A three-day Hackathon, jointly organised by NSO, India and IIT Gandhinagar has commenced today in the campus of IIT Gandhinagar.
Hackathon has received an overwhelming response and brings together bright young minds from across the country for solving the problems faced by practitioners. A total of 700 teams consisting of five members from different educational institutions applied for three uses cases related to application of AI/ML in the field of Official Statistics. Out of 700 teams, 19 teams from prestigious institutions such as Indian Institute of Information Technology , Indian Institute of Technology ,Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, VIT Vellore, University of Delhi, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, National Institute of Technology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Plaksha University, NMIMS Mumbai, and PSG Institute of Technology and Applied Research etc. have been shortlisted for participation in 36 hour Hackathon started today.
During the inaugural session, ADG MoSPI highlighted modernisation initiatives of NSO, India including data innovation lab, eSankhyiki portal etc., emphasizing the role of data-driven solutions in shaping policy and governance. He encouraged participants to approach the problems with creativity and analytical rigor, in the spirit of contribution towards nation-building for Vikshit Bharat. He also profusely thanked Dr. Rajat Moona and IIT Gandhinagar for collaborating with MoSPI for the Hackathon.
Dr. Rajat Moona, Director, IIT Gandhinagar complimented MoSPI for its endevour to use AI and data innovation for improving official statistics. He appreciated the problem statements shared by the Ministry for this Hackathon as being very relevant to real-world Statistical problems. He extended his best wishes to all teams, expressing confidence that the outcome would be useful to solve the problems in real world scenario. He also expressed his confidence that all the students will be winner, either by winning prize or by enriching their knowledge. He also urged students to seize this opportunity to refine their problem-solving skills and contribute innovative ideas to the field of data science and analytics. Several senior Officers from NSO India and faculty members from IIT Gandhinagar and other institutions were also in present to encourage and support the initiative.
The event promises to be an exciting platform for innovation, collaboration, and learning, setting the stage for future advancements in statistical and data-driven decision-making. Hackathon would conclude with the announcement of winners on 23rd March 2025.