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Maha Kumbh Mela, a sacred confluence of faith and tradition, stands as the largest peaceful gathering in the world, deeply rooted in India’s spiritual and cultural heritage. This significant event transpired from 13th January to 26th February, 2025, representing the perpetual human quest for spiritual enlightenment. The festival, known for its deep philosophical significance and vibrant cultural expressions, brings together millions for a collective celebration of devotion, knowledge and unity.

To encourage young minds to artistically explore the essence of this sacred tradition, the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education (MoE), organised an All India Drawing & Painting competition across the nation on the theme of Maha Kumbh Mela 2025. The competition was conducted for students of Classes 6th–8th from Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas and Central Board of Secondary Education-affiliated schools throughout the country. The competition was organised under the three themes of Bhavya Maha Kumbh, Divya Maha Kumbh and Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, with an emphasis on originality and creativity. The objective was to encourage students to understand the spiritual and cultural significance of the event as well as India’s rich cultural traditions and values so as to appreciate and celebrate the spirit of unity in diversity. The results were declared on 24^th March 2025.

The participation in the contest was extensive, with a total of 39,840 students from 1040 Kendriya Vidyalayas, 26,398 students from 404 Navodaya Vidyalayas schools and 2,887 students from 1,000 CBSE schools. The entries were received through Nodal officers of KVS, NVS and CBSE for national-level screening. The best entries were selected in two phases, i.e., primary-level entries were selected by Nodal officers by their own screening committees and the second-level entries were evaluated, recorded and finalized under the screening committee by NCERT.

The winners in both the drawing and painting categories were selected for the cash prizes and certificates. The first prize for each category is Rs. 15,000, with second and third prizes of Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 7,000, respectively. Ten consolation prizes, including certificates and gift hampers, are also awarded in both categories.

List of awards and prizes in each category at All India Drawing and Painting Contest on the theme of Maha Kumbh Mela 2025

Ten Consolation prizes each comprising a certificate and a gift hamper

The All India Drawing and Painting Contest on Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 has served as a platform for young minds to creatively express their interpretations of this timeless tradition. As envisioned in #NEP2020, cultural awareness and artistic expression are integral to holistic learning and these budding artists have exemplified this through their creativity.

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