Our First UIDAI Hackathon Experience: Pressure, Problems, and Persistence
I am a CS student learning and exploring this technology field and eagerness to build something.
Participating in the UIDAI Hackathon was our first-ever hackathon experience, and it turned out to be both challenging and deeply educational. Although the journey was stressful at times, it taught us valuable lessons about teamwork, problem-solving, and perseverance.
Late Start, Quick Team Formation
We came to know about the hackathon quite late, which immediately created pressure. Despite this, we quickly gathered a team and decided to move forward with determination. With limited time available, our main goal was simple: to complete the project and submit it successfully, no matter the obstacles.
Technical Issues with the Hackathon Website
One of the biggest challenges we faced was the hackathon website itself. Throughout the process, we encountered several technical issues that made participation difficult:
The website frequently showed 404 errors
Registration and authentication did not work properly
After registering once, login failed
When retrying registration, the system said the mobile number was already registered, yet login still didn’t work
These issues were frustrating and time-consuming, especially for first-time hackathon participants who wanted to focus on building a solution rather than troubleshooting platform-related problems.
Team Coordination Under Pressure
This hackathon was also the first experience for most members of our team. Initially, there was confusion regarding task distribution and prioritization. Work was not structured properly at the beginning, which increased pressure on everyone.
However, as time passed, we started learning from our mistakes. We communicated better, divided responsibilities more clearly, and supported each other throughout the process. Despite the pressure and confusion, we stayed united and continued working toward our shared goal.
Project Development Evidence
This image shows our project repository and the active development branch, reflecting our collaboration, teamwork, and consistent effort during the hackathon.
Submission-Day Crisis
Just one day before submission, we faced the most stressful moment of the entire hackathon. The submission portal once again started showing a 404 error. At that point, it genuinely felt like all our hard work might go to waste.
Instead of giving up, we immediately started searching for solutions online. During this process, we discovered that many other teams were facing the same issue.
Help from the Community and Organizers
While searching for answers, we came across a Reddit discussion where participants were sharing similar problems. That Reddit post became a turning point for us. Through it, we learned about an official WhatsApp group created to support hackathon participants.
Through this group, we finally received updates and guidance. At the same time, we emailed the support team explaining the issue we were facing.
Email Communication Proof
The support team advised us to retry the submission process. Following their instructions carefully, we were finally able to successfully submit our project.
Final Outcome and Learnings
Despite starting late, facing technical platform issues, dealing with team coordination challenges, and experiencing extreme pressure near submission, we completed and submitted our project successfully.
This hackathon taught us:
How to work effectively under pressure
The importance of clear communication within a team
That real-world problem-solving often goes beyond just coding
The value of community support during technical challenges
Conclusion
The UIDAI Hackathon was not easy, but it was a truly rewarding experience for us. As our first hackathon, it pushed us out of our comfort zones and helped us grow both technically and personally. Despite starting late and facing multiple challenges, we learned how to work under pressure, adapt quickly, and collaborate effectively as a team.
To maintain transparency and share our work, we have made our project repository publicly available. It reflects our development process, teamwork, and the effort we put in throughout the hackathon.
We are grateful for the opportunity, the lessons learned, and the resilience this experience helped build in us.
