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MICROSOFT CLUB SIST • STUDENT DEVELOPMENT CELL

ORION 1.0

OFFICIAL HACKATHON RULEBOOK & PARTICIPANT GUIDELINES

Organized by Microsoft Club SIST, Student Development Cell, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai. Please review all terms, qualification procedures, and code of conduct policies carefully.

QUICK REFERENCE — WHAT PARTICIPANTS MUST KNOW
Round 1 Registration₹100 per teamFlat fee covering 2–6 squad members
Grand Finale SelectionTOP 70 TEAMSQualified for 24-Hour Offline Sprint
Finalist Confirmation₹250 per headPer-participant confirmation for Top 70
AccommodationFREE for FinalistsOn-campus stay for registered finalists
Hospitality ProvidedFood, Water, Wi-Fi & ACAll hackathon meals & facilities included
Refund PolicySTRICTLY NON-REFUNDABLEAll payments & slots are non-transferable
01. ABOUT ORION 1.0

ORION 1.0 is a competitive hackathon designed to encourage innovation, technical problem-solving, teamwork, creativity, and the development of practical solutions to real-world challenges.

Round 1 — Online Qualifier

Teams participate in the initial online round and submit their solution/idea according to the instructions communicated by the organizers.

Round 2 — 24-Hour Offline Grand Finale

The Top 70 Teams selected from Round 1 will qualify for the offline Grand Finale conducted at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai.

Participation in ORION 1.0 constitutes acceptance of all rules, policies, and instructions contained in this rulebook and any official event communication issued by the organizing committee.

02. ELIGIBILITY & TEAM COMPOSITION
  • ORION 1.0 is open to eligible student participants as specified in the official event announcement and registration portal.
  • Each team must consist of a minimum of 2 members and a maximum of 6 members.
  • Participants must provide accurate information during registration.
  • A participant may be registered as a member of only one team.
  • Duplicate participation across multiple teams is strictly prohibited.
  • Teams are responsible for ensuring that all registered members satisfy the eligibility requirements.
  • Participants may be required to produce a valid college/university identification card or other identification at the Grand Finale.

⚠ Any false or misleading registration information may result in cancellation of participation.

03. ROUND 1 — QUALIFIER
Registration Fee₹100 per teamFlat for entire squad
  • Submit within announced deadline.
  • Late entries will not be considered.
  • Prescribed template format required.
  • Incomplete entries will be rejected.
04. SELECTION OF TOP 70
Shortlisted SquadsTOP 70 TEAMSQualify for Offline Finale

Round 1 submissions will be evaluated according to official criteria. Selection decisions made through the official evaluation process are final.

05. GRAND FINALE CONFIRMATION FEE
Confirmation Fee₹250 PER HEADTop 70 finalists only

The ₹250 amount is charged per head (per registered finalist member), not flat per team. Failure to confirm within deadline may result in slot cancellation.

06. STRICT NO-REFUND POLICY

ALL PAYMENTS ARE STRICTLY NON-REFUNDABLE.

Once payment has been successfully made, refunds will not be provided for reasons including withdrawal, failure to attend, late arrival, travel difficulties, academic commitments, team disputes, or disqualification.

07. NON-TRANSFERABLE REGISTRATION

REGISTRATION, PAYMENTS & SLOTS ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE.

Teams cannot transfer registration to another team, sell/exchange finalist slots, or request payment adjustments across teams. Any attempt to manipulate slots will trigger disqualification.

08 & 09. GRAND FINALE REPORTING, ENTRY & ATTENDANCE
Prompt Reporting

All qualified participants must report according to the official schedule for ID check, check-in, and participant briefing.

No Late Entry

Joining the hackathon midway after the permitted reporting/check-in window is strictly not allowed.

Continuous 24H Sprint

Participants must remain within designated event premises. Exits require explicit organizer authorization.

10, 11 & 12. ACCOMMODATION, FOOD & FACILITIES PROVIDED
FREE Accommodation

Provided free of charge exclusively to registered members of Top 70 finalist squads. (Not open to unregistered guests/friends).

Meals & Refreshments

Food and drinking water arranged for registered participants throughout the 24-hour sprint.

Infrastructure & Swags

High-speed Wi-Fi, air-conditioned workspaces, power access, basic event infrastructure, and participant swags.

13 & 14. ITEMS PARTICIPANTS MUST BRING (CHECKLIST)
Mandatory Technical Gear:
  • Laptop and original laptop charger
  • Mobile phone charger and charging cables
  • Extension box / power strip (highly recommended)
  • Required adapters and development peripherals
  • Valid College/University ID Card
  • Registration confirmation copy / Portal access pass
Personal & Overnight Essentials:
  • Personal medicines and prescription drugs
  • Personal hygiene products
  • Sweater / jacket (venue is AC for extended periods)
  • Bedsheet / light blanket for overnight rest
  • Comfortable clothing
15 – 19. ORIGINALITY, PLAGIARISM, AI TOOLS & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Originality of Projects: Teams must not present a previously completed project as though it was developed during ORION 1.0. Teams may be asked to demonstrate commit logs, architecture history, and individual contributions.

Plagiarism & Malpractice: Copying code from other teams, unauthorized code exchange, fabricating progress, or tampering with rival systems will result in immediate disqualification.

Use of AI Tools: AI-assisted development tools (Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude) are permitted, but teams must thoroughly understand and defend their architecture, code, and methodology.

Intellectual Property: Participants retain 100% ownership of original IP created during ORION 1.0. Participation does not transfer ownership to the organizers.

20 – 33. JUDGING, CODE OF CONDUCT, DISCIPLINE & SAFETY

Judging Decisions: Decisions made by the authorized jury panel regarding evaluations, scoring, and rankings are final.

Discipline & Respect: Professional conduct is mandatory. Disruptive behavior, harassment, tampering with university property, or disturbing other teams will lead to eviction and disciplinary actions.

Emergency Exceptions: Safety takes absolute priority. In medical or natural emergencies, follow the directions of authorized event staff immediately.

Certificates: Issued to verified participants who satisfy active participation criteria.

ORION 1.0 PARTICIPANT DECLARATION

By completing registration and participating in ORION 1.0, each participant confirms that the information submitted during registration is accurate and that they have read, understood, and agreed to comply with all official rules, venue regulations, and safety guidelines.

INNOVATION • INTEGRITY • COLLABORATION