By registering for Varsity Hackathon 2026 (V HACK 2026), participants agree to adhere to the following Rules and Regulations as outlined below.

ELIGIBILITY

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• Open to all undergraduate students currently registered at Malaysian Higher Education Institutions, Program Partner Universities (International), or other accredited global universities.
• All entrants must be at least 18 years old during the year 2026.
• Individuals serving as organizers, judges, mentors, or official partner representatives are prohibited from competing. </aside>

PARTICIPATION & CONDUCT

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• Teams may range from a minimum of one (solo) to a maximum of four members. Participants are responsible for forming their own teams.
• Entry is free of charge and must be completed via the official website: vhackusm.com.
• Teams can consist of members from the same institution or a mix of different universities.
• Participation in all scheduled sessions and sub-events is mandatory.
• Any attempt to manipulate the registration or event flow will result in disqualification. Respectful behavior toward all attendees and staff is required at all times. </aside>

SUBMISSION

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• Your solution must directly address your chosen case study. Each team is permitted to submit for only one case study.
• Work must be the team's original creation, developed entirely during the hackathon. Plagiarism or the reuse of previously published/winning projects is strictly forbidden.
• The GitHub link provided must be set to 'Public' for evaluation. Finalists must maintain public access to their repository for at least one week after the event ends to allow for technical audits and verification.
• Submissions must be uploaded via the participant dashboard on the V HACK website. Late, incomplete, or illegible entries will be discarded.
• The organizers reserve the right to disqualify any entry deemed offensive, illegal, vulgar, or infringing on third-party copyrights.
• Participants retain full ownership of the intellectual property they create. </aside>

AWARDS

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• All awards and prizes are shared among all members of the winning team. Prizes are non-transferable.
• All results determined by the judges and organizers are final. No appeals or disputes will be considered.
• Final Round participants are eligible for the following additional awards based on specific judging criteria,
  • Best Presentation Award
  • Best Market Potential Award
  • People’s Choice Award </aside>

CODE OF CONDUCT

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• We are dedicated to a harassment-free experience regardless of gender, race, religion, or nationality. Harassment in any form (including sexual language/imagery in code or demos) is strictly prohibited.
• Participants must not copy the work of others or plagiarize ideas. All submitted projects must be original and created specifically for V HACK 2026; projects that have been previously published, exhibited publicly, or selected as winners in other competitions are strictly prohibited.
• If you experience or witness any misconduct, please contact the Organizing Committee immediately. Violators may be expelled without warning. </aside>

LIABILITY & DATA PROTECTION

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• The committee reserves the right to update these rules. Participants must stay informed via official communication channels.
• Participation is at the individual's own risk. The organizers are not liable for any injury, loss, or damage incurred during the competition.
• Personal data will be handled securely and used only for event-related purposes (identification/logistics) unless otherwise authorized by the participant. </aside>