Govt invites students to tackle consumer issues from onion storage to ecom

The Department of Consumer Affairs has partnered with the education ministry to challenge students to develop solutions for six consumer protection issues, from extending the shelf life of onions to detecting tampering in weighing machines.

The Smart India Hackathon 2025, launched by the Ministry of Education, aims to harness student innovation to address practical problems affecting millions of consumers, the department said in a statement.

Five problem statements remain open for submission until October 15, after the deadline for an onion storage challenge expired on October 7. The initiative involves collaboration with the All India Council for Technical Education.

The problems range from improving post-harvest storage for onions, where losses of 30-50 per cent occur due to rotting and sprouting, to developing non-destructive testing methods for gold jewellery hallmarking.

Other challenges include creating an AI-powered system to verify compliance with legal metrology rules on e-commerce platforms, where rapid growth has led to persistent violations of mandatory labelling requirements.

Students are also tasked with designing automated testing systems for electrical safety equipment and developing real-time detection systems for tampering in weighing and measuring devices used in commerce.

India made gold hallmarking mandatory in June 2021 across 373 districts. The country's diverse jewellery, including cast, handmade, hollow, and plated items, makes traditional fire assay testing destructive, driving demand for alternatives.

The hackathon provides students a platform to work with industry experts, government agencies, and other stakeholders while showcasing their technical skills, the statement added.