Gujarat to use student-built tools in policing after e-Rakshak cyber hackathon
Representative image: StockSnap / Pixabay
At the e-Rakshak hackathon finale in Surat on 10 October 2026, Gujarat said student-built tools will be used for FIR registration and cybercrime cases.
What Happened
Gujarat will build tools designed by engineering students into how its police register complaints and handle cybercrime, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said at the grand finale of the e-Rakshak hackathon in Surat on Saturday, 10 October 2026. The hackathon was organised by Surat City Police with the NEXUS unit of Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology (SVNIT). A total of 458 students registered, and 31 teams of about 150 students, from colleges affiliated with more than 13 universities across six states, reached the final round. Sanghavi reviewed their prototypes, said solutions built by young people would be integrated into processes for registering FIRs and resolving cybercrime cases, and said the government would act as a "risk partner" for students turning such ideas into reality.
Key Facts
- Event: e-Rakshak hackathon grand finale, Surat, Saturday 10 October 2026.
- Organisers: Surat City Police and the NEXUS unit of SVNIT.
- Participation: 458 students registered; 31 teams of about 150 students made the finale.
- The finalists came from colleges affiliated with more than 13 universities in six states.
- Police set nine to ten problem statements after surveying police stations about everyday problems faced by citizens and officers.
- Sanghavi said student-built solutions would be brought into FIR registration and cybercrime handling, and spoke of linking all CCTV cameras in Gujarat to a single dashboard using artificial intelligence.
Why It Matters
Most student hackathons end with a trophy and a certificate. The prototypes are rarely used again. What makes this one different is the promise that the police force that set the problems intends to use some of the answers. If that happens, students will have built software that real officers use on real cases, which is the kind of experience employers value far more than marks on a transcript.
The subject also matters for careers. Cybercrime is one of the fastest-changing areas of policing, and police forces across India need people who understand fraud, data, digital evidence and the software that ties them together. A hackathon built around problem statements drawn from police stations gives students a direct look at that work and its constraints, from how complaints are recorded to how cases are followed up.
For engineering colleges, the model is worth noting. The problems came from surveys of police stations rather than from a list of generic themes, which means the students were solving problems someone had actually reported. Partnerships of this kind between a police force and a national institute of technology can become a steady source of projects, internships and, over time, jobs in government technology.
There is a clear caveat. A deputy chief minister's statement at a finale is not the same as a deployed system. Whether any prototype is tested, adopted and maintained inside police operations will decide whether the students' work has a lasting effect. Readers should watch for announcements on which tools are taken forward, and how.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Registrations | 458 students |
| Finalist teams | 31 |
| Finalists | About 150 students |
| Universities represented | More than 13, across six states |
| Problem statements | Nine to ten, drawn from police station surveys |
Impact
Short-term: Finalist teams may be invited to refine and test their prototypes with Surat City Police, giving them hands-on project experience.
Long-term: If student tools are adopted into FIR and cybercrime processes, Gujarat could create a pipeline of young technologists for public-sector cybersecurity work, and other states may copy the model.
Who is affected: Engineering and computer science students, colleges and their innovation cells, police officers who handle complaints and cybercrime, and citizens who file reports with the police.
Key Takeaway
Gujarat's e-Rakshak hackathon gives students a rare chance to see their cybersecurity prototypes used by a working police force, if the government's promise to adopt them is kept.
Questions and Answers
What is the e-Rakshak hackathon?
A student hackathon organised by Surat City Police and the NEXUS unit of SVNIT, in which teams built technology solutions to problems drawn from surveys of police stations. Its grand finale was held in Surat on 10 October 2026.
How many students took part?
A total of 458 students registered, and 31 teams of about 150 students from colleges affiliated with more than 13 universities in six states reached the final round.
Will the police actually use the students' work?
Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said solutions built by young participants would be integrated into processes for FIR registration and cybercrime resolution. Which tools are adopted, and when, has not yet been announced.
Why does this matter for students planning tech careers?
Cybersecurity and digital policing need skilled people, and building tools for real police problems gives students practical experience that employers in both government and industry look for.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
Reported, fact-checked and published by the Peepals Global Editorial Team.
