The University College Literature Fest (UCLF) 2026 began at University College Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, bringing together writers, poets, journalists, scholars, artists, and students for three days of conversations around literature and the world around us.
“The programme was conceived as part of the College Union’s effort to involve students more actively in academic and literary pursuits. Through open forums, panel discussions, and interactions with invited speakers, we hope to encourage students to engage more deeply in dialogue and the exchange of ideas,” says college union chairperson Harinandan R.
Programmes scheduled for Tuesday, the second day of the fest, will begin with an intercollegiate quiz at 11am. At the same time, an intercollegiate debate and a mental health workshop on the topic ‘Digital Detox and Relationship Health: Benefits of Taking a Break’, organised by Kappiness, will also be held.
An open forum at 11.30am will feature author and political activist Nitheesh Narayanan speaking on the topic ‘Politics Interfering in Life’. A public speaking competition is scheduled for noon, during which participants will deliver prepared speeches before judges and students.
The afternoon session will include a 2pm panel discussion featuring Adv Sandya J, R Parvathy Devi, Suja Susan George, and Rahul S, who will interact with students.
At 3pm, a terracotta workshop will introduce participants to the craft of shaping and working with clay. This will be followed by cultural events at 3.30pm, featuring performances by students.
The day’s programmes will conclude with a presentation of Tholpavakoothu at 6 pm.
The third day of the festival, on Wednesday, will begin with a film screening of the movie Sirat at 11am.
A theatre workshop will also be held at the same time, focusing on aspects of stage performance and theatrical expression.
At noon, an open forum featuring Anusha, who secured Rank 284 in the UPSC examination, and Ariya Vamanan, UPSC Rank 557, both alumni of the college, will be held. A public speaking workshop will also be held at 1pm.
A political forum is scheduled for 2pm, and the closing ceremony of the festival will be held at 3pm. The final evening of the festival will include a ghazal night at 6pm, followed by iftar at 6.30pm, bringing the three-day event to a close.
Registrations for workshops and competitions are available online, with spot registration also open at the venue.
While some workshops require a fee, others are free. All other events are open to the public without an entry fee.
“Festivals like this strengthen the cultural life of campuses. There is often a narrative that campuses have become dormant or overly political, but that is not the reality. Platforms such as literary festivals turn campuses into expressive spaces where students engage in political, literary, and cultural discussions while also exploring creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship,” says college union general secretary Pavel Shyam.