Eligibility Requirements

The following eligibility criteria are intended to ensure fair participation and maintain a professional and inclusive contest environment for all participants.

• This contest is open only to participants residing in India.
• Engineering students, working professionals, hobbyists, makers, researchers, and innovators of all experience levels are eligible to participate.
• Both individual and team participation are allowed.
• Teams may consist of up to 5 members, and all team members must individually register for the contest.
• Participants representing a company, startup, institution, or organization must ensure they are authorized to participate on behalf of their respective organization.
• Participants below 18 years of age are advised to obtain parental or guardian consent before participating.
• Employees directly associated with CircuitDigest, Semicon Media, Mouser Electronics, or immediate contest partners are not eligible to participate.

Project & Submission Requirements

Participants are expected to follow the below guidelines to ensure successful participation and project submission.

• Participants must first register for the contest and submit their project idea through the contest portal.
• The top 50 selected project ideas will receive a ₹3,500 Starter Grant to begin building their project.
• Projects must use at least one ADI component purchased from Mouser Electronics.
• Participants are free to use any development boards, sensors, modules, or supporting hardware required to complete their project.
• Projects should be original and should not have been previously published, commercially released, or submitted to other public contests or platforms in the same form.
• Existing projects may be submitted only if they are significantly upgraded or redesigned specifically for India Design Challenge 2026.
• Participants must submit complete project documentation including project description, images, source code, design files, schematics, and other supporting resources wherever applicable.
• A vertical demo video with a minimum duration of 60 seconds is mandatory for all final project submissions.
• Participants are responsible for ensuring that all submitted content is accurate, functional, and owned or authorized for use by the participant.
• Participants should submit their final projects before the deadline mentioned on the contest timeline.

Rewards, Grants & Cash Prizes

• The top 50 selected project ideas will receive a ₹3,500 Starter Grant to begin building their project.
• All successfully submitted final projects will receive an additional ₹3,500 Completion Reward.
• Certificates and exclusive goodies will be provided to all participants who successfully complete and submit their projects.
• The top 3 projects selected by the judges will receive cash prizes worth over ₹2,00,000.
• Contest judges will determine winners based on the judging criteria and overall project quality.
• Prize money and rewards will be distributed through bank transfer, UPI, or other officially approved payment methods.
• Applicable taxes including TDS may be deducted before prize distribution wherever required by law.
• If participating as a team, the prize money and rewards will be collectively awarded to the registered team.
• The contest aims to celebrate innovation and engineering talent while fostering collaboration within the electronics community.

Video & Documentation Guidelines

• Participants must submit a clear and well-structured project article explaining the project concept, implementation, hardware selection, and working principle.
• Project documentation should include relevant images, schematics, source code, design files, PCB files (if applicable), and testing results wherever possible.
• Participants must submit a vertical-format demo video clearly demonstrating the functionality and implementation of the project.
• The submitted video should clearly demonstrate the working condition of the project and the usage of ADI components.
• Well-documented and professionally presented projects will receive better consideration during evaluation.

Communication & Support

• Participants may contact the organizers through the official contest communication channels for support and clarification.
• Important updates, announcements, and deadlines will be communicated through the contest portal and official communication channels.
• Participants are encouraged to regularly monitor contest updates and respond promptly to organizer communication wherever required.
• Contest organizers may provide additional technical resources, references, and guidance materials throughout the contest duration.
• The organizers aim to create a collaborative and positive experience for all participants throughout the contest journey.

Rights & Ownership

• Participants retain ownership of their projects, source code, design files, and other submitted materials.
• By participating in the contest, participants grant CircuitDigest, Mouser Electronics, and contest partners a non-exclusive right to publish, distribute, showcase, promote, and use the submitted content for educational, promotional, editorial, and marketing purposes.
• Participants are encouraged to keep their projects open-source wherever possible; however, proprietary implementations are also permitted.
• Participants are responsible for ensuring that their submissions do not violate any copyright, intellectual property, or licensing agreements.
• Contest organizers reserve the right to moderate and regulate the contest to ensure compliance with the official rules and guidelines.

Disqualification & Fair Participation

• Plagiarized or copied projects will be immediately disqualified.
• Fake demonstrations, misleading claims, or manipulated project results may result in immediate disqualification.
• Projects containing unsafe, offensive, or inappropriate content may be removed from the contest.
• Any attempt to manipulate the judging process or misrepresent project work may result in immediate disqualification.
• The organizers reserve the right to reject or remove any submission that violates the contest rules or guidelines.

General Terms

• By registering for the contest, participants agree to all contest rules, terms, and evaluation criteria.
• The organizers reserve the right to modify, update, or clarify the contest rules whenever necessary.
• The organizers also reserve the right to make decisions regarding unforeseen situations not explicitly covered in the published rules.
• Participation in the contest constitutes acceptance of all official contest guidelines and communication policies.