Busting The Biggest Myths About Hackathons And Competitions

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Hackathons and case competitions are like the IPL of the student world—high-stakes, skill-packed, and full of surprises. But just like any highly anticipated event, they come wrapped in myths and misconceptions that refuse to retire.

From the belief that “only IITians win everything” to the assumption that “hackathons are just coding marathons,” these half-truths have kept far too many potential champions on the sidelines. So, if you’ve been holding back because of some misconceptions you've heard, it’s time to change the narrative.

Myth #1: Hackathons are Only for Top-Tier Colleges

If we had a rupee for every time someone assumed only the IITs and IIMs rule the hackathons, we’d have enough to sponsor our own hackathon. Let’s set the record straight—with facts. 

Take Walmart CodeHers—a big-brand coding challenge that sounds like a fiesta reserved for top-tier college students.

But guess what? Niharika Abbireddy from Aditya College of Engineering & Technology cracked it and bagged an internship at Walmart Global Tech India.

Others in her cohort? From colleges like Graphic Era Hill University-Dehradun, Chandigarh Group of Colleges (CGC)-Landran, KIET-Ghaziabad, Chitkara Institute of Information & Technology-Rajpura—rising stars from institutions outside the 'big-brand-big-city' bubble, each proving that talent doesn’t come with a college tag or pin code. [Read Samiksha's story]

Myth #2: “They’re Rigged or Just for Show”

Most common thoughts:

“This is all pre-decided.”
“Winners are already selected.”
"Are PPOs even real?"
“Who even gets hired through these?”

You think brands are out there creating decks, mentors, judges, and prize pools just to fake a hiring process? Time for a reality check:

✅ Amazon HackOn 2024 - 150 PPIs
✅ Flipkart Girls Wanna Code 6.0 - 50 PPIs
✅ Airtel iCreate 2024 – 84 PPIs across functions
✅ Asian Paints Cognoscenti 2024 - 60 PPIs
✅ L.I.M.E. Season XVI - 75 

And that’s just scratching the surface. 

Don't believe us? Meet Yuvraj Singh, who bagged a PPO from Juspay from the company's hiring challenge and is now working as an ASDE at Juspay. 

In short, these events are legit pipelines to real roles. You bring your A-game—companies will bring their offer letters.

Myth #3: "Hackathons Are for Coders Only"

Let’s clear the air: hackathons aren’t just for hoodie-clad coders racing against time. At their core, hackathons are innovation sprints or timed events where individuals or teams come together to build, prototype, or pitch a solution around a given problem.

The word hack doesn’t mean hacking into systems. It means using limited time, tools, and resources to creatively “hack together” something that works, whether it’s a business model, a marketing plan, a tech prototype, or a full-blown campaign.

Yes, some hackathons are technical. But increasingly, they’re also open to designers, product thinkers, business strategists, storytellers—anyone who can solve a problem with a fresh perspective.

For example, Hero CoLabs Design Challenge. The aim of this challenge was to allow for collaboration and ideation for talent irrespective of their functional stream. It's eligibility - open for anyone. Over the past few years, Hero CoLabs has successfully given over 40,000 innovators a platform to express, explore, collaborate, and grow. [Read the  Hero CoLabs winners story] 

Ready to innovate? Unstop has hackathons for Engineers, Designers, Strategists, Creators & more. Explore now!

Myth #4: "You Need Experience to Even Stand a Chance in These Challenges"

The truth? Many of these challenges are designed to spot raw potential. Companies aren’t looking for perfection, they’re looking for initiative, ideas, and attitude. What matters is structure and simplicity. Winners are often those who solve problems using basic frameworks, strong logic, and a hint of creativity. 

Take Yashas, Anirudh, and Kurisetti from SIBM Pune. Airtel iCreate 2024 was their very first competition. No prior experience. No winner stories. Just a strong grip on fundamentals and solid groundwork. They kept it simple, focused on the problem, and won—bagging a cash prize of INR 4 lakh along with other perks. [Read their full story]

And they’re not alone. Team Unicorn from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) had a similar story at Mondelez Maestro Challenge 2024. Take a look. 

 

 

 

 

 

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There are plenty of stories like theirs—first-timers who showed up, gave it their all, and walked away as winners. So if you’re waiting to gain experience before participating, you might just be holding yourself back from your winning moment.

Myth #5: "Even If You Win, Nothing Happens"

Let’s address the final myth: “What will I get if I win?”

Simple answer: A lot.

Every competition is different, and so are the rewards. The rewards include:

• Cash prizes worth lakhs!
• Direct internship or PPO offers.
• Fast-track interviews.
• LinkedIn bragging rights that bring recruiters to your inbox.
• Mentorship sessions, networking with company leaders, and even getting invited for offsites and bootcamps.

Oh, and did we mention? Some brands offer goodies, gadgets, and exclusive swag just to sweeten the win. Look at the beaming faces of the winners of the L'Oréal Sustainability Challenge, arms full of goodies and hearts full of wins!

Final Thoughts

Hackathons, case study competitions, and other such challenges are no longer extracurricular. They are important and relevant.

If you’ve been on the back foot because of one of these myths, now is your cue to jump in. You don’t need the best degree, fanciest résumé, or deepest experience. You just need to start.

So, pick a challenge. Take a shot. You might just surprise yourself, and land your dream role while you're at it.

Suggested Reads:

1. This is my First Hackathon, how should I prepare?
2. Strategies to win a Hackathon
3. How to Organise Hackathons & Coding Competitions?
4. Hackathons are not only centred around coders as Preconceived