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Hackathons are often associated with computer science students, experienced developers, and teams that already know exactly what they are doing. HackCache ’26 is being built with a different idea in mind: you don't need to be an expert coder to start building.
HackCache ’26 is a 48-hour fully online hackathon, organised by CachedInfo (CodeNBald) in collaboration with Government College of Engineering & Technology (GCET) Jammu). The event will take place on October 23–24, 2026, and is open to students across different branches, streams, colleges and experience levels.
What Is HackCache ’26?
HackCache ’26 gives students 48 hours to take a problem, develop an idea and turn it into a working solution.
The hackathon is open to students from CS, ECE, Mechanical, Commerce, BBA, MBA, Arts & Humanities and other backgrounds. You can participate individually or form a team of up to three members.
Inter-college and inter-specialisation teams are also allowed.
The goal isn't simply to see who can write the most code. Teams can contribute through development, design, research, product thinking, business, content and other skills needed to turn an idea into a useful product.
Who Can Participate?
Almost any student can participate.
- Computer Science and IT students
- ECE, EE and Mechanical students
- Commerce and management students
- Arts and humanities students
- Freshers
- Students participating in their first hackathon
- High school students
- Students from different colleges
You do not need to know how to code to participate.
Teams can have 1–3 members, and you can also participate solo.
What Will You Build?
HackCache ’26 has four broad problem themes.
Reimagine Government
Think about how citizens interact with government websites and digital services.
Build solutions that make government services easier to understand, access and use.
Social Impact
Build technology that addresses real-world problems involving areas such as accessibility, education, healthcare, sustainability, communities and everyday life.
Banking & Finance
Explore better ways for people to save, spend, invest, borrow and manage their finances.
Open Innovation
Have an idea that doesn't fit into the other categories?
Open Innovation gives you the freedom to build something genuinely useful, unexpected or new.
When Does the Hackathon Start?
The important dates are:
August 24, 2026 — Registrations open
October 20, 2026 — Registrations close
October 22, 2026 — Resources and problem statements released
October 23–24, 2026 — 48-hour HackCache ’26
The problem statements are released just one day before the hackathon so that teams have the same starting point.
What Do You Need to Submit?
At the end of the 48 hours, each team will submit:
- A public GitHub repository
- A live working URL
- A 5-minute demo video
- A short pitch deck
The idea is to take a concept all the way from problem → solution → working product → pitch.
Can You Use AI?
Yes.
AI tools are allowed during HackCache ’26. Participants can use AI coding assistants, generative AI, no-code tools and other resources while building.
However, there's an important expectation: you should be able to explain what you built.
To make the competition more accessible, every team will receive AI prompt packs, ideation guides, problem-solving playbooks, technical resources and pitch deck templates.
This means beginners don't have to spend the entire 48 hours figuring out where to start.
How Will You Be Judged?
Every submission is evaluated independently by the judging panel using the same five criteria:
| Category | Marks |
|---|---|
| Innovation | 10 |
| Technical Execution | 10 |
| Design & UX | 10 |
| Impact | 10 |
| Presentation | 10 |
| Total | 50 |
The scores are averaged to determine the final ranking.
The judging panel includes IIT alumni, industry professionals, academics and technology professionals from organisations including Metropolis Healthcare, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, GCET Jammu, Aditya Birla Capital, Sharda University and C-DAC.
What Can You Win?
HackCache ’26 has an ₹80,000 cash prize pool along with additional opportunities and rewards.
The winning team also gets a fully sponsored 2-day McLeod Ganj trip with the CachedInfo founders.
Paid Internship Opportunity
All members of the winning team receive a paid internship opportunity worth ₹15,000 in total — ₹5,000 per member.
The winning team can work on their submitted project or contribute to projects at CachedInfo.
The internship is designed to provide actual work experience rather than simply another certificate.
Other Rewards
Top teams can also receive:
- Mock interviews with experts
- Resume-building sessions
- Recommendation letters from judges
- CachedInfo-branded T-shirts
- Internship opportunities
- Networking opportunities with industry professionals
Every team that submits a valid project also receives a verifiable participation certificate.
A Hackathon Designed to Level the Field
One of the biggest challenges with hackathons is that experienced participants often have an advantage before the competition even starts.
HackCache is trying to reduce that gap.
Every team gets access to:
- AI prompt packs
- Problem-solving playbooks
- Ideation guides
- Technical resources
- No-code resources
- Pitch deck templates
You don't need to arrive knowing exactly how to build everything.
You just need an idea, a willingness to learn and a team that's willing to put in the work.
How Much Does It Cost?
HackCache ’26 has a registration fee of ₹600 per team, regardless of whether the team has one, two or three members.
There is also a referral system.
When you use a friend's referral code, you receive ₹100 off, bringing your registration fee down to ₹500, while the referrer receives ₹100 credit.
For example, if you're registering through the referral code ARYAMAN100, you can use that code to receive ₹100 off your registration fee.
Why Is It Online?
You don't need to travel anywhere to participate.
The entire event — including building, submission, judging and results — happens online.
That means students from different colleges and cities can participate together without worrying about accommodation or travel during the hackathon.
Who Is Behind HackCache?
HackCache is organised by CachedInfo (CodeNBald), a student-focused platform providing resources such as notes, previous-year papers, roadmaps and competitive-exam preparation material.
HackCache is the organisation's first hackathon, with the prize pool, internships and McLeod Ganj experience being funded by the organisers.
Ready to Build?
Whether you've participated in ten hackathons or this would be your first one, HackCache ’26 is designed to give you a place to build something and learn along the way.
48 hours. One team. One idea. One chance to build something worth remembering.
HackCache ’26
October 23–24, 2026
Fully Online
₹80,000 Cash Prize Pool
Teams of 1–3
Register: https://cachedinfo.in/hackathon
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