<p>The <strong>National Health Authority (NHA)</strong> has opened registrations for the <strong>AB PM‑JAY Auto‑Adjudication Hackathon 2026</strong>, inviting innovators to design digital solutions that will streamline claim processing under the flagship health assurance scheme.</p> <h3>Key Developments</h3> <ul> <li>More than <strong>2,600 participants</strong> have registered across India; registration closes on <strong>13 April 2026</strong>.</li> <li>A three‑part <span class="key-term" data-definition="Masterclass Series – A set of instructional sessions aimed at familiarising participants with the challenge and ecosystem; useful for UPSC aspirants to understand policy implementation mechanisms (GS2: Polity)">Masterclass Series</span> begins on the same day, offering insights into the claims ecosystem.</li> <li>The offline finale will be held on <strong>8‑9 May 2026</strong> at <strong>IISc Bengaluru</strong>, where winning teams will present to a jury of healthcare, technology and policy experts.</li> <li>Cash prizes of <strong>₹5 lakh, ₹3 lakh and ₹2 lakh</strong> are earmarked for the top solutions, along with potential collaboration with NHA.</li> </ul> <h3>Important Facts</h3> <ul> <li>The <span class="key-term" data-definition="Ayushman Bharat‑Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM‑JAY) – India’s flagship health insurance scheme covering over 10 crore families; a key social welfare programme (GS2: Polity)">AB PM‑JAY</span> processes nearly <strong>50,000 claims daily</strong> across more than <strong>1,900 treatment packages</strong>.</li> <li>Currently, only <strong>15‑20% of claims</strong> are auto‑adjudicated, highlighting the need for a scalable, package‑agnostic solution.</li> <li>The hackathon seeks solutions that integrate with existing NHA systems, reduce manual effort, and employ <span class="key-term" data-definition="Auto‑adjudication – Automated decision‑making for insurance claims using algorithms, enhancing speed and consistency (GS3: Economy)">auto‑adjudication</span> techniques.</li> <li>Proposed innovations may leverage <span class="key-term" data-definition="AI‑based fraud detection – Use of artificial intelligence to identify irregularities and prevent fraudulent claims, improving financial integrity (GS3: Economy)">AI‑based fraud detection</span>, standardised documentation and real‑time verification.</li> <li>The initiative is part of a broader <span class="key-term" data-definition="Digital health transformation – The shift towards electronic health records, telemedicine and data‑driven health services, crucial for modern governance (GS3: Economy)">digital health transformation</span> agenda.</li> </ul> <h3>UPSC Relevance</h3> <p>Understanding this hackathon helps aspirants grasp how the government leverages technology to enhance public‑sector schemes. It illustrates the intersection of <span class="key-term" data-definition="Claims adjudication – The process of evaluating and settling insurance claims, a critica