Frequently Asked Questions


What is the GE Edison Challenge?
The GE Edison Challenge is an exciting technical contest where your imagination, analytical skills and technical expertise would be amply tested. You will be competing with students from India's finest technical schools and will get the opportunity to present your mettle in front of a jury of international repute drawn from academia and within GE.

What is an "Entry" ?
An "Entry" is the complete project report to be submitted by the team on or before 7th October 2011. For more details please refer to Guidelines for Entries.

Who is eligible to participate in the GE Edison Challenge?
Full time Bachelors / Masters / Doctoral students of accredited Indian educational institutions.

How can we participate in the contest?
Your first step is to register your team on the website of the contest. Then submit your entry on or before the deadline of the preliminary round.

What should be the team size?
The team size should be a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 5 members.

What is the last date for first(Preliminary) round of submissions of entries?
The last date of submission of entries is 7th October 2011, 1700 Hrs. IST.
Please Note: Unusual circumstances might cause changes in the dates, and depends on the sole discretion of the organizers. Registered teams will be kept informed.

I'm not an Indian citizen and currently studying in an accredited Indian educational institution. Am I eligible to participate in the contest?
Yes, as long as you are a full time student of the institution till the finals of the GE Edison Challenge.

Am I allowed to be a part of multiple teams?
No, you can be part of only one team.

Is it valid to form a team with members from different institution?
No, the team members must belong to the same institution.

Will our entry be valid if I submit a solution without registering?
No. Registration is the first and necessary step for entering the contest. You can register your team and submit the entry till the last date 7th October 2011, 1700 Hrs. IST. However we encourage all teams to register as soon as possible, as it will help us to keep you posted on the latest updates / timelines / changes about the contest.

I have already passed out of my university recently. Am I eligible to be a part of a team?
No. Only full time students currently enrolled in an accredited Indian educational institution are eligible.

I'm currently a full time student but will be passing out of my college before the finals of the GE Edison challenge? Am I eligible for the contest?
No. You should be a full time student to be able to participate in the finals of the GE Edison Challenge.

I'm a sponsored student by an organization. Am I eligible to be a part of a team?
Yes. As long as you are a full time student of your educational institution.

Is it valid to have a single member team?
No. The team size should be a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 5 members.

Are we allowed to modify the team composition after registration / entry submission?
This is not generally encouraged. However under special circumstances, decision will be taken on a case-by-case basis and will be at the sole discretion of the contest organizers.

Do we need to have a mentor?
Yes, you must have a faculty member from your academic institution as your mentor. The details of the faculty member should be mentioned in the format mentioned here.

Can the mentor help us in guiding for the challenge?
Faculty members cannot be part of your team. They cannot provide solution / inputs and should only provide general guidance to your team.

Do we need to submit any proof for our eligibility for the contest?
Proofs are to be submitted when your entry gets short listed for the final round. The selected participants will be intimated in this regard.

Do we need to submit an abstract?
Yes, you must submit an abstract of not more than 500 words, describing your work concisely.

Do I need to site all the references I used for solving the challenge?
Yes, you are expected to mention all the references, articles, websites etc. you have used for solving the challenge.
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What if I have more queries regarding the contest?
You can email your queries to edison.challenge@ge.com. Please keep visiting our web site for more updates.

Is there a format for submitting the entry?
Yes. The report format can be found on the contest website once the challenge is up.

Is there a file format for submitting the entry?
Yes. Pdf file format should be followed.

Is there a limit to the file size?
Yes. The file should not be greater than 5 MB in memory size.

Can we submit videos / audios along with my first round report?
No. Videos and audios are not accepted during the Preliminary round. However finalists are allowed to present videos/audios in support of their data during final presentations.

I have submitted a similar solution in another contest / conference / publication? Can I also submit it in the Edison Challenge?
No. Your entry should not have been submitted anywhere else at any time. It should not be copied from any existing source. If at any stage, your proposal is found to violate this criteria, your team may get disqualified from the contest.

How and when will we know the results of the first round?
The results of the first round will be declared on 21st October 2011 on the website of the contest. The participating teams will also be notified through email.

How many teams will be invited to participate in the Final Round?
Based on the recommendations by the evaluation committee, up to 20 teams could be invited for the final round.

When and where will be the final round?
The final round will be held over two days, on 12th-13th December 2011, at John F Welch Technology Centre, Whitefield Road, Bangalore 560066. This is GE's R&D Centre at Bangalore.

Are there any certificates / IDs etc we should carry along with us for the final round?
Details will be emailed to the finalists at an appropriate time.

Does the whole team have to come over for the final round of presentation?
We encourage the entire team to be present during the final round.

Will there be travel grant to participate in the final round?
The team members as specified in the Registration form will be entitled for AC IInd class train fare from your institute to Bangalore and back.
In case you travel by a lower class by train, you will be reimbursed on actuals.
You can also avail apex airfares; however you will be reimbursed an amount equivalent to AC IInd class train fare as indicated.
Copies of tickets (to and fro) and receipts for local conveyance (travel to railway/bus station /airport) are required for reimbursements.

Will we be provided accommodation to participate in the final round?
Yes, the finalists will be provided accommodation at Bangalore to participate in the two-day event.

Where can I get more information about GE and JFWTC?
Please visit http://www.ge.com/jfwtc.