CHENNAI: The school education department has directed all government and government-aided schools in Tamil Nadu to commence school-level competitions for this year’s Kalaithiruvizha (Art and Culture Festival) from July 23. The festival will culminate in the state-level competitions scheduled to be held in October.
According to the guidelines issued by the department, this year’s edition will feature 106 competitions across five age categories: Classes 1 and 2 (nine events), Classes 3 to 5 (15), Classes 6 to 8 (18), Classes 9 and 10 (32), and Classes 11 and 12 (32).
Students will compete in a wide range of events, including painting, clay modelling, rangoli, folk and classical music, instrumental music, Bharatanatyam, folk dance, drama, mimicry, mono acting and puppet shows.
The department has prohibited the collection of any registration or participation fee. Only the first-place winner in each competition at the school level will qualify for the next stage. Schools have been directed to upload details of participants and winners on the Education Management Information System (EMIS) portal.
The guidelines place particular emphasis on inclusive participation. Schools have been instructed to ensure that Children With Special Needs (CWSN) take part in the festival. Separate competitions will be held for students with intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder and cerebral palsy, while students with other disabilities are to be encouraged to compete alongside their peers.