Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Hackathon 2026

Innovate4NPS

DAY 00
HR 00
MIN 00
SEC 00
Join now

#pfrda #nps #npszarurihai

PFRDA Hackathon 2026 – Innovation for India’s Digital Pension Ecosystem

  • Registration & Proposal Submission starts from

  • End: Proposal Submission

  • Shortlisting Finalists

  • End: Solution Submission

  • Announcement of Winners

All timings are as per (GMT +5:30) Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi
Organized By
Powered By

About Us

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) is the statutory body responsible for regulating and developing India’s pension sector. It oversees the National Pension System (NPS) and works to ensure secure, transparent, and sustainable retirement solutions for citizens, while promoting pension awareness, financial security, and long-term savings across the country.

The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) is one of India’s leading institutions for engineering, science, and innovation, with a strong focus on research, technology, and entrepreneurship. Through this collaboration, PFRDA and IIT Kanpur aim to foster meaningful innovation and strengthen India’s digital pension ecosystem by bridging regulatory vision with technological excellence.

Problem Statements

The hackathon problem statements focus on building secure, scalable, and inclusive fintech solutions. Participants are encouraged to solve real-world challenges in digital payments, including security, reliability, accessibility, support for MSMEs, multilingual users, and low-connectivity environments. The goal is to create practical solutions that improve trust, usability, and adoption of digital financial services.

Icon
Problem Statement 1

Seamless Digital NPS Onboarding & Simplified KYC

Develop a seamless, end-to-end digital and interactive onboarding journey for National Pension System (NPS) subscribers, supported by a simplified, secure, and compliant KYC process.
The objective of this problem statement is to design and develop a seamless, end-to-end digital and interactive onboarding journey for National Pension System (NPS) subscribers, supported by a simplified, secure, and fully compliant KYC process.

The solution should aim to reduce onboarding friction, improve user experience, and enhance trust while ensuring strict adherence to regulatory and data security requirements. Participants are encouraged to reimagine the onboarding flow to make it intuitive, accessible, and efficient for first-time and existing NPS subscribers.

This would involve the development of a centralized digital onboarding solution for NPS, integrating all key intermediaries under the NPS architecture, including Central Recordkeeping Agencies (CRAs), Pension Funds (PFs), and Points of Presence (PoPs).

The proposed solution may include features such as digital document capture, real-time KYC verification, Aadhaar or alternative ID-based authentication, consent-driven data sharing, multilingual user interfaces, and integration-ready APIs.

Teams should focus on building a proof-of-concept (PoC) or prototype that demonstrates technical feasibility, security, scalability, and readiness for real-world deployment within the NPS ecosystem.

Icon
Problem Statement 2

Gamified Pension Awareness Platform

Design a gamified platform to increase awareness, engagement, and motivation among young workers regarding NPS contributions and pension benefits.
The objective of this problem statement is to design and develop a gamified digital platform that increases awareness, engagement, and motivation among young workers regarding National Pension System (NPS) contributions and long-term retirement planning.
The solution should aim to simplify complex pension concepts and make financial planning more relatable, interactive, and engaging for early-career individuals. Participants are encouraged to use game mechanics to drive sustained interest, positive financial behavior, and regular pension contributions.
The proposed platform may include features such as reward systems, achievement badges, progress tracking, financial challenges, simulations, quizzes, leaderboards, and milestone-based incentives aligned with pension contribution goals.
The solution should also incorporate educational content on NPS benefits, compounding, retirement planning, and financial literacy in a simple and accessible format. Multilingual support and mobile-first design are strongly encouraged to maximize reach and inclusion.
Teams should build a proof-of-concept (PoC) or prototype that demonstrates user engagement, behavioral impact, scalability, and readiness for real-world deployment within the NPS ecosystem.

Icon
Problem Statement 3

Retirement Corpus & Pension Forecasting

Create an interactive, user- friendly and predictive analytics tool such as Calculators that helps NPS subscribers estimate retirement corpus and pension outcomes under different contribution scenarios. The tool may include features such as estimating the required contribution for achieving a desired pension amount.
The objective of this problem statement is to design and develop an interactive, user-friendly, and predictive analytics tool that enables National Pension System (NPS) subscribers to estimate their retirement corpus and expected pension outcomes under different contribution scenarios.
The solution should aim to improve financial planning, transparency, and decision-making by allowing users to visualize how contribution amounts, investment horizons, and risk preferences impact long-term retirement outcomes. Participants are encouraged to simplify complex financial calculations into intuitive, easy-to-use digital experiences.
The proposed tool may include features such as retirement calculators, pension simulators, scenario comparison dashboards, goal-based planning, and estimators for the required monthly or annual contribution to achieve a desired pension amount.
The solution should also support dynamic inputs, real-time projections, and clear visualizations of growth, returns, and retirement timelines. Multilingual support and mobile-first design are encouraged to ensure accessibility and broad adoption.
Teams should build a proof-of-concept (PoC) or prototype that demonstrates accuracy, usability, scalability, and readiness for real-world deployment within the NPS ecosystem.

Icon
Problem Statement 4

AI-Powered Multilingual NPS Assistant

Build an AI-powered tool to assist NPS subscribers with queries, personalized pension guidance, and promote financial literacy across multiple regional languages**.**
The objective of this problem statement is to design and develop an AI-powered multilingual assistant that supports National Pension System (NPS) subscribers with real-time query resolution, personalized pension guidance, and financial literacy across multiple regional languages.
The solution should aim to improve accessibility, user engagement, and trust by enabling subscribers to easily understand NPS features, contributions, benefits, and retirement planning concepts in their preferred language. Participants are encouraged to leverage artificial intelligence, natural language processing (NLP), and conversational interfaces to create intuitive and inclusive user experiences.

The proposed assistant may include features such as chatbot or voice-based interfaces, FAQ automation, personalized pension recommendations, contribution reminders, retirement planning tips, and contextual financial education modules.
The solution should support multilingual text and voice interactions, consent-driven data usage, and secure handling of user information in compliance with regulatory and data protection standards.
Teams should build a proof-of-concept (PoC) or prototype that demonstrates accuracy, usability, scalability, and readiness for real-world deployment within the NPS ecosystem.

AWARDS

Why You Should Register

Registering for the hackathon provides participants with access to real-world pension innovation problem statements, mentorship from industry and academic experts, and opportunities to network with innovators nationwide. Participants will have the opportunity to showcase their solutions to PFRDA and ecosystem leaders, gain hands-on experience in developing scalable and secure PensionTech solutions, and qualify for prizes, recognition, and potential future collaboration opportunities.

Host

Winner Problem Statement  1

Cash prize of ₹10 lakh, along with formal recognition and opportunities for mentorship and future collaboration within the NPS ecosystem.

Host

Winner Problem Statement 2

Cash prize of ₹5 lakh, along with formal recognition and opportunities for mentorship and future collaboration within the NPS ecosystem.

Host

Winner Problem Statement 3

Cash prize of ₹2 lakh, along with formal recognition and opportunities for mentorship and future collaboration within the NPS ecosystem.

Host

Winner Problem Statement 4

Cash prize of ₹2 lakh, along with formal recognition and opportunities for mentorship and future collaboration within the NPS ecosystem.

Eligibility

  • Open to participants across India
  • Students, professionals, innovators, startups, and corporation may apply
  • Individual and team participation is allowed
  • Teams should include members with technical, design, or business skills
  • Interest in pension, fintech, or digital public infrastructure is preferred
  • Participants must complete registration within the specified timeline

FAQ

Who can apply?

Students, professionals, innovators, startups, and corporation from across India who are interested in fintech and digital payment innovation can apply, either individually or as part of a team.

Who owns the code developed during the hackathon?

  • Applications will be received only through APIX platform. The Hackathon shall run in three phases with Screening of entries in the first phase, Shortlisting of entries for Solution Development in the second phase, and Final evaluation and Selection of winners in the third Phase.
  • SIIC, IIT Kanpur along with PFRDA will shortlist the most promising ideas for the third phase wherein the participants will have to present their proposal before an external jury.
  • Wherever needed, these solutions may be provided with mentoring, technical and regulatory support so that demo-able products can be created.
  • The winners will be selected from the shortlisted products based on the product pitch and demo of the working solution/running code/prototype towards the end of the program.

Are there any other requirements?

Yes, along with your application, you will need to consent to both the Terms and Conditions of the PFRDA and the APIX Terms of Use during the registration process.

Must I be a registered company/firm to participate?

This Hackathon is opened to all candidates as mentioned in the Eligibility criteria which includes Students, professionals, innovators, startups, and corporations.

How many problem statements can I apply for?

You can submit one proposal per problem statement. You can submit proposals for all the problem statements.

Can I submit multiple entries?

Yes you may participate in solving multiple problem statements. However, please note only one proposal is accepted from an organization for a particular problem statement. Please ensure therefore, that the best solution is put forward. An organization can submit proposals for all the problem statements.

Is there a cost associated to participate?

The hackathon is free of charge for teams/participants.

Do I need to submit a solution after being shortlisted?

Yes, the shortlisted entities need to submit a demo or prototype and a presentation which would be evaluated to decide the winners. 

How will the winning proposals be selected?

There will be two rounds of evaluation. Proposals will first be reviewed by the organisers and our appointed agents. This is to shortlist the most promising participants to enter into the demo or prototype development phase of the hackathon. The shortlisted participants will subsequently submit their demo or prototype and presentation to be assessed by a panel of independent expert judges convened by the organisers.

What is the deadline for registrations?

All participants should register their team by 19th Feb 2026

Will the information shared be kept confidential?

Information provided to us through the online application will be shared only on a need-to-know basis within the relevant event and evaluation teams. The information provided will be retained by us post the program for audit purposes and will not be shared without obtaining explicit permission from the applicant / authorized team member.

Are the participants allowed to leverage their own Integrated Development Environments (IDEs)?

The participants can choose to develop the solution via APIX or use their own IDEs. But if they are using their own IDEs then they will have to bring the code, compile it, run it on APIX, and present the running code before the judges for evaluation. 

Can I request for re-evaluation in case I am not satisfied with the Judges' decision?

No. Applicants cannot request for re-evaluation. The decision of the judges shall be final and binding. PFRDA reserves all rights with respect to the event.

Who owns the code developed during the hackathon?

Entities/Teams shall have joint ownership with PFRDA of the solution proposed and any prototype that they build and host on the APIX Platform for PFRDA Innovate4NPS hackathon 2026, The host of the hackathon and APIX have no ownership of your IP.

How do I get technical support?

Is there any guide to show how do I register & Submit Proposal?

What is the format of the event?

  • Applications will be received only through APIX platform. The Hackathon shall run in three phases with Screening of entries in the first phase, Shortlisting of entries for Solution Development in the second phase, and Final evaluation and Selection of winners in the third Phase.
  • SIIC, IIT Kanpur along with PFRDA will shortlist the most promising ideas for the third phase wherein the participants will have to present their proposal before an external jury.
  • Wherever needed, these solutions may be provided with mentoring, technical and regulatory support so that demo-able products can be created.
  • The winners will be selected from the shortlisted products based on the product pitch and demo of the working solution/running code/prototype towards the end of the program.

Registration guide

To know about the Registration and Proposal Submission, click here

Contact

For

Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Hackathon 2026

related queries, please reach out to

For technical queries during registration or proposal submission process, please reach out to