IIM Calcutta National Policy Hackathon 2024 concludes; participants from over 180 institutions

NEW DELHI: The Public Policy Club of IIM Calcutta recently concluded the second edition of their highly anticipated National Policy Hackathon 2024, which gathered participants from 16+ states and 180+ institutions throughout the country. The event's co-organisers were the Public Policy Club, IIFT Kolkata and the Toastmasters Club,IIM Calcutta. Ikigai Law, a well-known legal and public policy company, acted as the event's knowledge partner.

The organisers began the event with Franklin D Roosevelt's comment "We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can always build our youth for the future".

IIM Calcutta National Policy Hackathon 2024: Whitepaper submissions

The hackathon, which consisted of three rounds, provided an opportunity for prospective policy enthusiasts to look into current concerns and provide innovative solutions. The first two rounds focused on whitepaper submissions, in which participants addressed case problems related to the deepfake threat, recycled plastic in the food business, and the need for labour upskilling. The quality and range of submissions demonstrated the participants' analytical and creative thinking in solving challenging policy challenges. After evaluating the submissions, seven finalists were selected to present their proposals at the IIM Calcutta campus on March 3, 2024.

The panel of judges included professor Rajesh Bhattacharya from the public policy and management group at IIM Calcutta, professor Debashis Chakraborty from the economics group at IIFT Kolkata, and Rutuja Pol, the lead of government affairs at Ikigai Law.

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The presentations were assessed based on their level of analysis, clarity, novelty, and solution viability. The presentations focused on a broad range of policy sectors, from utilising modern technology to battle deepfake content to offering sustainable ways to reduce plastic pollution in the food business.

The National Policy Hackathon 2024 provides an opportunity for discussion, ideation, and cooperation. The event not only inspired attendees, but it also fostered a network of changemakers dedicated to positive societal impact through policy innovation.