📌About the Event

The AI for Foundational Learning Hackathon 2026 is an initiative of ShikshaNext, in collaboration with Anthropic, inviting innovators to build AI-powered solutions for some of India’s most critical foundational learning challenges. Over approximately 10 weeks, participants will progress from ideas to working prototypes aimed at improving learning outcomes for children, particularly those from low-income communities.

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ℹ️ Event Details

• Mode: Hybrid
• Team Size: 2–4 members
• Duration: Around 10 weeks
• Stages: Ideate → Build → Finals
• Focus: Using frontier AI to address real-world foundational literacy and numeracy challenges.
• Participants can work on one of five challenge areas:
• Classroom Complexity
• Learning-Level Visibility
• Teacher Support & Training
• Data to Action
• System Capacity

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📅 Important Dates

• AMA Session: 14 September 2026
• Registration & Idea Submission Deadline: 27 September 2026, 11:59 PM IST
• Top 30 Teams Announced / Build Stage Begins: 10 October 2026
• Prototype Submission Deadline: 1 November 2026
• Top 10 Finalists Announced: 10 November 2026
• Grand Finale: 18 November 2026

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🎯 Eligibility & Rules

• Eligibilty:
• Participants must be 18 years or older at the time of registration.
• Open to Indian citizens, including Indian students and professionals currently studying or working abroad.
• Participants must register as individuals or individual-led teams rather than as organisations.
• Open to students, educators, tech enthusiasts, innovators and professionals from education-focused non-profits.

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🏆 Benefits for the Participants

• Winner: ₹3,50,000
• 1st Runner-up: ₹2,50,000
• 2nd Runner-up: ₹1,50,000
• Top 5 Ideate Stage Ideas: ₹50,000 each
• Total Cash Awards: ₹10,00,000
• Claude Credits: $20,000 in cumulative Claude credits.
• Top 30 teams receive $500 in Claude credits per team during the Build Stage.
• Top 10 teams receive additional Claude credits for the final stage.