TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The following Terms and Conditions shall govern participation in the hackathon (BIOPACKATHON 2026) on "Biodegradable Packaging Solution Challenge for Pan Masala & Gutkha Sachets" organized by the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA), Government of India in collaboration with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

Participation in the Hackathon shall be deemed as unconditional acceptance of the following Terms and Conditions.

1. General Conditions

1.1 Participation in the hackathon is open for Indian individuals and entities.

1.2 The Hackathon shall be conducted in accordance with the framework, structure, timelines, and evaluation criteria as determined by DoCA.

1.3 DoCA reserves the right to interpret, modify, amend, or withdraw any provision of the hackathon at any stage without assigning any reason thereof.

1.4 The decision of DoCA in all matters relating to the hackathon shall be final and binding on all participants.

2. Timelines and Submission Compliance

2.1 Participants shall strictly adhere to all notified timelines for registration, submission of solution and presentations for final assessment.

2.2 Any delayed, incomplete, non-compliant, or improperly formatted submission shall be liable to rejection without further correspondence.

2.3 DoCA reserves the right to extend, revise, or modify any timeline at its sole discretion.

3. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and Ownership

3.1 The participant warrants that the submitted work does not infringe upon any third-party intellectual property rights and shall indemnify DoCA and BIS against any claims arising out of such infringement.

4. Originality, Compliance and Due Diligence

4.1 The submitted solution must be original.

4.2 The proposal shall not be copied, replicated, reverse-engineered, or substantially derived from existing commercial products or proprietary technologies without proper disclosure.

4.3 Participants must clearly disclose any reliance on pre-existing patented technologies or licensed components.

4.4 DoCA/BIS reserves the right to conduct plagiarism checks, background verification, technical scrutiny, and due diligence at any stage.

5. Evaluation Process

5.1 Evaluation shall be carried out by Screening Panel(s) and/or Assessment Board constituted by DoCA.

5.2 The decision of the Screening Panel(s) and/or Assessment Board shall be final and binding.

5.3 No request for re-evaluation, appeal, review, or reconsideration of decision shall be entertained.

6. Ethical Standards and Disqualification

6.1 Participants shall maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct throughout the hackathon.

6.2 Any instance of plagiarism, fabrication of data, misrepresentation, concealment of material facts, undue influence, lobbying, or unfair practice shall result in immediate disqualification.

6.3 DoCA reserves the right to disqualify any participant at any stage if:

1. the submission is found to be plagiarized or unoriginal;
2. false declarations or misleading information are provided;
3. the solution does not meet the desired technical requirements;
4. mandatory documentation is not submitted; or
5. any unlawful or unethical conduct is detected.

7. Liability and Indemnity

7.1 Participation in the hackathon is voluntary and at the sole risk of the participant.

7.2 DoCA and BIS shall not be liable for any loss, damage, injury, financial expenditure, or claim arising out of participation in the hackathon.

7.3 Participants shall indemnify and hold harmless DoCA and BIS against any third-party claims, disputes, liabilities, or legal proceedings arising from their submission or participation.

8. Modification, Suspension, or Cancellation

8.1 DoCA reserves the right to modify, suspend, or cancel the hackathon, in whole or in part, at any stage without prior notice.

8.2 DoCA may revise eligibility criteria, evaluation parameters, submission requirements, reward structure, or timelines as deemed necessary.

8.3 DoCA reserves the right not to declare any winner if submissions are found inadequate.

9. Withholding of Rewards and Benefits

9.1 DoCA reserves the right to withhold, withdraw, or cancel any reward and/or benefits at any stage in case of violation of terms and conditions.