National Poetry Festival 2026: The Ministry of Education has announced the National Poetry Festival 2026 for school students, opening a new platform for young readers to showcase creativity, expression and literary skills. According to the ministry's official X handle, this is an opportunity for students of Classes 9 to 12 to showcase their poetry recitation talent on a national platform.
The last date for registration and submission of entry is July 31, 2026, the official announcement stated. To participate, students can visit the Rashtriya e-Pustakalay (ReP) website or mobile application and select a poem from the list provided. The video should be of 60-90 second duration. It should have clear audio, a visible face throughout the recording, and no background music, as per the official guidelines. Participants may upload the video using their own account or a parent or guardian's account.
How To Participate?
Classes 9 to 12 students can follow the steps given below to participate in the National Recitation Competition 2026.
- Visit ndl.education.gov.in
- Login or register through OTP
- Fill in your details, such as name, date of birth, age group, etc
- Select a poem from the Rashtriya e-Pustakalay website from the 'List of Poems' option under the 'Rashtriya Kavya Utsav' menu
- Record your video with your face clearly visible, frame should be till the waist, in a white background
- Students must ensure that their audio is clear and there is no background music
- The video should be of 60 - 90 seconds
- Upload the video on social media, tag Rashtriya e-Pustakalay, and use the following hashtag: #RashtriyaKavyaUtsav
- Copy the link of the social media post and register yourself on the official portal
- Fill in student's information and school details
- Give your consent and submit the form
Candidates must note that the use of AI is not permitted. Students studying in Classes 9 to 12 from any school in India are eligible to participate. Participation in the competition is completely free, as per the Ministry's website.
According to the official announcement the top 10 participants will receive Certificate of Excellence and all valid participants will receive participation certificates.