NIELIT Launches CYBER KUSHTI 2026: National Cybersecurity & AI Hackathon to Test Human Judgment
The National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has launched CYBER KUSHTI 2026, a national-level cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence (AI) hackathon focused on testing participants' ability to make sound security decisions rather than simply detecting vulnerabilities quickly. The competition was launched on August 15, 2026 as the official parallel technical track of the 3rd National Conference on Cyber Security, Digital Forensics and Intelligence (NCCDFI 2026).
Registration for CYBER KUSHTI 2026 has opened and will continue until September 10, 2026. Participation is free and open to students and independent researchers participating in teams of three.
CYBER KUSHTI 2026: Highlights
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Hackathon | CYBER KUSHTI 2026 |
| Organiser | NIELIT |
| Ministry | Ministry of Electronics and IT |
| Theme | Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence |
| Launch Date | August 15, 2026 |
| Registration Deadline | September 10, 2026 |
| Participation Fee | Free |
| Eligibility | Students and independent researchers |
| Team Size | 3 members |
| Round 1 | September 15, 2026 |
| Round 2 | September 24, 2026 |
| Final Round | October 9, 2026 |
| Final Venue | Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi |
| Knowledge Partner | CERT-In |
| Collaborating Organisation | ISAC Foundation |
What Is CYBER KUSHTI 2026?
CYBER KUSHTI 2026 is designed differently from conventional cybersecurity competitions that primarily focus on vulnerability discovery or Capture the Flag (CTF)-style challenges.
The hackathon will test whether participants can evaluate, prioritise and defend cybersecurity decisions when presented with a large amount of potentially unreliable security information.
According to NIELIT, the competition reflects a growing challenge in cybersecurity: automated tools and AI systems can generate findings rapidly, but determining which findings are genuine, important and worth fixing first still requires human judgment.
CYBER KUSHTI 2026 Focuses on Judgment, Not Detection Speed
The central idea behind the hackathon is to assess human decision-making in cybersecurity.
Every participating team will receive the same deliberately imperfect Security Assessment Package. The material will include:
- AI-generated findings
- Static analysis outputs
- Dependency scans
- Secrets scans
- Architecture documentation
- Source code
- Application logs
The package will contain a mixture of genuine, false and duplicated findings. Some actual vulnerabilities will also be deliberately omitted.
Teams will therefore have to determine which findings are legitimate, reject incorrect findings and prioritise the issues that require attention.
How Will Teams Be Judged?
CYBER KUSHTI 2026 will not reward participants simply for identifying the largest number of vulnerabilities.
Teams will need to prepare a corrected and prioritised security assessment and explain the reasoning behind their decisions. Participants will be evaluated on their ability to:
- Identify genuine security issues.
- Reject false findings.
- Recognise duplicated findings.
- Prioritise security risks.
- Identify issues missed by automated analysis.
- Explain their reasoning.
- Defend their final assessment.
This format places quality of judgment and reasoning at the centre of the competition.
AI Tools Allowed in CYBER KUSHTI 2026
Participants will be allowed to use AI tools of their choice during the competition.
At the same time, every team will receive the same tool-generated material. This is intended to reduce the advantage of participants who have access to expensive commercial cybersecurity tools.
The competition will therefore focus more strongly on how participants interpret available information rather than on who has access to the most sophisticated security software.
CYBER KUSHTI 2026 Three-Round Structure
The competition will be conducted in three progressive rounds, named Akhada, Dangal and Kesari.
| Round | Name | Date | Selection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | The Akhada | September 15, 2026 | 50 teams advance |
| Round 2 | The Dangal | September 24, 2026 | 10 finalist teams |
| Final Round | The Kesari | October 9, 2026 | Winner selected |
Round 1: The Akhada
The first round will be conducted online on September 15, 2026. A total of 50 teams will advance to the next stage.
Round 2: The Dangal
The second online round is scheduled for September 24, 2026. Following this stage, 10 teams will qualify for the final.
Final Round: The Kesari
The final will take place in person on October 9, 2026, at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi.
The 10 finalist teams will work under supervision before presenting and defending their security assessments on the main stage of NCCDFI 2026.
Machine Analysis vs Human Judgment
One of the distinctive features of the final round will be the presentation of an automated analysis of the same assessment material alongside the participating teams' presentations.
This will allow attendees to compare where automated analysis and human cybersecurity judgment agree or differ.
The approach highlights the competition's broader objective: demonstrating that cybersecurity professionals need to understand and challenge machine-generated results rather than accepting them automatically.
CYBER KUSHTI 2026 Awards and Recognition
The final teams will be assessed by a jury jointly constituted by NIELIT and ISAC. The jury will include senior cybersecurity professionals and experts from government, industry and academia, including National Cyber Security Scholars recognised under the National Security Database (NSD).
The winning team will receive the title "Cyber Kesari 2026" and the traditional Gada.
The runners-up will receive the titles:
- Rustam
- Pahalwan
Participants in Round 1 will receive a Certificate of Participation and an individual scorecard. Teams progressing beyond Round 1 will receive NSD recognition credits.
A special award will also be given for the most instructive incorrect submission, recognising an incorrect assessment that demonstrates clearly documented and educational reasoning.
CYBER KUSHTI 2026 Eligibility
Participation is open to:
- Students
- Independent researchers
Participants must form teams of three. Registration is free. The registration window opened on August 15 and closes on September 10, 2026.
Interested participants should check the official competition instructions for detailed registration requirements and eligibility conditions before submitting their applications.
CYBER KUSHTI 2026 Registration
Candidates interested in participating should complete the registration process before the deadline.
How to Register for CYBER KUSHTI 2026
- Visit the official CYBER KUSHTI/NIELIT competition information page.
- Read the eligibility and participation guidelines.
- Form a team of three.
- Enter the required participant details.
- Provide the requested academic or professional information.
- Submit the registration form.
- Save the registration confirmation for future reference.
The registration deadline is September 10, 2026.
CYBER KUSHTI 2026: Safe Competition Environment
NIELIT has specified that the competition will operate in controlled environments provided by the organisers.
Participants will not be directed or permitted to interact with:
- Live systems
- Third-party systems
- Public infrastructure
at any stage of the competition.
This ensures that participants can demonstrate cybersecurity assessment skills without affecting real-world systems or infrastructure.
CYBER KUSHTI 2026 and NCCDFI
CYBER KUSHTI 2026 is being organised as the official parallel technical track of the 3rd National Conference on Cyber Security, Digital Forensics and Intelligence (NCCDFI 2026).
NIELIT is organising the third edition of NCCDFI at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi, on October 9 and 10, 2026. The conference brings together stakeholders from government, law enforcement, judiciary, industry, academia, research and student communities.
NIELIT CYBER KUSHTI 2026: Key Points
- NIELIT launched CYBER KUSHTI 2026 on August 15, 2026.
- It is a national cybersecurity and AI hackathon.
- The competition focuses on human judgment rather than detection speed.
- Registration is free.
- Students and independent researchers can participate in teams of three.
- Registration closes on September 10, 2026.
- Round 1 will be held on September 15.
- Round 2 will take place on September 24.
- Ten teams will qualify for the final.
- The final will be held on October 9 at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.
- Participants can use AI tools of their choice.
- The winning team will receive the title Cyber Kesari 2026.
- CERT-In is the Knowledge Partner.
FAQs
What is CYBER KUSHTI 2026?
CYBER KUSHTI 2026 is a national cybersecurity and AI hackathon launched by NIELIT to assess participants' ability to evaluate, prioritise and defend cybersecurity decisions.
Who can participate in CYBER KUSHTI 2026?
Students and independent researchers can participate in teams of three. Participation is free.
What is the last date to register for CYBER KUSHTI 2026?
The registration deadline is September 10, 2026.
When will CYBER KUSHTI Round 1 be conducted?
The first round, The Akhada, will be held online on September 15, 2026. Fifty teams will advance from this round.
When is the CYBER KUSHTI 2026 final?
The final, The Kesari, will be held on October 9, 2026, at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi.
Are AI tools allowed in CYBER KUSHTI 2026?
Yes. Participants will be free to use AI tools of their choice during the competition.
What is the Cyber Kesari 2026 award?
The winning team of CYBER KUSHTI 2026 will receive the title "Cyber Kesari 2026" along with the traditional Gada
