Terms & Conditions
for Participants
1. Organiser and Principal Partner
1.1 Organiser
The Ahmedabad Design Challenge (ADC) 2026 is organised by the Association of Designers of India (ADI), Ahmedabad, referred to as ADI, Ahmedabad in association with the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), referred to as AMC, as the Principal Partner.
ADI Ahmedabad, as the primary organiser, manages the competition, evaluation process, and public curation. AMC serves as the principal partner, supporting the challenge through award funding, venue provision for exhibitions and award ceremony, and promotional outreach.
1.2 Focus, Ownership, and Implementation
The Challenge focuses on the strategic design improvement and aesthetic upliftment of the city of Ahmedabad. AMC shall be the sole and exclusive owner of the intellectual property rights of all award-winning entries. This ownership grants AMC the absolute and unrestricted right to physically execute, construct, implement, modify, and adapt the winning designs across any location within the city of Ahmedabad.
2. Originality of Submissions
2.1 Original Work
All submissions must be original works created solely by the participating individual or team.
2.2 Third-Party Intellectual Property
By entering the design challenge, participants affirm that their work does not infringe upon any third-party intellectual property rights, including but not limited to copyrights, design rights, trademarks, patents, or other proprietary rights belonging to any third party.
2.3 Exclusivity
Participants must ensure that the submitted work has not been previously published, used in other competitions, or made available for public or commercial use prior to or during the duration of this challenge.
2.4 Declaration of Originality
All participants must sign and submit a formal declaration alongside their entry to confirm that their design is original and has been thoroughly checked by them against existing designs for plagiarism.
2.5 Plagiarism and Retrospective Disqualification
If any shortlisted or winning entry is found to have been heavily inspired by, copied from, or plagiarised from existing designs, it will lead to immediate disqualification. This disqualification can occur at any time, including after the official declaration of results. In such an event, the participants shall be legally bound to return to AMC the prize money, certificates, awards, payments, or any benefits received.
2.6 Liability for Infringement
In case of any copyright or intellectual property infringement, the participant shall assume sole and absolute responsibility for all resulting legal proceedings, damages, fees, and liabilities. ADI, Ahmedabad and AMC shall remain completely indemnified against any such claims.
2.7 Statutory Compliance
All entries must strictly comply with the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950, and must not incorporate protected national symbols, seals, or emblems without authorisation. Submissions must also adhere to all other applicable state and national laws.
3. Use of AI
3.1 Permitted Use and Disclosure
The design challenge values original design thinking and conceptualization. AI tools may be used to assist in the creative process provided they do not replace core conceptual originality or human design thinking. Participants are required to explicitly disclose any AI tools used and their specific role in the creative process at the time of submission. Unattributed or fully AI-generated entries may be subject to disqualification at the discretion of the jury.
4. Disqualification
4.1 Grounds for Disqualification
Entries may be disqualified at any stage of the competition if they are found to:
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Be plagiarised, previously published, or infringe upon third-party rights;
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Fail to comply with submission guidelines, specifications, or deadlines; or
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Contain any misleading, offensive, or inappropriate material.
4.2 Retrospective Disqualification & Recovery
If disqualification occurs after the award of a prize (including cases where winning entries are found to have been heavily inspired by or copied from existing designs), AMC reserves the right to revoke the award, cancel the participant's status, and recover any prize money, payments, certificates, or benefits granted.
5. Confidentiality
5.1 Participant Confidentiality
Participants must keep their submissions and all related design materials strictly confidential and shall not disclose, publish, or share them publicly until the official announcement of results.
6. Jury Process and Final Authority
6.1 Evaluation Process
The evaluation of entries will be carried out by an expert jury appointed by ADI, Ahmedabad.
6.2 Binding Decisions
The decision of the Jury panel shall be final and binding on all participants, and no correspondence, queries, or appeals will be entertained regarding the selection process or the final results.
6.3 Right to Interpret and Amend Terms & Conditions
ADI, Ahmedabad reserves the right to interpret, modify, or amend the terms and conditions of the design challenge at any stage of the competition.
6.4 Official Updates
Any official updates, modifications, or announcements will be posted on the website/portal of the design challenge. It is the responsibility of the participants to stay updated.
7. Rights Granted to ADI, Ahmedabad & AMC
7.1 Promotional License
By submitting an entry, participants grant ADI, Ahmedabad and AMC a worldwide, irrevocable, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to use, reproduce, display, modify, publish, and distribute their submitted design(s), in whole or in part, for the purposes of evaluation, promotion, and communication of the competition or related initiatives.
7.2 Mediums of Usage
This license granted herein includes the right to use submitted entries across print, digital platforms, exhibitions, merchandise, and public installations for marketing, promotional, documentation, and archival purposes. ADI, Ahmedabad and AMC reserve the right to publicly display, exhibit, or publish shortlisted and winning entries following the conclusion of the design challenge. Due credit will be provided to the participating entries if used for the above-mentioned purpose.
7.3 Right to Execute Shortlisted Non-Winning Entries
The intellectual property rights for all the non-winning entries remain with the respective participants. However, AMC reserves the first option and right to physically execute, implement, or construct any shortlisted non-winning entry. In the event that AMC selects a shortlisted non-winning entry for physical execution:
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The participant will be formally notified in writing.
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AMC and the participant will enter into a separate, mutually agreed professional agreement to facilitate the implementation for the physical execution of the work.
8. Winning Entry and Transfer of Intellectual Property
8.1 Absolute Transfer of Rights & Right to Build
If a participant’s entry is selected as a winner, the participant agrees to transfer all intellectual property rights and waive any moral rights (where applicable) to AMC upon acceptance of the prize. This transfer of rights fully empowers AMC to execute, replicate, scale, build, and maintain the design at single or multiple locations without requiring further permissions or licensing fees.
9. Design Protection
9.1 Intellectual Property Registration
The shortlisted entries will be featured in a public showcase across various media, including physical exhibitions and digital platforms. The onus of securing design protection, patents, or copyright registrations prior to any public showcase rests solely with the participant. Neither ADI, Ahmedabad nor AMC shall be held responsible or liable for any unauthorized copying, replication, or infringement of entries by third parties.
10. Administration
10.1 Anonymity of Entries
To ensure a completely fair and unbiased evaluation by the jury, submissions must not contain any identifying information (such as participant names, logos, or firm branding) on the submission files. All identification must be restricted solely to the official registration form/portal. Failure to adhere to this will result in immediate disqualification.
10.2 Right to Modify or Cancel
The Organiser reserves the right to modify, postpone, or cancel the challenge, its timelines, or its guidelines at any point due to administrative constraints or unforeseen circumstances. In such an event, participants will be notified through the design challenge’s official channels.
11. Legal Framework (Indemnity & Liability)
11.1 Indemnity
By participating, entrants agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless ADI, Ahmedabad and AMC against any and all claims, demands, liabilities, damages, or losses arising out of a breach of originality, copyright infringement, or intellectual property rights violations related to their submission.
11.2 Limitation of Liability
ADI, Ahmedabad and AMC shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages resulting from participation in the competition, or from the physical use, execution, or registration of any submitted or selected design.
11.3 Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of India. Any disputes arising out of or in connection with the Ahmedabad Design Challenge (ADC) 2026 shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.