AMS Derive 2026

Rules & Guidelines

These rules are non-negotiable. Violations at any stage result in immediate disqualification. AMS reserves the right to verify, investigate, and nullify results at its discretion.

01 — Eligibility

  • Open to students currently enrolled in B.Tech, M.Tech, B.S., M.S., Ph.D., or equivalent technical degree programs across India. No restrictions on college tier, branch, or year of study.
  • Recent alumni who graduated within the last 12 months are also eligible. Individuals who graduated 2 or more years ago are strictly disqualified.
  • Full-time quants or traders are not eligible. This circuit is designed for students and recent graduates only.
  • Rounds 1 (PRIOR) and 2 (POSTERIOR) are strictly individual. Round 3 (CONVERGENCE) is team-based — teams are formed on-site on the day of the finals. Participants do not choose their own teams.
  • Registration closes on 15 May 2026 or when 1,000 spots are filled, whichever comes first.

02 — OBS Recording (Mandatory, No Exceptions)

  • All participants must record their entire screen for the full duration of all online rounds — not a specific window, not a browser tab, not a cropped view. The recording must capture everything visible on your display at all times.
  • Recording must begin before the problem set is accessed and run continuously until submission. Any gap, crop, or window-only capture is treated as a missing recording.
  • Round 1 (PRIOR): OBS Studio (or equivalent) · Full-screen capture only.
  • Round 2 (POSTERIOR): OBS Studio · Full-screen capture and continuous webcam feed. Both are mandatory from Round 2 onwards.
  • The recording file must be uploaded with your solution before the deadline. Submissions without a valid full-screen recording are disqualified immediately — no exceptions, no appeals.

03 — Technical Verification

  • Following Round 1 and Round 2, top candidates from each round will undergo a mandatory technical verification session conducted remotely by the AMS team.
  • Participants will be asked to walk through their submitted solutions, explain their reasoning, and respond to follow-up questions. This is a short remote session.
  • Solutions that cannot be defended are disqualified — irrespective of score. Advancement to the next round is contingent on passing verification.
  • Applies to: Top X candidates post Round 1 · Top X candidates post Round 2. The specific cutoff X will be announced after each round.

04 — Integrity & Code of Conduct

  • Rounds 1 and 2 are individual assessments. Discussion with other participants, use of generative AI tools (ChatGPT, Copilot, etc.), pre-written solution templates, or any external assistance is strictly prohibited and actively monitored.
  • Identical or structurally similar submissions will be flagged and investigated. Both parties in a plagiarism case are disqualified.
  • Do not publicly discuss problems, approaches, or hints until the official editorial window is released by the organizing team.
  • Disqualification conditions: Plagiarism · Missing OBS recording · AI-generated solutions · Late submission · Inability to defend solution in verification.

05 — Submissions

  • Submissions must follow the specified format for each round. Late submissions will not be accepted under any circumstances.
  • Incomplete submissions — missing reasoning, missing recording, or missing required files — will not be evaluated.
  • It is the participant's sole responsibility to verify their submission is complete and uploaded before the deadline.

06 — Final Round: CONVERGENCE

  • Attendance at the offline finals is mandatory. Participants who do not confirm within the stipulated window or fail to attend will forfeit their spot. No remote participation.
  • Teams are formed on-site on the day of the finals. Participants do not choose their teams. Pre-coordination with other finalists on team composition is not permitted.
  • Problems are open-ended, real-world, and deliberately ambiguous — co-designed with partner firms. There is no single correct answer. Evaluation is based on problem framing, reasoning depth, execution, and communication.
  • Alongside the main evaluation, finalists can expect structured chess and poker sessions and dedicated networking with peers, the AMS team, and partner firm representatives.

07 — Data & Privacy

  • By registering with data consent, participants agree to their name and institution being visible to sponsoring firms on the AMS Derive partner portal.
  • Resume and LinkedIn are only shared with firms that have been granted the relevant access tier by the organizing team. Not all sponsors receive this access.
  • Email address and phone number are never shared with any third party, including sponsors.
  • Data deletion requests: admin@amsociety.in. Requests processed within 7 business days.

08 — Contact & Queries

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