FOSSHack Jabalpur 2026 is the Jabalpur localhost of FOSSHack 2026, India's largest Free and Open Source Software hackathon, now in its sixth edition. FOSS Hack is organized by the FOSSHack Community and supported by FOSS United.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Local Host | Gyan Ganga Institute of Technology and Sciences (GGITS), Jabalpur |
| Address | Tilwara Ghat Road, Near Bargi Hills, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, PIN: 482003 |
| Format | Hybrid (Online + In-Person) |
| Duration | March 1 – March 31, 2026 |
| In-Person Demo Day | March 28, 2026 |
| Results Announcement | May 4, 2026 |
| National Prize Pool | ₹5,00,000+ |
| Team Size | Solo or up to 4 members |
| Registration Fee | Free |
| Registration | Register on FOSS United |
FOSSHack is not a 24-hour sprint hackathon. It is a structured, month-long, contribution-based open-source event where participants build real projects, maintain public repositories, and contribute meaningfully to the open-source ecosystem over the course of an entire month.
Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) refers to software that is both free (as in freedom) and open source. FOSS grants users the freedom to use, study, modify, and distribute the software and its source code.
Key principles of FOSS include:
- Open Collaboration — Anyone can contribute to the project regardless of geography or affiliation.
- Public Repositories — Source code is publicly hosted and accessible, typically on platforms like GitHub or GitLab.
- Licensing — Every FOSS project must carry an approved open-source license (e.g., MIT, Apache 2.0, GPL v3).
- Community Contributions — Projects grow through transparent, community-driven development.
- Kickstart your FOSS journey — Figure out how you can contribute to the Digital Commons.
- Build real-world projects — Work on something that solves an actual problem, not a toy assignment.
- Access mentorship — Get meaningful mentorship and expert advice as you work on real-world problems.
- Learn GitHub workflows — Practice branching, pull requests, code reviews, and collaborative development.
- Gain visibility — Your work will be publicly available, reviewed by peers and jury members from the FOSS community.
- Build a public portfolio — Every commit, PR, and project becomes part of your professional profile.
- Win prizes — A chance to win up to ₹5,00,000 in cash prizes.
FOSS Hack welcomes contributions beyond just writing code:
| Contribution Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Code | Solve issues and make PR contributions to OSS repositories |
| Documentation | Write guides, tutorials, READMEs, or API references for open-source projects |
| Design | Improve UX/UI, create logos, or build design systems for open-source projects |
| Data | Contribute datasets (e.g., OpenStreetMaps), data pipelines, or data analysis |
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| March 1, 2026 | Orientation Call (Online) — Kickoff, intro to FOSS Hack, team formations |
| March 7, 2026 | Week 1 Update Call — Discuss initial progress, architecture, and blockers |
| March 14, 2026 | Week 2 Update Call — Mid-point review, core features should be taking shape |
| March 21, 2026 | Week 3 Update Call — Final stretch, focus on bug fixes, polish, and documentation |
| March 28, 2026 | In-Person Demo Day at GGITS, Jabalpur — Final presentations to jury |
| March 31, 2026 | Final Contribution Freeze |
| May 4, 2026 | Results Announcement |
For a detailed timeline, refer to EVENT_TIMELINE.md.
Build your own ideas, scratch your own itch, and create something impactful for the open-source community! We highly recommend choosing your own path to maximize creativity.
Alternatively, you can select from these curated problem statements:
- Build an open-source alternative to Google Forms focused on privacy and self-hosting for colleges and clubs.
- Create a lightweight open-source project management tool (Kanban-style) that can be self-hosted by small teams.
- Develop an open-source event registration + ticketing system for college tech fests and hackathons.
- Build a self-hosted URL shortener with analytics as an open alternative to Bitly.
- Create an open-source collaborative document editor for small teams (basic real-time editing).
- Develop a simple self-hosted file sharing system with expiry links (alternative to WeTransfer).
- Build an open-source link-in-bio platform as an alternative to Linktree.
- Create a lightweight self-hosted feedback and survey analytics dashboard for institutions.
- Develop an open-source knowledge base / documentation portal for communities.
- Build a privacy-first analytics dashboard as a simple alternative to Google Analytics.
- Create an open-source issue tracking tool for small projects (minimal alternative to Jira).
- Develop a simple open-source learning management system (LMS) for clubs and training programs.
You can also contribute to curated open-source partner projects with dedicated mentorship:
Note: Projects based on Crypto, Web3, or Blockchain technologies are not allowed. Why?
- All code must be written during the hackathon (March 1–31), though you can brainstorm beforehand.
- Projects must be released under a valid FOSS / Open Source license from the approved list in LICENSES/ or another OSI-approved license.
- Core functionality must not depend on proprietary APIs or closed-source services.
- NO Blockchain, Web3, or Crypto projects are allowed.
- Be respectful and follow the FOSS United Code of Conduct at all times.
- If contributing to existing projects, ensure your PRs are meaningful and follow the project's guidelines.
- Proper attribution must be provided for any third-party code, assets, or libraries used.
- Plagiarism of any kind will result in immediate disqualification.
See the full Rules & FAQ on the FOSS United website.
Evaluation is based on the complete development process, not just the final demonstration. Judges will review your entire GitHub activity throughout the month. Projects will be evaluated for novelty, completeness, and relevance. After multiple rounds of elimination, results will be shared on May 4, 2026.
| Criterion | Description |
|---|---|
| GitHub Activity | Consistency and quality of commits throughout the month |
| Code Quality | Readability, structure, and maintainability of the codebase |
| Documentation | Quality of README, inline comments, and supporting docs |
| Problem-Solving Impact | Real-world relevance and effectiveness of the solution |
| Completeness | Functional state of the project at submission |
| Valid License | Presence of an approved open-source license |
| Demo Video | A clear, concise demonstration video (maximum 3 minutes) |
For full scoring details, refer to JUDGING_CRITERIA.md.
Note: The jury's decision is final. The cash prize will be split among the winners at the discretion of the jury.
- Make regular commits starting from March 1st. Avoid pushing everything on the last day.
- Maintain proper documentation (a detailed README is crucial for evaluation).
- Focus on solving a real problem effectively rather than using hype technologies unnecessarily.
- Break down your project into weekly milestones and review them during the update calls.
- Deploy your project so judges can easily test it.
Q. Who can participate? Anyone! Students, working professionals, and open-source enthusiasts.
Q. Is there any registration fee? No, FOSS Hack is completely free to attend and participate.
Q. Can I work on an existing project? Yes, you can both start a new project from scratch or contribute to an existing open-source project.
Q. What should be the team size? You can participate solo or in a team of up to 4 members.
FOSS Hack 2026 has 8 localhosts across India:
| Localhost | Location |
|---|---|
| GGITS | Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh |
| S.R.M University - K.T.R Campus | Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu |
| Sai University | Chennai |
| Delhi Technical Campus | Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh |
| KLH University | Hyderabad, Telangana |
| Quad AI School | Patna, Bihar |
| Siliguri Government Polytechnic | Siliguri, West Bengal |
| St. Thomas Institute of Science and Technology | Trivandrum, Kerala |
All participants, contributors, and attendees are expected to follow the Code of Conduct. Respectful, inclusive, and professional behavior is required at all times.
- Register: https://fossunited.org/dashboard/register-for-hackathon?id=1hdcnkbtmk
- FOSS Hack 2026: https://fossunited.org/fosshack/2026
- Event Page (FOSS United): https://fossunited.org/hack/fosshack26
- All Projects: https://fossunited.org/hack/fosshack26/projects/all
- Project Ideas: https://forum.fossunited.org/t/problem-statements-and-ideas-fosshack-2026/7186
- Rules & FAQ: https://fossunited.org/fosshack/rules
- Guidelines & FAQ: https://forum.fossunited.org/t/foss-hack-rules-guidelines-faq/3334
- GGITS Localhost: https://ggits.org/fosshack
For questions, support, or partnership inquiries:
- Email: oss@ggits.org
- Event Website: https://ggits.org/fosshack
- FOSS United: https://fossunited.org
FOSSHack Jabalpur 2026 is organized by GGITS Jabalpur and supported by FOSS United. All projects submitted must comply with open-source licensing requirements.