ISRO Launches Bharatiya Antariksh Hackathon 2026 for Student Innovators
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched the third edition of the Bharatiya Antariksh Hackathon (BAH) 2026, inviting students from across India to develop innovative solutions for challenges in space technology and climate science.
Organised in collaboration with innovation platform Hack2skill, the national hackathon aims to encourage young innovators to contribute ideas that support India’s growing space technology ecosystem. Participants will work on problem statements covering areas such as artificial intelligence, satellite data analysis, planetary exploration and climate research.
Eligibility and Team Requirements
The hackathon is open exclusively to undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD research scholars who are currently enrolled in recognised educational institutions in India. Working professionals are not eligible to participate.
Teams must consist of three to four members. Students from different colleges and universities are permitted to form cross-college and cross-university teams, encouraging wider collaboration among participants.
Participation in the competition is free of charge.
Problem Statements Focus on Space and Climate
ISRO has released 15 problem statements for this year’s hackathon, combining space exploration with practical applications for resource management and environmental monitoring.
The challenges include developing an AI-powered digital twin of India’s climate, analysing Chandrayaan-2 radar data to study subsurface ice in the Moon’s south polar region for future rover traverse planning, and forecasting solar flares using data from the Aditya-L1 mission.
Other problem statements involve identifying exoplanets from noisy light curves and using generative AI to remove cloud cover from satellite imagery, enabling improved Earth observation and analysis.
The competition is designed to encourage participants to apply emerging technologies to address complex scientific and engineering challenges.
Important Dates and Application Process
The registration and idea submission process began on June 10, 2026. To help participants better understand the technical requirements, ISRO has scheduled two online problem statement explainer sessions on June 15 and June 16.
The registration window will remain open until July 1, 2026.
Following the evaluation of submissions, shortlisted teams will be announced on July 20. An induction session will take place on July 21, while the 30-hour live grand finale is scheduled for August 6 and 7, 2026.
Interested teams can register through the official Hack2skill event portal. During the initial stage, participants are not required to develop a physical prototype. Instead, they must submit a detailed conceptual solution proposal using the prescribed templates before the registration deadline.
Mentorship and Internship Opportunities
Teams selected for the final round will receive technical mentorship from ISRO scientists and domain experts to help refine their solutions during the development phase.
In addition to national recognition, outstanding participants may be considered for internship opportunities at ISRO, where they could work on live space-related projects.
The organisers have also announced that shortlisted finalists travelling for the physical grand finale will receive reimbursement of II AC railway travel fares, reducing the financial burden of participation.
The Bharatiya Antariksh Hackathon continues to provide a platform for students to showcase innovative ideas while contributing to India’s expanding space and technology ecosystem.
