Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has introduced the 'CBSE Budding Authors Program' as part of its broader 'CBSE Reading Mission.' This creative writing competition is set to unfold in two stages, commencing at the school level, with the final goal of showcasing selected works in published form.
"The CBSE Budding Authors Programme aims to provide students a platform to engage in reading different types of stories and learning to write effectively. As students write and submit short stories under this programme, they would have an opportunity to express their creativity and get a chance to see them published," stated the board.
Competition structure and dates
The competition is structured across three levels. The first tier targets students in classes 5 to 6, with a word limit of 500-600. The second level, for classes 7 to 8, requires entries in the range of 600-900 words. The third and final level, catering to classes 9 to 10, sets a word limit of 1,000 to 1,500.
The initial phase, scheduled between November 10-30, unfolds at the school level. During this period, students will craft short stories in either English or Hindi, adhering to guidelines provided by the board. Schools will then meticulously evaluate submissions, selecting two students per category.
The subsequent phase, running from December 1 to January 15, involves the registration of chosen students on the CBSE Academic portal. Each student will receive a unique login ID and password for submitting their works. The submission window, open from December 26 to January 15, 2024, allows students to develop, edit, and finalize their entries.
CBSE assures all participants an online certificate of participation, delivered to the school's e-mail ID. The evaluation process, conducted by a panel of experts, will identify shortlisted entries in each category, offering editorial support to refine and finalize their creations.
