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Inter-Batch Website Development Competition

Organized by SlashDot - Programming & Designing Club, IISER Kolkata

Overview & Introduction

SlashDot invites students across all batches of IISER Kolkata to participate in the Inter-Batch Website Development Competition 2026. This competition focuses not only on visual design, but also on programming quality, architecture, and storytelling through the web.

Participants are encouraged to build creative, technically sound websites that demonstrate thoughtful design, structured code, and innovative ideas. The competition emphasizes open-source development, reproducibility, and good engineering practices.

Key Details
Event Duration –
Submission via Pull request/issue request, along with a public repo (e.g., GitHub, GitLab) and a live deployment (e.g., GitHub Pages, Vercel, Codeberg).

1. Participation Guidelines

  • Participation is open to all students of IISER Kolkata, across all batches.
  • RS, PDF, MR, MP, and IP fellows are encouraged to participate as one batch.
  • A maximum of 2 teams (with max 20 participants in a team) can register from each batch.
  • Each team must submit one website project.
  • Participants must submit their entries via the official Google Form provided by SlashDot.
  • All projects must be publicly hosted and open-sourced (e.g., GitHub, GitLab, Codeberg).

2. Project Hosting Requirements

Each submission must include the following:

2.1 Public Source Code Repository

Participants must create a public source code repository (e.g., GitHub, GitLab, Codeberg) containing:

  1. Full source code
  2. Project documentation
  3. Setup instructions
  4. Dependencies
  5. Licensing information (recommended)

2.2 Live Website Deployment

A live version of the website must be deployed using platforms like GitHub Pages, Vercel, GitLab Pages, or Codeberg. Participants should ensure:

  • The frontend is fully accessible publicly through the deployment URL.
  • The site loads correctly and demonstrates the intended functionality.

2.3 Backend Handling (If Required)

If a project requires backend services:

  • The backend code must also be included in the repository.
  • The repository must contain clear setup instructions.
  • Judges should be able to run the backend easily after cloning the repository.

Recommended approaches:

  • Provide a single setup script (setup.sh)
  • Provide Docker or Podman configuration
  • Provide a start script that automatically sets up dependencies
Example acceptable structure:

/frontend
/backend
/docker
README.md
setup.sh

The README must allow judges to run the project with minimal setup effort.

3. Allowed Technologies

There are no restrictions on technology stacks. Participants may use any framework or technology, including but not limited to:

  • HTML / CSS / Vanilla JavaScript
  • React
  • Angular
  • Vue
  • Astro
  • Svelte
  • Next.js
  • Three.js
  • WebGL
  • WebAssembly
  • Game engines integrated into the web
  • Any other modern web technologies

The emphasis is on creativity, code quality, and execution.

4. Website Requirements

As the websites will form the basis of Slashdot, it should be kept in mind like making a website for the club. So, each website must include the following pages or equivalent functionality:

Mandatory Sections

Homepage
Clear introduction to the website's purpose.
About / Concept Page
Explains the idea behind the website. Describes the theme, narrative, or concept.
Tech Stack Page
Explains the technologies used. Describes how the architecture works.
Team Page
Introduces the creator(s) of the project.
Contact Page
A functioning contact section or contact information.

5. Theme and Creative Freedom

Beyond the competition, this initiative serves as a blueprint for the future of SlashDot. We are looking for the next evolution of our digital identity. The most innovative design elements, architectural patterns, and user experiences from the winning entries will be integrated into the Official SlashDot Website, giving participants the unique opportunity to leave a permanent mark on the club's digital heritage.

Participants have complete creative freedom regarding the website theme. Possible examples include:

  • Interactive storytelling websites
  • Web-based games
  • Interactive light novels
  • Blogging platforms
  • Personal portfolio websites
  • Educational platforms
  • Experimental web art
  • Simulation websites
  • Scientific visualizations
  • Community platforms

The agenda and purpose of the website must be clearly stated in the project description and in the submission form.

6. Licensing

All submissions must be open source. Participants are encouraged to:

  • Use an open-source license (MIT, Apache, GPL, etc.)
  • Document dependencies clearly
  • Ensure reproducibility of the project

Participants must have rights to all assets used in the project. By participating in the competition and submitting, they give Slashdot the right to re-use, derive and/or modify their work in various mediums like advertising, promotion, etc. which might be beneficial to the club.

7. Judging Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated based on the following aspects:

Criteria Details
7.1 Theme & Concept Originality of idea. Clarity of the website's objective. Creativity and narrative structure.
7.2 Design & UX Visual aesthetics. UI/UX quality. Navigation clarity. Responsiveness.
7.3 Technical Implementation Code quality. Project architecture. Modularity and maintainability. Efficient use of frameworks and tools.
7.4 Performance Website loading latency. Optimization. Efficient asset usage.
7.5 Content & Organization Logical structuring of content. Documentation quality. Readability and clarity.
7.6 Innovation Unique features. Interactive elements. Advanced web technologies.

8. Judges

The competition will be evaluated by a panel consisting of:

  • Professors from IISER Kolkata (to be announced)
  • External judges (to be announced)

9. Community Voting

In addition to the jury evaluation:

  • All submitted websites and repositories will be shared with the student body and faculty.
  • A public voting process will be conducted.
  • The website receiving the highest community support will receive a Special Audience Choice Award.

10. Prizes

  • Participation certificates will be given to everyone.
  • Points will be awarded according to the Inter-batch format.
  • Besides that, other awards may be given for:
    • Audience Choice Award
    • Best Design
    • Most innovative

Detailed prize information will be announced later.

11. Code of Conduct

Participants must ensure that:

  1. No vulgar, obscene, or offensive content is included.
  2. Content remains appropriate for academic circulation among students and faculty.
  3. Projects must not include malicious code or security risks.

Violation of these rules may lead to disqualification.

12. Important Dates

Event Date
Competition Start
Submission Deadline
Judging Period
Results Announcement

13. Submission Requirements

The Google Form submission must include the data shown below:

⚠ WARNING: THIS IS ONLY A DEMO FORM! DO NOT ENTER REAL DATA! ⚠

Google Form Fields Replica

14. Contact

For queries regarding the competition:

SlashDot - Programming & Coding Club
IISER Kolkata

Official communication channels will be announced soon.