MUMBAI, Oct 11: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay and Russia’s Rosatom State Corporation have launched Atomic Hack India 2026, a national innovation challenge designed to encourage engineering students to develop solutions for complex electricity transmission and power grid challenges.
The competition will focus on improving the protection of transmission infrastructure that integrates nuclear and renewable energy sources. It aims to give undergraduate and postgraduate engineering students an opportunity to apply their technical knowledge to a practical problem involving electricity systems, digital modelling and energy security.
Registration for the initiative is open until October 20, 2026. The competition will be conducted in two stages, beginning with an online qualification round from October 20 to 28. Up to 25 shortlisted teams will subsequently compete in a 48-hour grand finale at the IIT Bombay campus in Mumbai from December 4 to 6.
The winning teams will receive opportunities that include a sponsored research visit to Moscow to explore Rosatom’s engineering centres, internship opportunities with ETC GET and certificates recognising their participation and achievements.
The initiative brings together academic expertise and industry experience to encourage students to work on an engineering challenge connected to the future of electricity generation and transmission.
Focus on reliable electricity transmission
The central task of Atomic Hack India 2026 is to develop a Zero-Sequence Directional Overcurrent Protection (ZDOP) scheme for a 220-kilovolt transmission line integrating nuclear and renewable energy sources.
The challenge requires participants to develop a protection system capable of detecting and identifying electrical faults in a transmission network.
Power transmission lines are essential to delivering electricity from generating stations to distribution networks and consumers. Any fault in these systems can affect the reliability of electricity supply, making rapid identification and appropriate protective action important for grid operations.
As electricity systems incorporate different sources of generation, including nuclear power and renewables, engineers must consider how variations in operating conditions can influence the behaviour of electrical networks.
The competition seeks to engage students with these technical questions through a defined engineering problem rather than a purely theoretical exercise.
Participants will need to consider how a protection scheme can identify relevant fault conditions and distinguish them from normal operating circumstances. Their proposed solutions will be developed and evaluated through the modelling tools specified for the competition.
The organisers’ choice of a 220-kV transmission line provides a specific engineering framework around which participating teams can build and test their ideas.
Digital modelling to support innovation
A key feature of the competition is the use of REPEAT VISION, a software platform developed by ETC GET, a subsidiary of Rosatom.
The platform will allow participants to undertake one-dimensional modelling and create digital twins for the relevant engineering system.
Digital twins are virtual representations of physical systems that can be used to simulate behaviour under different operating conditions. In engineering applications, these models can help users study system performance, test scenarios and examine how a proposed design might respond to changing circumstances.
For students, the use of digital modelling offers an opportunity to explore technical problems in a controlled environment before considering how proposed solutions could apply to real infrastructure.
Participants will receive free access to the software, introductory training webinars and mentorship from Rosatom engineers and IIT Bombay professors. Previous experience with the platform is not required, according to the organisers.
The provision of training is intended to help participants understand the available tools and concentrate on developing their engineering solutions.
The competition may also give students an opportunity to strengthen their skills in simulation, technical problem-solving and collaborative project development. These capabilities are relevant to engineering work in power systems, energy infrastructure, automation and other technology-intensive fields.
Two-stage competition structure
Atomic Hack India 2026 will begin with an online qualification round scheduled from October 20 to 28.
The first stage will allow participants to develop and submit their approaches to the prescribed technical challenge. Following the qualification process, up to 25 teams will be selected for the final round.
The shortlisted teams will then take part in a 48-hour grand finale at IIT Bombay from December 4 to 6.
The concentrated final-stage format is designed to give selected participants an opportunity to work intensively on the problem, refine their approaches and demonstrate their technical capabilities.
A competition of this nature requires teams to combine theoretical understanding with practical decision-making. Participants must assess the engineering problem, develop a workable model and use available tools to investigate their proposed solutions.
The final round will also provide an opportunity for students to interact with academic and industry experts involved in the initiative.
For participating institutions, such challenges can complement classroom teaching by exposing students to problems that require the integration of knowledge from multiple engineering disciplines.
However, the specific selection criteria, evaluation procedures and technical requirements will be determined by the competition’s official guidelines.
Research and internship opportunities for winners
The organisers have announced several opportunities for winning teams.
These include a sponsored research visit to Moscow, where participants will be able to visit Rosatom’s engineering centres, along with internship opportunities at ETC GET and certificates.
The prospect of engaging with an international engineering organisation may help students gain a better understanding of how technical research and industrial applications are connected.
Exposure to engineering centres can also help participants observe how specialised knowledge is used in the development, modelling and assessment of complex systems.
Internship opportunities may provide a further route for students to explore professional work in technical fields, depending on the arrangements offered by the organisers.
The rewards are intended to extend beyond recognition in a competition by providing avenues for further learning and professional exposure.
For engineering students interested in energy technology, electrical systems and computational modelling, the initiative offers a chance to work on a subject with direct relevance to infrastructure development.
IIT Bombay’s role in energy research
IIT Bombay is participating in the initiative through its Research Hub for Green Energy and Sustainability, known as GESH IITB.
The hub’s involvement connects the competition with academic work focused on energy-related research and sustainability.
Universities and technical institutes play an important role in developing engineering talent, conducting applied research and supporting innovation across industries. Challenges that bring students into contact with real-world technical problems can help strengthen these links.
By working with industry specialists, students can gain exposure to the considerations that shape engineering solutions beyond academic exercises. These may include system reliability, technical feasibility, modelling accuracy and the practical requirements of electricity infrastructure.
The involvement of IIT Bombay professors in mentoring participants is also expected to provide academic guidance as teams work through the challenge.
Rosatom’s participation, meanwhile, brings industry expertise and access to the modelling platform used in the competition.
The organisers are JSC ETC GET, the Rosatom Corporate Academy and GESH IITB. Their collaboration combines technical software, engineering mentorship and an academic setting for the challenge.
Relevance to India’s expanding energy requirements
The launch comes as India pursues plans to expand its nuclear power capacity, with a stated target of 100 gigawatts by 2047.
As the country works towards meeting its long-term electricity requirements, the reliability of transmission infrastructure will remain an important consideration.
Electricity generation and transmission are closely connected, but increasing generation capacity alone does not guarantee a dependable supply. Power networks must also be capable of transporting electricity safely and managing faults that may arise during operation.
The integration of nuclear and renewable energy sources introduces additional technical considerations for grid planning, monitoring and protection.
Renewable generation can vary according to resource availability, while nuclear power plants operate under specific technical and operational requirements. Coordinating different sources within a wider network therefore requires careful engineering and suitable protection systems.
Fault detection is one part of this broader challenge. Protection mechanisms must identify abnormal conditions and support appropriate responses to help safeguard equipment and maintain the stability of the electrical system.
Through Atomic Hack India 2026, participants will be asked to explore one defined aspect of this problem using digital modelling and engineering analysis.
The competition does not replace the testing, certification and operational assessments required for infrastructure used in actual power networks. Instead, it offers an educational environment in which students can develop and demonstrate technical approaches to a relevant engineering challenge.
Opportunity for interdisciplinary learning
The challenge also highlights the growing importance of interdisciplinary skills in modern engineering education.
Developing a transmission-line protection scheme can involve electrical engineering, mathematical analysis, computer-based simulation and an understanding of power-system behaviour.
Students working in teams may need to divide responsibilities, compare alternative designs and explain why their selected approach is suitable for the stated problem.
These activities can encourage collaborative learning and help participants connect concepts studied in different courses.
The digital-twin component is particularly relevant to engineering education because it enables students to explore system behaviour through models rather than relying exclusively on theoretical calculations.
The training webinars and mentoring arrangements are expected to help participants become familiar with the software and understand the requirements of the competition.
For students without prior experience of REPEAT VISION, the introductory sessions offer a starting point for engaging with the platform.
Registration deadline approaches
Interested undergraduate and postgraduate engineering students should complete registration before October 20, 2026, and consult the official competition information for eligibility requirements, participation rules and submission procedures.
The online qualification round is scheduled to begin on the same date, continuing until October 28. Students should therefore review the applicable instructions and prepare their participation plans in advance.
Those selected for the final round will travel to IIT Bombay for the 48-hour event in December.
The organisers have positioned Atomic Hack India 2026 as an opportunity to encourage innovation in energy engineering while connecting students with academic and industry expertise.
Its outcome will depend on the quality of the solutions developed by participants and the extent to which the challenge helps them translate technical knowledge into practical engineering work.
By bringing together students, researchers and industry professionals around a specific power-grid problem, the initiative seeks to strengthen the connection between engineering education and the technological challenges facing India’s energy sector.