Booking Holdings HackCellence 2026 – The Embark Edition: ₹75,000/Month Internship Opportunity
Booking Holdings India Center of Excellence is hosting HackCellence 2026 – The Embark Edition, a technology challenge for final-year engineering students graduating in 2027.
The competition gives eligible students an opportunity to demonstrate their skills through online assessments, a project-build round, and an on-site finale in Bangalore.
Students who progress through the challenge and perform well at the finale may be considered for the Embark technology internship, a six-month full-time internship from January to June 2027.
The internship will be conducted in person at the Booking Holdings India Center of Excellence in Bangalore and offers ₹75,000 per month for the six-month period.
Booking Holdings HackCellence 2026 – Overview
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | HackCellence 2026 – The Embark Edition |
| Company | Booking Holdings India Center of Excellence |
| Powered By | HackerEarth |
| Registration Opens | September 21, 2026 |
| Registration Closes | October 8, 2026, 6:00 PM IST |
| Eligible Candidates | Final-year engineering students graduating in 2027 |
| Registration | Individual |
| Online Rounds | 2 |
| Finale | On-site in Bangalore |
| Finale Dates | November 13–14, 2026 |
| Internship | Embark Technology Internship |
| Internship Duration | January–June 2027 |
| Internship Duration | 6 months |
| Internship Type | Full-time |
| Internship Location | Bangalore |
| Work Mode | In person |
| Internship Compensation | ₹75,000 per month |
| Full-Time Opportunity | High-performing interns may be considered for full-time technology roles |
| CGPA Cut-off | None specified |
| College Restriction | No college list |
| Branch Restriction | None |
| Finale Travel/Accommodation | Covered for finalists travelling from outside Bangalore |
What Is HackCellence 2026 – The Embark Edition?
HackCellence: The Embark Edition is a technology competition designed to identify engineering students who can demonstrate practical problem-solving, coding, communication, and project-building skills.
The event follows a multi-stage process:
Registration → Online Assessment → Project Build → Bangalore Finale → Embark Internship Consideration
Participants register individually and remain individually assessed throughout the competition.
Finalists form their own teams for the on-site build at the Bangalore finale, but the event states that internship decisions are made based on individual strengths and performance.
Embark Internship at Booking Holdings
Embark is described as Booking Holdings’ early-career technology internship at its India Center of Excellence.
The internship provides selected candidates with an opportunity to work on real engineering problems alongside experienced engineers.
Internship Details
- Duration: January to June 2027
- Length: Six months
- Type: Full-time
- Location: Bangalore
- Work arrangement: In person
- Compensation: ₹75,000 per month
The event states that interns who perform well may also be considered for full-time technology roles after the internship.
Who Can Apply for HackCellence 2026?
The eligibility requirements are straightforward. All three of the following conditions must be satisfied:
1. Final-Year Engineering Student
Applicants must currently be pursuing an engineering degree at a recognised institution and must be graduating in 2027.
2. Six-Month Availability
Applicants must be available to participate in the full-time internship from January through June 2027.
3. Bangalore Availability
Applicants must be able to participate in the November finale in Bangalore and, if selected for Embark, attend the office-based internship in Bangalore.
No CGPA or Branch Restriction
The event explicitly states that there is:
- No CGPA cut-off
- No college list restriction
- No branch restriction
Students who satisfy the three primary eligibility requirements can apply.
How to Register
Registration is conducted individually.
Students do not need to form a team before registering.
The registration period is:
September 21, 2026 to October 8, 2026, 6:00 PM IST
The event states that registrations cannot be accepted after the closing time.
HackCellence 2026 Selection Process
The competition consists of two online rounds followed by an on-site finale.
Round 1 – The Assessment
Every eligible registered student takes the online assessment.
The assessment lasts 100 minutes and is divided into three sections:
| Section | Duration |
|---|---|
| DSA, Problem Solving & Coding | 60 minutes |
| Aptitude | 20 minutes |
| Communication | 20 minutes |
| Total | 100 minutes |
DSA, Problem Solving and Coding
The largest portion of the assessment focuses on technical skills.
Candidates will have 60 minutes for DSA, problem-solving, and coding.
Programming can be completed in the language the candidate is most comfortable with.
Aptitude
The aptitude section lasts 20 minutes and evaluates how candidates approach problems they have not necessarily encountered before.
Communication
The final 20 minutes focus on communication and how clearly candidates can explain their work.
Students need a laptop and a stable internet connection for the assessment.
Round 2 – Project Build
Students shortlisted after Round 1 progress to the project-build stage.
They will receive:
- A challenge brief
- A sandbox
- A defined technology stack
Candidates then use these resources to create a working prototype.
The event does not require students to prepare or install anything specific for this round before receiving the brief and technology stack.
Round 3 – The Finale in Bangalore
The final stage takes place in Bangalore on:
November 13 and 14, 2026
The finale is a two-day, in-person build where finalists form teams and work together on the challenge.
Day 1 – Build and Collaborate
On the first day, finalists will:
- Meet the challenge
- Begin building
- Collaborate with teammates
- Work with Booking Holdings engineers for guidance
Day 2 – Refine and Present
The second day focuses on:
- Refining the prototype
- Making final changes
- Presenting the completed work
- Explaining technical and design decisions
The finale includes mentorship, final presentations, judging, and decisions related to the Embark internship.
Finale Travel and Accommodation
Finalists travelling to Bangalore from outside the city will have their travel and accommodation covered, according to the supplied event information.
How the Finale Is Judged
At the finale, candidates will build, collaborate, and present their work.
The event states that participants are assessed individually even though they work in teams.
The finale considers:
- Ideas
- Execution
- How candidates approach problems
- How they build solutions
- How clearly they explain their choices
- Individual strengths
Successful candidates may receive the opportunity to join the Embark internship.
What Candidates Should Prepare
Based on the stated assessment format, candidates should prepare across three primary areas:
Data Structures and Algorithms
The assessment dedicates 60 minutes to DSA, problem solving, and coding.
Candidates should therefore be comfortable solving programming problems under time constraints.
Aptitude
The 20-minute aptitude section tests problem-solving approaches.
Communication
Candidates should be able to explain their technical thinking and work clearly.
For the project stage, students should also be prepared to understand a problem statement, make technical decisions, build a working prototype, and explain their choices.
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration Opens | September 21, 2026 |
| Registration Closes | October 8, 2026, 6:00 PM IST |
| Bangalore Finale | November 13–14, 2026 |
| Embark Internship | January–June 2027 |
What the Embark Internship Offers
The Booking Holdings India Center of Excellence describes Embark as an opportunity to start a technology career by building real systems.
Selected interns can expect to:
- Work on meaningful technology problems
- Contribute from the beginning
- Learn alongside experienced engineers
- Gain exposure to a global technology environment
- Develop their own areas of strength
The event states that interns who perform well may be considered for full-time technology positions.
Rules and Important Instructions
According to the supplied event rules:
- Students enter individually and are assessed individually throughout the competition.
- Finalists select their own teams for the on-site finale.
- Registration closes on October 8, 2026, at 6:00 PM IST.
- Only one registration is permitted per person.
- Next-step details are provided to students who meet the eligibility criteria.
- Assessments are monitored for plagiarism.
- Plagiarism can result in immediate disqualification.
- By registering, participants accept Booking Holdings and HackerEarth terms and conditions.
- Shortlisting decisions are described as final and binding.
Important Points
- HackCellence 2026 is the Embark Edition hosted by Booking Holdings India Center of Excellence.
- HackerEarth powers the event.
- Registration is open from September 21 to October 8, 2026.
- The deadline is 6:00 PM IST on October 8.
- Only final-year engineering students graduating in 2027 are eligible.
- There is no CGPA cut-off.
- There is no specified college list or branch restriction.
- Students register individually.
- Round 1 is a 100-minute online assessment.
- Round 1 includes DSA/coding, aptitude, and communication.
- Shortlisted candidates proceed to a project build.
- The finale takes place in Bangalore on November 13–14, 2026.
- Finalists form teams for the on-site build but are assessed individually.
- Selected candidates can be considered for the six-month Embark internship.
- The internship runs from January to June 2027.
- The internship is full-time and in person in Bangalore.
- Internship compensation is ₹75,000 per month.
- Travel and accommodation are covered for finalists travelling from outside Bangalore.
- Successful interns may be considered for full-time technology roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Booking Holdings HackCellence 2026?
HackCellence 2026 – The Embark Edition is a technology competition for final-year engineering students graduating in 2027. It provides a potential pathway to Booking Holdings’ six-month Embark technology internship.
Who can participate?
Final-year engineering students studying at recognised institutions and graduating in 2027 can apply, provided they can commit to the full internship and attend the Bangalore finale.
Is there a CGPA requirement?
No. The event explicitly states that there is no CGPA cut-off.
Is there a branch restriction?
No branch restriction is specified.
Do I need a team to register?
No. Candidates register individually. Finalists choose their teams for the Bangalore finale.
What is the Round 1 assessment pattern?
The assessment lasts 100 minutes:
- 60 minutes DSA, problem solving and coding
- 20 minutes aptitude
- 20 minutes communication
When does registration close?
Registration closes on October 8, 2026, at 6:00 PM IST.
When is the Bangalore finale?
The on-site finale takes place on November 13 and 14, 2026.
What is the Embark internship?
Embark is a six-month, full-time technology internship at the Booking Holdings India Center of Excellence in Bangalore.
How much does the Embark internship pay?
The internship pays ₹75,000 per month for the six-month internship.
Is the internship remote?
No. The Embark internship is in person at the Bangalore office.
Can the internship lead to a full-time job?
Yes. Interns who perform well may be considered for full-time roles in Booking Holdings technology teams.
Are travel and accommodation provided for the finale?
Yes. Finalists travelling from outside Bangalore will have their travel and accommodation covered, according to the event information.