The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), has launched a nationwide Hackathon on CCTV Solutions for Law Enforcement, in partnership with the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) and CyberPeace Foundation. The initiative aims to promote the development of indigenous, secure, scalable, and cost-effective CCTV technologies tailored to the operational needs of Indian law enforcement agencies.Aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision and guided by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Government is steadfast in its commitment to building a cyber-secure Bharat. The BPR&D is at the forefront of this effort, leveraging its technical expertise to encourage innovation in the security and surveillance ecosystem.A curtain-raiser event for the Hackathon was held on 9 May 2025, attended by senior officials including the Director General of BPR&D, Director of NCRB, Additional Director General of BPR&D, and the Inspector General (Modernisation), BPR&D.The Hackathon has released four key problem statements focused on:Development of secure, indigenous CCTV hardware and systemsIntegration of artificial intelligence and smart video analyticsCybersecurity enhancement across CCTV networksDesigning cost-effective and efficient surveillance solutionsThe Grand Finale is scheduled for the final week of June 2025. The top three winners will receive monetary awards of Rs 5 million, Rs 3 million, and Rs 1 million respectively. Additionally, five consolation prizes will be awarded for entries demonstrating creativity and potential.With technical support from CyberPeace Foundation and coordination by the NCRB, the Hackathon seeks to drive innovation that strengthens transparency, accountability, and operational efficiency in policing. The winning solutions are expected to play a transformative role in securing India's public spaces while advancing the nation's self-reliance in surveillance technology.Image source:briefcam