How to Prepare for SIH (Smart India Hackathon)?
A practical guide for SIH aspirants based on real experience from internal hackathons to the grand finale, and how to build the right team mindset.
Last year, my team and I didn’t win SIH. But we did leave a mark our voices, our presence, and most importantly, the lessons we carried forward.
If you’re planning to participate in SIH, here’s the reality check: Most teams don’t lose because of a bad idea or weak PPT. They lose before they even write a line of code. Why? - Wrong team. - No shared mindset. - People can’t vibe together. So let’s break it down.
The 3 Major Challenge : 1. Internal Hackathon: Your entry ticket. College shortlists the best teams. Strong PPT + clear demo = survival. 2. Shortlisting: Nodal centers filter ideas. Many fail here for not showing execution clarity. 3. Grand Finale: 36 hours of coding, debugging, and presenting. Not just tech, but teamwork and stamina decide winners.
Here’s How to Actually Prepare for SIH 1. Choose people who figure out faster than they complain Your team is your backbone. Don’t just pick friends. Pick people who: - Can debug under pressure. - Won’t whine when things break (and things will break). - Complement each other’s skills (developer + designer + researcher + presenter). Tip: Have at least 1 person who can explain things well (for PPT/presentation) and 1 person who can lead to build MVPs. 2. Most teams burn out because everyone’s “busy” but no one’s aligned You’ll hear this line a lot: “Bro I had class/assignment/club work, couldn’t do my part.” This is how teams collapse before SIH even starts. Fix this early: - Make weekly check-ins (even 20 min call works). - Agree that SIH is a team priority for the next few months. 3. You need a leader, no democracy here Yes, you can all be friends. Yes, you can brainstorm together. But when things go south (and they will at 2 AM during finale), one person must take the final call. Qualities of the leader: - Decision-making under pressure. - Keeping team morale alive at 3 AM. - Saying no when scope creeps in. Without a leader, SIH becomes a group project. With a leader, it becomes a hackathon team.
Final Words (Reality Check) - Don’t over-focus on winning. Focus on building something that works. Judges can sense what’s real vs what’s theoretical. - Start small → MVP first. Add features later. - Sleep, eat, and code smart during finale. Burning out helps no one. - Even if you don’t win, SIH gives you network, confidence, and project exposure you can carry for life. But this year? We’re sharper. We know our mistakes. And so will you. SIH is not just a hackathon. It’s a test of patience, collaboration, and clarity. So, start now. Build your vibe team. Align early. Pick a leader. The rest will follow. No problem is too big, no idea is too small.
- Ansh Varma