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IIM Bangalore Case Competition 2026: Registration, Eligibility, Prize Money & Dates
The IIM Bangalore Case Competition 2026, officially titled the CDPG National Student Case Challenge 2026, gives undergraduate and postgraduate students across India a chance to work on a real-world challenge connected to India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). The competition is organised by the Center for Digital Public Goods (CDPG) at IIM Bangalore, with support from Perfios – Anumati Account Aggregator.
This year, the case revolves around DigiYatra. DigiYatra currently uses facial authentication linked to passengers' travel credentials to facilitate airport access and boarding. The competition asks students to examine the opportunities and risks involved as such trusted digital identity infrastructure potentially expands into new use cases.
However, teams are expected to look beyond a typical business solution. Their recommendations need to consider technology, policy, governance, privacy, inclusion and the wider public impact of digital infrastructure.
There is plenty at stake too. The competition offers a total prize pool of ₹5 lakh, and the best teams will get the opportunity to present their ideas at the National Finals at IIM Bangalore on September 30, 2026.
IIMB Case Competition 2026 Details | Information |
Organiser | Center for Digital Public Goods, IIM Bangalore |
Competition | CDPG National Student Case Competition 2026 |
Case Focus | DigiYatra / Digital Public Infrastructure |
Eligibility | students enrolled in any Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses |
Team Size | 5 students |
Total Prize Pool | ₹5 lakh |
Submission Deadline | September 7, 2026, 6 PM IST |
Shortlist Announcement | By September 15, 2026 |
National Finals | September 30, 2026 |
Finals Venue | IIM Bangalore |
Who Can Participate in IIM Bangalore CDPG Case Challenege?
You do not need to be an MBA student to participate in the IIM Bangalore Case Competition 2026. Undergraduate and Postgraduate students currently studying at a recognised college or university in India can participate, regardless of their academic discipline.
In fact, the competition encourages students from different academic backgrounds to work together. A team could include students from engineering, management, economics, law, public policy, design or the social sciences.
That mix can be particularly useful for this year's DigiYatra case. A good solution may need to answer technical questions while also considering privacy, regulation, accessibility, adoption and governance. Having different perspectives within the same team could therefore help participants build a more complete argument.
The official brochure does not specify a limit on the number of teams that may participate from a particular college or university. However, an individual student can be part of only one team.
IIM Bangalore Case Challenge2026: Important Dates
If you are planning to participate, the most important date to remember is September 7, 2026. Stage I submissions must be completed by 6 PM IST on that day.
The submission window opened on August 14, 2026. Shortlisted teams are expected to be announced by September 15, followed by the National Finals later in the month.
Event | IIM Bangalore Case Competition Date |
Stage I Submissions Open | August 14, 2026 |
Last Date for Submission | September 7, 2026, 6 PM IST |
Shortlisted Teams Announced | By September 15, 2026 |
Stage II National Finals | September 30, 2026 |
Finals Venue | IIM Bangalore Campus |
What happens in the National Finals?
A total of nine teams will be shortlisted for the National Finals, with three teams selected from each competition track.
The nine shortlisted teams will receive a new case challenge from Perfios – Anumati Account Aggregator, curated specifically for Stage II. Finalists will be invited to IIM Bangalore on September 30, 2026, where they will present their recommendations. The final challenge is designed to test teams' ability to analyse a complex DPI problem under time constraints and make clear, evidence-based recommendations.
How to Apply for IIM Bangalore Case Competition 2026?
The first step is to form an eligible five-member team. Once the team is ready, participants should carefully go through the case and submission guidelines before choosing one of the three available tracks:
Technology & Design: Design a high-level architecture for extending DigiYatra to contactless hotel check-in and identity verification, including stakeholders, trust boundaries, data ownership, authentication, consent and interoperability.
Policy & Regulation: Assess privacy, ethical and public-policy issues involved in extending DigiYatra/ facial authentication into private-sector services, considering proportionality, informed consent, surveillance, exclusion and commercial misuse.
Governance & Ecosystem Management: Develop a framework for deciding whether and under what conditions DigiYatra should expand into loyalty programmes, personalised services and customer analytics.
For Stage I, each team must submit a deck in PPT or PDF format, consisting of one title slide and up to four content slides. The solution should address the DigiYatra case from the perspective of the track selected by the team.
With only four content slides available, there is little room for unnecessary background information. Teams should get to the main issue quickly: What is the problem? What is the key trade-off? What solution are you proposing? And, most importantly, can that solution realistically work?
The Stage I evaluation criteria also make it clear where teams should focus. Entries will be judged on quality and originality of analysis (30%), Depth of systems thinking (20%), feasibility (20%), understanding of technology-policy-governance trade-offs (20%), and clarity of presentation (10%).
In other words, a polished deck alone will not be enough. Teams need a strong argument, a clear understanding of the problem and a solution that takes real-world constraints into account. Teams should also clearly state the assumptions behind their recommendations and explain why they made particular design or policy choices. IIM Bangalore specifically asks participants to examine whether the proposed DigiYatra expansion addresses a genuine public need, whether less intrusive alternatives exist, and whether the expected benefits justify the additional risks.
Once the presentation is ready, teams must submit their solution through the official submission form provided by IIM Bangalore before September 7, 2026, at 6 PM IST
IIM Bangalore Case Competition Prize Money
The IIM Bangalore Case Competition 2026 prize pool is ₹5 lakh. The winner of each of the three competition tracks is set to receive ₹1 lakh.
Prize Detail | Amount / Benefit |
Total Prize Pool | ₹5 lakh |
Winner of Technology & Design Track | ₹1 lakh |
Winner of Policy & Regulation Track | ₹1 lakh |
Winner of Governance & Ecosystem Management Track | ₹1 lakh |
Additional Benefits | Participation/ merit certificates and national recognition |
The competition offers more than just prize money. Participants get to work on an actual Digital Public Infrastructure challenge, while finalists get the chance to present their ideas to practitioners, policymakers and academics.
For students interested in technology, public policy, consulting or digital governance, that exposure could be just as valuable as the cash prize. Participants can also receive certificates of participation and merit.
IIM Bangalore Case Competition 2026: Team Rules
The team rules are straightforward, but it is worth checking them carefully before submitting your entry. Every team must have exactly five students, and all five members should currently be enrolled at a recognised Indian college or university.
Both full-time and part-time students can participate. IIM Bangalore also encourages teams to be interdisciplinary, gender-balanced and, wherever possible, include students from different programmes and academic years.
The key team rules are:
- Each team must have exactly five students.
- Bachelor's and Master's students are eligible.
- Students from different academic disciplines can form a team.
- Both full-time and part-time students can participate.
- A student can be a member of only one team.
- Interdisciplinary and gender-balanced teams are encouraged.
- Multi-year and multi-programme teams are encouraged wherever possible.
- There is no stated limit on the number of teams from one college or university.
If you are still forming your team, bringing together students with different strengths could work in your favour. A technically strong DigiYatra solution, for example, may still fall short if it ignores privacy, accessibility, regulation or implementation challenges. Since the evaluation rewards systems thinking and an understanding of trade-offs, looking at the problem from multiple angles matters.
IIM Bangalore Case Competition 2026: Conclusion
The IIM Bangalore Case Competition 2026 gives Bachelor's and Master's students an opportunity to work on a real Digital Public Infrastructure challenge centred around DigiYatra. With three specialised tracks and a ₹5 lakh total prize pool, the competition rewards solutions that successfully combine technology, policy, governance and practical implementation.
Stage I submissions close on September 7, 2026, at 6 PM IST, making the deadline the immediate priority for interested teams. With only four content slides available, participants should prioritise originality, systems thinking, feasibility and a clearly defined solution. A focused recommendation backed by a strong understanding of real-world trade-offs can ultimately matter more than simply packing the presentation with information.
