Introduction
This article details an online hackathon hosted by the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi focused on building autonomous agents for a text-based “Among Us” simulation. It covers who can participate, team-size and registration requirements, the two-stage format (an online prelims optimization/active learning task and an offline live simulation tournament), the technical and safety rules teams must follow, and the prize structure. Read on for a clear breakdown of timelines—release and submission dates—eligibility constraints, the expectations for agent behavior in both stages, and prize disbursement details so you can prepare effectively for the event.
Eligibility and Team Composition
Teams must consist of one to two members, with eligibility notes requiring that teams be registered student teams. Only undergraduate and postgraduate engineering students who are enrolled at colleges listed on Unstop are eligible to participate. Keep in mind the registration deadline of 26 February 2026, and ensure team registration reflects the student status and college listing on Unstop as required by the organizers.
Format and Timeline
The hackathon follows a two-stage format combining an online problem-solving round with an offline live tournament:
- Prelims (Online): An optimization and active learning task will be released on 17 February 2026. Teams must submit their solutions by 24 February 2026. The prelims emphasize information-optimized approaches to the given task.
- Offline Main Event (Live Simulation Tournament): The tournament takes place on 28 February 2026. Qualified teams will deploy a Python agent that plays either as a Crewmate or an Impostor. The live bracket includes elimination rounds followed by champions rounds to determine final standings.
Rules, Technical Focus, and Safety Constraints
Participants must adhere to technical and ethical constraints designed to keep the competition fair and safe:
- No hard-coded exploits: Agents must not rely on brittle, hard-coded tactics or exploits that undermine the intended challenge of the simulation.
- Content safety filters: Generated text from agents must pass content safety filters as enforced by the organizers.
- Stage-specific focus: In the prelims, emphasis is on information-optimized solutions—models and approaches that extract and use information effectively. In the live simulation, the priority is robust, hallucination-free behavior where agents act reliably under interactive conditions.
- Python agent deployment: For the main event, teams will deploy a Python agent capable of functioning as Crewmate or Impostor during elimination and champions rounds.
Prizes, Certificates, and Post-Event Logistics
The hackathon awards prizes with a combined value exceeding INR 85,000 and includes certificates for winners and participants. Prize details are:
- Winner: INR 50,000 + Meta AI Glasses + certificate
- First runner-up: INR 25,000
- Second runner-up: INR 10,000
- Participation certificates: Issued to participating teams
Prizes will be released within seven days after the event. Teams should ensure they meet all eligibility and registration requirements to be considered for awards.
Conclusion
This IIT Delhi-hosted hackathon offers engineering students a focused opportunity to build autonomous agents for a text-based “Among Us” simulation through a two-stage competition: an online prelims optimization/active learning task and an offline live simulation tournament where teams deploy Python agents. Eligible teams are one- or two-member registered student teams from colleges listed on Unstop, with registration closing on 26 February 2026. Key rules prohibit hard-coded exploits and require content safety for generated text, while judging favors information-optimized prelims solutions and robust, hallucination-free live behavior. With over INR 85,000 in prizes and rapid post-event disbursement, teams should prepare strategically and submit by the stated deadlines.