About the Event
The Mapathon is a collaborative map-making competition centered around creating thematic
maps. The University Centre for Research and Development at Chandigarh University invites
all Indian national students to participate in this event. The primary objective is to
develop new tools and methods that enhance map accuracy and usefulness for communities. The
event encourages the use of free, open-source software, such as QGIS, to work with openly
available geospatial datasets. The ultimate aim is to promote the widespread adoption of
maps in various thematic areas. Additionally, the Mapathon aims to equip participants with
the skills to customize and utilize maps to address societal problems and create
opportunities for Indian youth. During the competition, maps will be prepared using various
data sources, such as observation data, remote sensing data, and crowdsourced data. These
datasets hold tremendous potential in mapping India's resources, agriculture, climate,
disaster management, rural and urban planning, and in identifying pathways for future
development.
Prize Money
Prize Pool : Prize worth : ₹
3.5 Lakhs
Event Brief description
Phase 1
- Team registrations for the event (10th Jan, 2026)
- Proposal Submission by Teams (15th Jan, 2026)
- Shortlisting of teams (Best 30 Teams) (25th Jan, 2026)
Phase 2
- Will start on 20th Feb 2026 and close on 21st Feb 2026.
Phase-3
- Maps, and PPT Submission (21st Feb 2026, 10:00 am)
- Maps & Presentation evaluation by Judges (21st Feb 2026, 10:00 am Onwards) Final
result
preparation by Judges (21st Feb 2026, 4:00 pm)
- Result disclosing and facilitation (21st Feb 2026, 4:30 pm)
Who can participate?
Students, research scholars, and faculty members who are currently enrolled in a degree
program in any field of Science or Engineering, and who possess working knowledge of map
creation, GIS, Remote Sensing, Environment, Geography, Geology, Statistics, Policy Studies,
Medicine, Management, Urban Planning, Rural Development, or related disciplines, are
eligible to participate.
In addition, graduates who have completed a degree in any of the above-mentioned or allied
domains are also eligible.
Professionals employed in the geospatial or GIS industry with relevant expertise are welcome
to participate.
Mapathon Themes
- Hydrology
- Landscaping
- Land Use Land Cover of Districts in India
- Municipal GIS Case Study
- Glacier
- City Planning
- Mining GIS Case Study
- Soil GIS Case Study
- Real Estate GIS Case Study
- Geology
- Groundwater
- Transport
- AI & ML
- Digital Image Processing
- Application of computer vision algorithms in Remote sensing and GIS
- Telecommunication GIS Case Study
- Transmission GIS Case Study
- Drones
- Stubble burning
- Crop / Plantation type map
- Cultural Heritage Assessment
- Urban Planning and Design
Problem Statement
- Mapping of Natural Resources and Man-Made Features
- Forests, rivers, minerals, infrastructure, and urban utilities.
- Natural Resource Change Detection
- Spatio-temporal analysis of forests, water, land, and urban growth.
- Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) Change Analysis
- Identification of LULC change hotspots using Bhuvan LULC datasets.
- Flood Hazard and Flood Inundation Mapping
- Riverine, urban, and flash flood susceptibility and risk maps.
- State-wise Health Care Indicator Mapping
- Spatial analysis of hospitals, doctors, beds, and accessibility.
- Agricultural and Cultivation Mapping
- Crop patterns, irrigation coverage, and seasonal variability.
- Road Network, Road Quality, and Drainage Mapping
- Transportation accessibility and urban drainage efficiency.
- Land Degradation and Soil Erosion Mapping
- Identification of degraded lands and vulnerable regions.
- Health Infrastructure, Population & Vaccination Mapping
- Age-wise population, vaccination coverage, and service gaps.
- Change Detection in Waterbodies, Reservoirs, and Wetlands
- Monitoring shrinkage, expansion, and seasonal variability.
- Amenities Mapping
- Schools, hospitals, parks, public services, and utilities.
- Water Source and Water Quality Mapping
- Surface/groundwater sources and contamination risk zones.
- Population Crowding and Traffic Hotspot Mapping
- Urban congestion, crowd density, and mobility analysis.
- Telecommunication and Network Coverage Mapping
- Identification of connectivity gaps and service availability.
- Local Markets, Produce, and Employment Mapping
- Spatial distribution of economic activity and livelihoods.
- Waste Segregation and Collection Point Mapping
- Solid waste management and sanitation planning.
- Mapping Places of Cultural and Heritage Importance
- Temples, monuments, heritage sites, and tourism mapping.
- Choose Your Own Problem Statement
- Innovative geospatial solutions aligned with Indian societal, environmental, urban, or
disaster-related challenges.
Registration
Registration fee for pre-event – ₹300 Per Person
Registration fee for Main event – ₹1000 Per Person
Venue (Phase 2 & 3)
Seminar Hall (Block B4)
Disqualification Rules for National Map Making Competition (Mapathon)
To ensure fairness, academic integrity, national sensitivity, and smooth conduct of the
Mapathon, teams may be disqualified if any of the following rules are violated:
- Incorrect Representation of Indian National Boundaries
- Any map showing incorrect, distorted, incomplete, or disputed national boundaries of
India will result in immediate disqualification.
- Teams must strictly adhere to official Government of India boundary standards.
- Use of unverified, outdated, or unofficial boundary datasets will not be accepted.
- The responsibility for boundary accuracy lies entirely with the participating team.
- Violation of Data Licensing and Usage Terms
- Only open-source and legally permissible datasets may be used.
- Failure to properly acknowledge data sources (e.g., OpenStreetMap, Bhuvan, NSDI, Natural
Earth, India Open Data portals) will result in disqualification.
- Use of restricted, paid, or unauthorized datasets is strictly prohibited.
- Plagiarism and Data Misrepresentation
- Plagiarism of maps, layouts, symbology, or analytical outputs is prohibited.
- Submitting previously published maps or reusing past competition entries will result in
disqualification.
- Any manipulation or selective representation of data intended to mislead will not be
tolerated.
- Use of Restricted or Sensitive Geospatial Information
- Inclusion of classified, defense-related, or sensitive infrastructure data without
authorization is strictly forbidden.
- Maps containing sensitive locations will be rejected without appeal.
- Technical and Cartographic Non-Compliance
- Intentional misuse of map projections, scales, or coordinate reference systems leading
to incorrect interpretation will result in disqualification.
- Mandatory cartographic elements such as legend, scale bar, north arrow, projection, and
metadata must be included.
- Team Composition Rules
- All team members must belong to the same Indian institute/university (ID Cards should be
verified).
- Inter-institutional or international teams are not permitted.
- Any misrepresentation of institutional affiliation will result in immediate
disqualification.
- Participation Mode and Phase-wise Compliance
- Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the Mapathon require physical (on-campus) participation only.
- Online or hybrid participation will not be permitted in these phases.
- Absence of any team member during physical rounds may lead to disqualification.
- Non-Compliance with Theme, Timeline, and Submission Guidelines
- Maps not aligned with the approved theme or objectives will be rejected.
- Late submissions, incorrect file formats, or missing documents will lead to
disqualification.
- Ethical Conduct and Professional Integrity
- Any form of misconduct, misrepresentation, or violation of competition ethics will
result in disqualification.
- Content that is politically biased, culturally insensitive, or unethical will not be
accepted.
- Intellectual Property Rights and Data Ownership
- Participation in the Mapathon constitutes the participant’s consent that all
submitted materials shall be the intellectual property of Chandigarh University, with
full rights to use, modify, publish, patent, or commercialize the content.
- Final Authority Clause
- The decision of the organizing committee and Chandigarh University shall be final and
binding in all matters related to evaluation, intellectual property, and
disqualification.
Important Date and Registration
|
Date (s) of Pre-event
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Last Date for Pre-event Registration 25th Jan 2026
|
|
Registration fee for Pre-event (If applicable
)
|
₹300 per person
|
|
Registration fee for Main event (If
applicable)
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₹1000 per person
|
Event SPOC and Contact Details (Mobile no. & Email ID)
SPOC