Ahmedabad: The grand finale of Hackathon program,” Smart Gujarat for New India” 2018 being organized by the Education Department, Government of Gujarat concluded today at PDPU. Short listed 150 teams comprising 917 students from 11 universities from 15 districts of Gujarat participated in grand finale on 24th-25thmarch in a nonstop 36 hour efforts. This hackathon is a very comprehensive year long program in which wide range of stakeholders closely work together keeping students at center which culminates into this grand finale to bring the best out of each team. This year 17 departments of Govt. of Gujarat like Agriculture,Home,Urban Development, Port & Transport, Energy & Petrochemicals & others shared 213 challenges to all students across universities for solving them and create innovative solutions. Students from across disciplines like BCA, Engineering, and MCA, MSc IT, Pharmacy and allied branches had participated in this one of its kind program at state level.
Total 90 Unique problems from 17 GoG departments were attempted to develop prototype during grand finale in last two days by participating teams. Thirty teams from 22 colleges won prizes for their innovative solutions today during the valedictory function of the Hackathon. Out of this 11 teams won 1st prize each of 50,000 INR for their innovation.
Teams who participated in final will be given further support and handholding by SSIP cell and respective department of GoG so that some of them can be taken to pilot stage of deployment. External mentors, experts can be linked to teams for further fine tuning the prototypes. SSIP and other agencies may support some of the innovations by giving additional resources further.
During the award function Shri Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, Hon. Cabinet minister, Education, Gujarat told ‘Smart Gujarat Hackathon 2018 is a very comprehensive effort by any State Government at a large scale involving state departments. We have allotted 100 Cr for supporting student innovation & start-ups at Education department level which reiterates the commitment of the state to promote innovation & start-ups by youth’
“This hackathon is largest of its kind by any State Govt. so far which involves most of Govt. departments and universities in state and trying to leverage creative potential of young students in solving challenges and create innovation and start-up opportunities. Such large open innovation models allows each student realize that they can contribute to national development using own skill, knowledge and efforts. Potential solutions emerging out of this hackathon will be given further handholding by respective department and state SSIP cell to take the prototypes to implementation stage” as quoted by Smt.Anju Sharma, Principal Secretary, Higher & Technical Education.
Shri K.K.Nirala, Director, Technical Education shared” For the 1st time Students are exposed to real world challenges at a large scale and trying to develop prototype and innovate using technology. These prototypes will lead to innovative solutions and even start-ups emerging from it benefiting not only for Gujarat but create public good at large. Our Hackathon is a process to link academia, governance and industry and develop innovative model of problem solving and skill building. Solution coming out of this process will strengthen the innovation pipeline involving youth. This process will create long term innovation culture in the state and add hugely to missions like Start-up India, Digital India at grassroots”
Shhri Samsher Singh, ADG , Home Department who was present during the award function appreciated efforts of all students and shared that Home department will be happy to take insights from this mega program and organise similar endeavours exclusively for Home department of Gujarat Govt.
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