The National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) has launched Cyber Kushti 2026, a national-level hackathon focused on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, as India looks to strengthen skills and human-led assessment capabilities in emerging technology domains.
Announced by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the hackathon has been designed to test and recognise human judgement in cybersecurity assessment. The initiative brings together cybersecurity and AI, two areas that are becoming increasingly interconnected as digital systems grow more complex and organisations adopt automated technologies.
Registration for Cyber Kushti 2026 opened on August 15 and will continue until September 10, 2026. Participation is free and open to students and independent researchers, who can compete in teams of three.
The competition will recognise its top-performing teams through titles inspired by traditional Indian wrestling. The winning team will receive the title of "Cyber Kesari 2026" along with a traditional Gada. The runners-up will be recognised with the titles "Rustam" and "Pahalwan."
The focus on human judgement comes at a time when AI is increasingly being deployed across cybersecurity operations, from threat detection and vulnerability assessment to anomaly identification and incident response. While automated systems can process large volumes of data and identify patterns, human assessment remains relevant when evaluating context, interpreting complex threats and making decisions around potential security risks.
Cyber Kushti 2026 places this human assessment capability at the centre of the competition, while creating a national platform for students and independent researchers to demonstrate their cybersecurity knowledge.
The hackathon also reflects NIELIT's broader work across emerging technology education, research and skill development. The institute operates under MeitY and works across areas including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, electronics, information technology and other digital technologies.
NIELIT's research activities have also extended into AI and security-related applications. Its recent work includes projects and research covering AI-enabled systems, machine learning, secure Internet of Things infrastructure, encryption and embedded technologies.
The launch comes as cybersecurity skills gain greater importance alongside the adoption of AI across businesses and public digital infrastructure. AI can help organisations identify suspicious activity and analyse security data at scale, but its wider deployment also introduces questions around the security of AI-powered systems and the ability of professionals to evaluate technology-generated outcomes.
For students and independent researchers, hackathons have become one route to applying technical knowledge to practical cybersecurity scenarios. By combining competitive assessment with AI and cybersecurity themes, Cyber Kushti 2026 is positioned as a platform for identifying technical talent and testing participants' decision-making abilities.
With registrations remaining open until September 10, the national competition will provide participating teams an opportunity to test their skills in an environment centred on cybersecurity assessment, AI and human judgement.