Photo: BSS

RAJSHAHI, May 02, 2026 (BSS) - A two-day tech-focused event organized by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) was successfully completed at Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) on Friday.

Returning in a new format after a long break, the event served as an effective platform to develop students’ technical skills, innovative thinking, and ability to solve real-world problems.

Notably, this initiative began in 2019 as an intra-university competition named ‘Technocracy,’ which was later expanded to the national level. After a gap, it was reorganized this year as ‘Technocracy Lite’ in an intra-RUET format.
 
On the first day of the two-day event, the programming contest ‘Code Chachal” was held, followed by the ‘Hackspark’ hackathon on the second day. 

A total of 142 students from 47 teams participated in the programming contest. 

Meanwhile, 42 teams with 118 participants competed in the hackathon. 

For ‘Code Chachal,’ problems ranging from medium to hard levels were set to further sharpen participants’ algorithmic thinking, analytical ability, and brainstorming skills. 
In ‘Hackspark,’ participants gained hands-on experience working on a production-level server using datasets with millions of entries, where they tackled challenges like token limits, data optimization, and efficient request management, clarifying concepts of scalable software development.
 
In the ‘Code Chachal’ competition, team Aditya_Roy_Fan_Club became champion. The Best secured first runner-up, and Team_Abul_Bulbul_Chulbul_ became second runner-up. 

Meanwhile, the projects from the ‘Hackspark’ hackathon are currently under final evaluation; from the initially shortlisted top 10 teams, the best three teams will be announced.
 
Regarding the event’s objective, organizer Sirajum Munir said: Our main objective was to introduce students to major real-world challenges beyond theoretical knowledge. In ‘Code Chachal,’ we tested their complex algorithmic thinking skills.”

On the other hand, in the ‘Hackspark’ hackathon, “We used ‘big data’ or million-scale datasets for the first time so that students become proficient in building scalable and efficient software in their future careers. These events will play a significant role in shaping students into skilled problem solvers,” he opined.
 
He added that such events foster a competitive mindset among students and help enhance their problem-solving skills for professional life in the future.
 
Emphasizing the importance of skill development in the current technological landscape, ECE Department Assistant Prof. Oishi Jyoti said, “The bigger success than winning or losing in the competition is the students’ spontaneous participation.”

In the current era of the AI revolution, it’s not possible to survive with only basic skills. Therefore, to maintain career momentum, students must focus more on acquiring advanced programming and specialized technical skills.
 
Participants’ experiences also highlighted the practical aspects of the event. 
ECE Department student Abdur Rafiu said, “In this era of ‘vibe coding,’ we thought everything was possible with AI, but participating in the Hackspark hackathon made us realize that coding alone is not enough.”

When real-time database challenges and time constraints came up,“ We understood the true importance of ‘system design’ and ‘DevOps,” he mentioned.

Especially, using proper ‘prompt engineering’ under last-minute pressure to maintain project quality was a major lesson. There is no alternative to participating in hackathons to refine one’s skills and become an engineer of international standard.
 
Enthusiasm among participants was evident throughout the event. The programming contest created a competitive environment centered on running code, debugging, and problem-solving, while in the hackathon, although it seemed challenging at first, participants gradually delved deeper into the problems and were able to devise effective solutions.
 
Various organizations supported the event to make it successful. Brittoo provided technical support, Deshi Goods was the strategic partner, Radio RUET and the Photographic Society of RUET served as media partners, and Callisto was the food partner.
 
All participating students were given T-shirts, pads, pens, and key-rings. Teachers and judges were honored with crests, and medals and trophies were distributed among the winners.
 
According to those involved, ‘Technocracy Lite’ is not just a competition; rather, it is an effective platform to confront students with real-world problems and meld them into skilled, confident engineers suited for the future tech-driven world.