FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Registration & Eligibility
Q: Can I participate if I'm not in the Winternship/Pinternship cohort?
A: No, this is an internal event exclusively for current Winternship cohort members.
Q: Can I participate solo or with a team of 3?
A: No, teams must have exactly 4 members. No exceptions.
Q: Can I be on multiple teams?
A: No, you can only register as a member of one team.
Q: What if one team member drops out?
A: Contact organizers immediately. This will be handled case-by-case.
Q: Is this hackathon conducted throughout the year?
A: The hackathon is conducted multiple times, every 30 days.
Q: Can students participate more than once?
A: No, students cannot participate multiple times; they can only participate once. This rule may change in the future.
Q: How many problem statements does a team need to resolve?
A: Each team can work on either one problem statement or one existing project, not multiple.
Technical
Q: What technology stack must we use?
A: Core MERN stack (MongoDB, Express.js, React, Node.js) with Typescript is required. You may add Python and AI models, but final solution must integrate with the MERN application.
Q: Can we use existing Ajrasakha code?
A: Yes, you're building features that integrate into Ajrasakha, so you'll work with the existing codebase.
Q: Do we need to deploy our solution?
A: Yes, a live demo URL is required. Use Vercel, Netlify, Heroku, or similar.
Q: What if we need GPU access?
A: Request it from organizers. GPU access will be provided selectively based on project merit, evaluated after Phase 1.
Q: Can we use paid APIs like GPT-4?
A: Yes, but you must ensure costs are low.
Q: Must we support mobile?
A: No, mobile support is not mandatory. But it is recommended since most farmers use smartphones.
Q: How many languages must we support?
A: At minimum, English plus one regional language (Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, etc.).
Phases & Timeline
Q: What if we don't finish in Phase 1?
A: Document your planned Phase 2 work. All teams proceed to Phase 2 automatically. However, partial work is discouraged.
Q: Will we get feedback after Phase 1?
A: Maybe. Organizers may provide feedback at their discretion, but it's not guaranteed for all teams.
Q: What if we don't have all features by Phase 2 deadline?
A: Submit what works. Missing features will lower your score, but a working MVP is better than nothing.
Q: Can we work during the break between phases?
A: No. The break is for organizers to review and for teams to rest. No development during the break.
Submission
Q: What format should the demo video be?
A: MP4 format, 2-5 minutes, under 100MB. Upload to YouTube (unlisted) or Google Drive.
Q: Is the MIT License requirement strict?
A: Yes, your GitHub repository must be public with MIT License and remain public after the competition.
Q: What happens if we submit late?
A: Late submissions will NOT be accepted. No exceptions. Submit 15-30 minutes early to be safe.
Q: Can we update our submission after the deadline?
A: No. Once submitted, no changes allowed.
Evaluation & Prizes
Q: How are submissions judged?
A: Based on Ajrasakha integration (25%), cost-effectiveness (20%), technical quality (20%), innovation (15%), completeness (10%), and resource efficiency (10%).
Q: Will all prize categories be awarded?
A: Not necessarily. annam.ai may withhold prizes if submissions don't meet quality standards.
Q: When will winners be announced?
A: This is a recurring hackathon, winners will be announced every month based on submissions.
Q: What if we disagree with judging?
A: Judges' decisions are final and binding. No appeals.
Q: Can we continue working on the project after the hackathon?
A: Yes, you own your IP and can continue development.
Mentorship
Q: How many mentorship sessions will we have?
A: Please check the mentorship tab for updated schedule.
Q: Is attending mentorship sessions mandatory?
A: Engagement with mentors is encouraged, but not mandatory.
Q: Can we contact mentors outside scheduled times?
A: Use Cliq/Email for async questions. Scheduled sessions are for in-depth guidance.
Misc
Q: What if we face technical issues during demo?
A: Have a backup demo video ready. Judges will give you time to explain and show what works.
Q: Can we use pre-built templates or libraries?
A: Yes, with proper attribution. But majority of work should be original.
Q: What if we have a health emergency?
A: Contact organizers immediately. Your health is the priority.