NIELIT Launches CYBER KUSHTI 2026: National Cybersecurity & AI Hackathon scores judgment rather than detection speed

The National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT), under MeitY, launched CYBER KUSHTI 2026 on 15 August 2026 as a national cybersecurity and AI hackathon that emphasises human judgment over mere detection speed. The competition, conducted in three rounds (Akhada, Dangal, Kesari), provides identical, deliberately imperfect security assessment packages to all teams, requiring them to prioritise, correct, and defend findings using any AI tools. It is aligned with the 3rd National Conference on Cyber Security, Digital Forensics and Intelligence (NCCDFI 2026) and involves collaboration with ISAC Foundation, the National Security Database, and CERT‑In as knowledge partner. Awards include titles such as “Cyber Kesari 2026” and NSD recognition credits.