Competition Alerts for Class 6–12 in India
- sibiri.innovation
- Jan 6
- 4 min read
Below are 5 state-level and 5 national-level individual competitions in India, covering fields like drawing, writing, debating, general knowledge, math, photography, filmmaking, project work, teaching, social service, astronomy, programming, dance, acting, and leadership. Each competition is recurring (annual or regular) and open for individual student participation (not team-only). Key details including the name, organizer, relevant skill/subject area, eligible classes, level, and notes are given in the tables.
State-Level Competitions (Individual Participation)
Organizing Body | Field / Skills | Eligible Classes | Level | Notes | |
Telangana State Level Drawing Competition (annual) | Cultivating Art (Non-profit) | Drawing & Art | Pre-school – Class 10 | State (Telangana) | Annual art contest (5th edition held in 2024) for school children up to class X, with themes (e.g. “Make in India” in 2024) and multi-tier rounds. Students compete at school, district, then state level; over 50,000 participants in total events so far. |
Kerala School Kalolsavam (State School Arts Festival) | Government of Kerala (Edu. Dept.) | Performing & Fine Arts | Classes 8 – 12 | State (Kerala) | Asia’s largest annual school youth festival featuring competitions in dance, music, drama, visual arts, etc., for high school and higher secondary students[4]. District winners (classes 8–12) advance to the state-level finals. Established 1956; over 14,000 participants in recent editions. |
Young Astronomer Talent Search (YATS) (Odisha) | Tata Steel & Pathani Samanta Planetarium (Govt. of Odisha) | Astronomy & Space Science | Classes 6 – 10 (Odisha) | State (Odisha) | Annual astronomy talent contest (in 18th edition as of 2025) aiming to identify and encourage young space enthusiasts in Odisha[6]. Organized in partnership with the state Science & Technology Dept., it involves an initial quiz/exam (for classes VI–VIII and IX–X) and selection of top 30 winners for awards like educational trips (e.g. visit to ISRO). |
Haryana State Essay Writing Competition (W.E.Day) | Haryana State Pollution Control Board | Essay (Env. Awareness) | Classes 9 – 12 | State (Haryana) | Annual essay competition on environmental themes (e.g. “Beat Plastic Pollution” for World Environment Day). Conducted via District Education Offices with two categories (classes 9–10 and 11–12). District winners compete at state level; top state winners receive cash prizes (e.g. ₹51k for 1st place). |
State Children’s Science Congress (NCSC – State Stage) | State NCSC Organizing Committees | Science Projects (STEM) | Approx. ages 10–17 (Class 6 – 12) | State (All States/UTs) | Annual science project presentation competition under the National Children’s Science Congress. Students (middle and secondary) develop projects on given themes and first compete at school/district levels. Selected district winners present at the state-level congress, and the best projects advance to the national NCSC finals. Encourages research aptitude and innovation in students. |
National-Level Competitions (Individual Participation)
Competition (National) | Organizing Body | Field / Skills | Eligible Classes | Level | Notes |
All India HOPE Talent Contest (Art & Essay) | SchoolsIndia (Edu. Services Co.) | Drawing/Painting & Writing | Prep – Class 12 (divisions) | National | A nationwide art and essay writing competition running for 20+ years. Held annually via schools (entry through school registration). Students write essays in English and create artwork on assigned topics (topics differ by age group); categories include a senior division for classes X–XII. All participants get certificates; school-level winners get medals, and top ~1500 national winners receive cash prizes and recognition. |
National Debate Competition (Indian Debating League) | Bal Education Trust (Gujarat) | Debating (English) | Grades 6 – 12 (Cat. I: 6–8; II: 9–12) | National | A flagship annual school debate championship open to students across India. Conducted online in tiers – district and state eliminations leading to a national final (one finalist per state). Focuses on critical thinking and public speaking; judged by expert panels. Winners earn trophies, certificates and cash prizes (e.g. ₹11,000 for champion). |
SOF International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO) | Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) | Mathematics & Logical Reasoning | Class 1 – 12 (Level-1 exam) | National (with Int’l tiers) | India’s largest school math competition, conducted annually by SOF[19]. Open to all schools nationwide (classes 6–12 partake in their respective grade-level exams). It is a written test assessing mathematical reasoning and problem-solving. High-ranking students advance to a second (national) round, and top winners are awarded at school, zonal, and international levels. The contest is organized once a year and typically involves millions of participants. |
Indian Computing Olympiad (ICO) | IARCS (Indian Assoc. for Research in Computing Science) | Programming (Informatics) | Up to Class 12 (no lower age limit) | National | The national competition to spot young programming talent, held annually by IARCS. Open to all school students (class 12 or below) across India. It consists of zonal rounds – a Zonal Informatics Olympiad (written test) and Zonal Computing Olympiad (coding test) – followed by the Indian National Olympiad in Informatics (programming round) for qualifiers. Top students from ICO are selected to represent India at the International Olympiad in Informatics. |
Pramerica Spirit of Community Awards (India) | Pramerica Life Insurance (DHFL-Prudential) | Social Service & Leadership | Classes 6 – 12 | National | An annual nationwide youth volunteer award program (started 2010) recognizing outstanding community service by school students. Open to individual students (and teams) from Class VI–XII who lead service projects in their communities[26]. Winners are honored with medals, certificates and scholarships; the top two individual awardees earn a trip to Washington D.C. for the international Spirit of Community honorees event. Encourages leadership and empathy through volunteer work. |
Sources: The information above is compiled from official competition websites, organizer announcements, and news reports as cited. Each competition is recurring (typically annual) and supports individual participation for students in the Class 6–12 range.
This website shares informational content about competitions. We are not the organizers. Always verify details on official websites.
[6] Tata Steel Young Astronomer Talent Search
[13] National Children's Science Congress (NCSC) 2025
[14] [15] Schoolsindia: School Search, Online School Admission, School Website, School Management System, Bulk SMS to Parents, Art & Essay Contest
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