Overview: WasteChakra 2026 is IIT Delhi's circularity techathon, organized by the Centre for Rural Development and Technology (CRDT) (IIT Delhi) in collaboration with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The event aims to develop practical, scalable solutions for India's municipal solid waste ecosystem under the Solid Waste Management Rules 2026, promoting 100% collection, 100% segregation, and Zero Waste to Landfill. Objectives: Develop innovative engineering, AI, digital, and business solutions for municipal waste management. Build a national repository of deployable waste-management technologies. Increase awareness of source segregation and circular economy among students. Support MCD implementation through pilot-ready solutions. Eligibility: Full-time students from 9 th standard onwards, up to post-graduation from any recognized institutions within the Delhi-NCR region (All the team members should be affiliated with a Delhi-NCR institution only) . Teams of 2-4 members Interdisciplinary teams encouraged No registration fee Inter-institutional teams are allowed School and College-level entries will be evaluated separately. Competition Structure: Round 1 - Qualifier (Online): Submit a one-page concept note. Top 150 teams will be selected for the next round. Round 2 - Eliminator (Online): One-week duration for idea refinement and presentation preparation (up to 10 slides). An optional 2-minute explanatory video can also be prepared. Teams advancing in the next round will be notified in due time. Round 3 - Grand Finale at IIT Delhi. Judging focuses on impact, innovation, technical feasibility, scalability, circularity & inclusion, and presentation quality. Winning teams receive wide recognition, track awards, and potential deployment opportunities with CRDT and MCD. Plagiarism will lead to disqualification. Competition Themes: Segregation at Source - The 4-Stream Challenge : Solutions for wet, dry, sanitary, and special care waste segregation using smart bins, AI/computer vision, and affordable segregation aids. Track and Trace - The Digital Waste Lifecycle : Digital Systems for end-to-end waste tracking, citizen reporting, municipal dashboards, and GIS-based BWG management. Decentralized Processing Technologies : Compact composting/biogas systems, decision-support tools, and technologies for localized processing of wet, recyclable, horticulture, sanitary, and special-care waste. Circular Economy, Compliance & Credit Trading : Digital marketplaces, transparent recycling value chains, compliance certificate ecosystems, and audit tools for SWM rules 2026. Digital & Safety in the informal sector : Affordable PPE, digital registration and training platforms, and fair-income models that improve the livelihoods of waste pickers. Behavior Change, IEC & Gamification : Gamified applications, school engagements tools, data-driven awareness campaigns, and creative digital media to improve waste segregation habits. AI for smart Municipal Governance : Build AI-powered solutions that help municipalities predict, monitor, and optimize waste management operations. Expected Outcomes: Pilot-ready innovations for MCD, Bulk Waste Generators (BWGs), and Resident Welfare Associations. Student participation in solving real waste-management challenges. Long-term contribution toward a circular economy and sustainable urban waste management. FAQs: Who can participate? WasteChakra 2026 is open to students from the 9th standard onwards, as well as graduates and post-graduates, from any recognized institution within the Delhi-NCR region. Is there any registration fee? No. There is no registration fee to participate in WasteChakra 2026. Can I participate individually or in a team? WasteChakra 2026 is a team-based competition - participation is in teams, not individually. Teams must have between 2 and 4 members, and interdisciplinary teams are encouraged. What is the maximum team size? Teams can have a maximum of 4 members (minimum 2). Can team members be from different institutions? There are no restrictions on team composition beyond the Delhi-NCR eligibility and team-size rules, and it explicitly encourages interdisciplinary teams, so cross-institution teams are expected to be allowed. What do I need to submit? A one-page concept note has to be submitted for the first round in word or pdf form.