must submit the team details once only via the official Google Application Form. Submitted forms cannot be edited.
• The application must be accompanied by an Authorization Letter on institutional letterhead consisting of:-
  • Team name
  • Details of all participating students
  • Name of the SPOC
• The authorization letter must be
  • Signed by the Principal/Dean/Director
  • Stamped with the official institutional seal

The Hackathon is open to students who:

• Are Indian nationals and currently studying in Uttarakhand.
• Are enrolled in Graduate or Post-Graduate programs of institutions recognized by the UGC /NMC/ AICTE / IGNOU / State or Central Government/Uttarakhand Open University.
• Are 18–29 years old at the time of registration.

A college / institute can nominate a maximum of 5 teams in the challenge with individual ideas. Each team must submit a separate application form, clearly outlining only one innovative idea. Teams are advised to diversify their submissions across different themes and pillars. Submitting multiple applications under the same theme from the single institute may be avoided.

Each team must submit its idea through a separate and individual application form. Multiple ideas or team submissions cannot be combined into a single application, and submissions should be made independently for each team.

Each team must comprise a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of five (5) students, preferably including at least one female participant.

No. All team members must belong to the same institution/college. However, colleges can nominate up-to a maximum of 5 teams, comprising 3–5 students in each team, to participate in the Eat Right Youth Hackathon, Uttarakhand- 2026

Yes, colleges having multiple campuses can apply as individual entities and are entitled for a maximum 5 teams per campus.

A nomination letter must be issued by the participating institution/college on its official letterhead (mandatory) in the format attached in the application form. The letter should:

• Include the name , designation and contact details of the Single Point of Contact (SPOC) or Nodal Officer
• Mention the team members name and relevant information asked in the letter.
• Be signed by the Principal, Dean, or Institute/Campus Director.
• Bear the official seal of the institution.

There are six (6) themes based on the 3 pillars of the Eat Right India movement “Eat Safe, Eat Healthy, Eat Sustainable.”

Eat Safe:

• Prevention of foodborne diseases and contamination
• Focus on personal & surrounding hygiene

Eat Healthy:

• Diet diversity and balanced nutrition
• Combating malnutrition and obesity

Eat Sustainable:

• Promoting local and seasonal food consumption
• Reducing food waste and food loss

The ideas submitted should align to one of the above. Teams are advised to diversify their submissions across multiple themes/pillars. Submitting multiple applications under the same theme from the same institute should be avoided.

Teams have to submit only one solution aligning to one of the themes of the hackathon. The idea should be -

• Innovative
• Original.
• Practical
• Scalable
• Impactful and
• In context with the Uttarakhand Food System.

Teams must register through the official online Google Form form before the deadline.

Only one idea/solution per team is permitted.

No. Participation in the Hackathon is free of cost.

Yes, you can. However, the idea must be originally developed by the team. Teams are required to clearly disclose in the application form, if the idea has been submitted elsewhere earlier and mention any awards, recognitions, or funding received for the same.

Submissions will be evaluated by an expert jury based on:

• Innovation, Originality & Motivation
• Relevance of solution to the Competition Theme, Focus Area (Eat Right India movement), and Addressed Challenges in Uttarakhand
• Local Context & Relevance to Target Beneficiaries
• Implementation and Scale-up plan
• Impact and Monitoring Framework
• Presentation Quality
• Team Collaboration

The jury’s decision is final and binding.

Shortlisted teams for the semifinal round will receive mentorship and expert guidance through webinars to refine their ideas.

Semifinal rounds consist of submitting 3 min online recorded pitch and live online sessions in front of the juries and Q&A session.

Teams selected for the Final round will again get mentorship sessions to refine their ideas. They will present their ideas in front of juries and detailed Q&A sessions.

5 Winning teams will be invited to Dehradun for the Award Ceremony.

Submissions must be made through the Google Form (Please insert the link of application form). The prescribed template for presentation is provided within the Google Form itself. Participants are required to follow the given format while submitting their entries. You can see the youtube link for further information on application form.

This is completely acceptable. Teams are encouraged to select one primary theme under the chosen pillar that best represents the core focus of their idea. If the concept aligns multiple themes within the same pillar, it remains fully eligible for evaluation..

Yes submission of application and presentation can be done in Hindi or English.

Winners will receive:

• Cash prizes (only top 3 and 3 consolation)
• Certificates and trophies/ medals
• Media visibility
• Mentorship support

All participating teams will receive digital certificates of participation.

Yes, arrangements for boarding and lodging for the winning team members will be taken care of by organizers.

Yes. By participating, teams consent to GAIN and its partners using names, photos, videos, and submissions for promotional, awareness, and documentation purposes without additional compensation.

Yes. The Organizer reserves the right to modify, postpone, or cancel the Hackathon at any stage due to unforeseen circumstances.

Teams may be disqualified at any stage for violation of rules.

The Hackathon involves 3 competitive rounds. Beside this the winning teams will also be invited to Dehradun in person for the Award Ceremony.

You will be contacted through email provided by the Nodal officer. The activities will also be announced on the official website.

For any queries please write us on nutritionconnect2026@gmail.com or call us on 9103425569 (11:00 am - 5:30 pm from Mon - Sat)