A college fest or university youth festival has a fixed programme of competitions, grouped into the same five sections almost everywhere in India: music, dance, theatre, literary events and fine arts. What changes from one university to the next is the exact item list, which items are split into men’s and women’s events, and the time allowed on stage. Below are three real college fest programs lists taken from the rules of three state universities, one each in Kerala, Maharashtra and Punjab. Copy the one closest to your fest, or use them to check your own list before you publish it.
Jump to: Kerala (61 items) · Maharashtra (41 items) · Punjab (34 items) · What the three have in common
How a university youth festival is organised
- Colleges are the competing units. Students compete for their college, and points build towards an overall college championship.
- One age band. Unlike a school kalolsavam there are no class categories; participants are regular students, typically within an upper age limit set by the university.
- Zones, then the university, then inter-university. Large universities run zonal rounds first; the winners go on to the university festival and, under the national inter-university framework, to regional and national inter-university festivals.
- Time limits are strict. Each item has a fixed stage time, and exceeding it usually costs marks.
A state university in Kerala
From the youth festival rules a Kerala state university issued in 2024. The Kerala list is the longest of the three, and many solo items run as separate men’s and women’s events.
| Item | Entry | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Music | ||
| Light Music | Individual men and women separately | 5 min |
| Classical Music | Individual men and women separately | 10 min |
| Hindustani Classical Vocal | Individual men and women separately | 10 min |
| Gazal | Individual men and women separately | 10 min |
| Mappilappattu | Individual men and women separately | 5 min |
| Veena | Individual | 10 min |
| Stringed Instrument (Eastern Style) | Individual | 10 min |
| Stringed Instrument (Western Style) | Individual | 10 min |
| Guitar | Individual | 10 min |
| Wind Instrument (Eastern Style) | Individual | 10 min |
| Wind Instrument (Western Style) | Individual | 10 min |
| Tabala | Individual | 10 min |
| Percussion Instrument (Eastern Style) | Individual | 10 min |
| Percussion Instrument (Western Style) | Individual | 10 min |
| Chenda | Individual | 10 min |
| Western Vocal Solo | Individual | 6 min |
| Group Song | Team | 10 min |
| Western Vocal Group | Team | 10 min |
| Ganamela | Team | 10 min |
| Vrindavadyam | Team | 10 min |
| Folk Song | Team | 10 min |
| Vanchipattu | Team | 10 min |
| Dance | ||
| Bharathanatyam | Individual men and women separately | 15 min |
| Kuchipudi | Individual men and women separately | 15 min |
| Folk Dance | Individual men and women separately | 10 min |
| Kathakali | Individual men and women separately | 15 min |
| Mohiniyattam | Individual women only | 15 min |
| Ottam Thullal | Individual men and women separately | 10 min |
| Group Dance | Team | 10 min |
| Thiruvathira | Team women only | 10 min |
| Oppana | Team women only | 10 min |
| Margamkali | Team women only | 10 min |
| Kerala Nadanam | Individual men and women separately | 15 min |
| Kerala Nadanam Group | Team | 30 min |
| Dufmutt | Team men only | 10 min |
| Kolkali | Team men only | 10 min |
| Chakyarkoothu | Individual | 20 min |
| Nangyarkoothu | Individual | 20 min |
| Vattapattu | Team men only | 10 min |
| Arabanamuttu | Team men only | 10 min |
| Theatre | ||
| Kathaprasangam | Individual men and women separately | 20 min |
| Mono Act | Individual men and women separately | 5 min |
| Mimicry | Individual men and women separately | 5 min |
| Fancy Dress | Individual | 3 min |
| Mime | Team | 5 min |
| Skit | Team | 10 min |
| Literary (speech, debate, quiz) | ||
| Debate | Team | Not fixed |
| Elocution | Individual | 5 min |
| Recitation | Individual | 5 min |
| Aksharaslokam | Individual | Not fixed |
| Quiz | Team | Not fixed |
| Writing | ||
| Essay Writing | Individual | 60 min |
| Short Story Writing | Individual | 60 min |
| Poetry Writing | Individual | 60 min |
| Fine arts | ||
| Painting | Individual | 120 min |
| Clay Modelling | Individual | 180 min |
| Cartooning | Individual | 120 min |
| Rangoli | Individual | 150 min |
| Collage | Individual | 150 min |
| Spot Photography | Individual | 150 min |
| Poster Making | Individual | 150 min |
A state university in Maharashtra
From the rules a Maharashtra state university published for its inter-collegiate youth festival, 2024–25. Several theatre and writing items run twice: once in the main language and once for “any other language”.
| Item | Entry | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Music | ||
| Indian Classical Vocal Solo | Individual | 10 min |
| Indian Classical Instrumental Percussion Solo | Individual | 10 min |
| Indian Classical Instrumental Non-Percussion Solo | Individual | 10 min |
| Natyasangeet Vocal Solo | Individual | 7 min |
| Indian Light Vocal Solo | Individual | 6 min |
| Indian Group Song | Team | 10 min |
| Folk Orchestra | Team | 10 min |
| Qawwali | Team | 15 min |
| Western Vocal Solo | Individual | 6 min |
| Western Instrumental Solo | Individual | 7 min |
| Western Group Song | Team | 10 min |
| Dance | ||
| Indian Classical Dance | Individual | 15 min |
| Indian Folk Dance | Team | 10 min |
| Theatre | ||
| Mono Acting | Individual | 7 min |
| Mono Acting (Any Other Language) | Individual | 7 min |
| Mimicry | Individual | 5 min |
| One Act Play | Team | 30 min |
| One Act Play (Any Other Language) | Team | 30 min |
| Skit | Team | 10 min |
| Skit (Any Other Language) | Team | 10 min |
| Mime | Team | 5 min |
| Literary (speech, debate, quiz) | ||
| Elocution | Individual | 5 min |
| Elocution (Any Other Language) | Individual | 5 min |
| Debate | Team | 5 min |
| Debate (Any Other Language) | Team | 5 min |
| Story Telling | Individual | 7 min |
| Story Telling (Any Other Language) | Individual | 7 min |
| Quiz | Team | Not fixed |
| Writing | ||
| Story Writing | Individual | 120 min |
| Story Writing (Any Other Language) | Individual | 120 min |
| Fine arts | ||
| On the Spot Painting | Individual | 150 min |
| Collage | Individual | 150 min |
| Poster Making | Individual | 150 min |
| Clay Modeling | Individual | 150 min |
| Cartooning | Individual | 150 min |
| Rangoli | Individual | 150 min |
| Mehendi Designing | Individual | 150 min |
| Spot Photography | Individual | 150 min |
| Installation | Team | 150 min |
| Other | ||
| Short Film Making | Team | 5 min |
| Jackpot | Individual | Not fixed |
A state university in Punjab (national inter-university rules)
From the youth festival rules of a state technical university in Punjab, which follow the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) framework used for inter-university festivals across India.
| Item | Entry | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Music | ||
| Classical Instrumental (Percussion) | Individual | 10 min |
| Classical Instrumental (Non-Percussion) | Individual | 10 min |
| Classical Vocal (Solo) | Individual | 10 min |
| Light Vocal Indian | Individual | 6 min |
| Folk Song | Individual | 6 min |
| Group Song Indian | Team | 10 min |
| Group Shabad/Bhajan | Team | 8 min |
| Western Vocal Solo | Individual | 6 min |
| Western Group Song | Team | 10 min |
| Vaar Singing | Team | 7 min |
| Dance | ||
| Bhangra | Team men only | 10 min |
| Giddha | Team women only | 10 min |
| Classical Dance (Exhibition Event) | Individual | 15 min |
| Indian Folk Dance (Exhibition Event) | Team | 10 min |
| International Folk Dance (Exhibition Event) | Team | 10 min |
| Theatre | ||
| Mimicry | Individual | 5 min |
| Skit | Team | 10 min |
| Mime | Team | 5 min |
| One Act Play | Team | 30 min |
| Literary (speech, debate, quiz) | ||
| Elocution | Individual | 5 min |
| Debate | Team | 5 min |
| Quiz | Team | Not fixed |
| Poem Recitation | Individual | 5 min |
| Writing | ||
| Creative Writing – Poem Writing | Individual | 120 min |
| Creative Writing – Short Story Writing | Individual | 120 min |
| Creative Writing – Essay Writing | Individual | 120 min |
| Fine arts | ||
| On the Spot Painting | Individual | 150 min |
| Poster Making | Individual | 150 min |
| Collage | Individual | 150 min |
| Cartooning | Individual | 150 min |
| Clay Modeling | Individual | 150 min |
| Rangoli | Individual | 150 min |
| On the Spot Photography | Individual | 150 min |
| Other | ||
| Mehndi | Individual | 150 min |
What the three programs lists have in common
- The same five sections. Music, dance, theatre, literary and fine arts appear in all three, so a college fest built on those sections will feel familiar to every participating college.
- Men’s and women’s events are a regional choice. The Kerala list splits 14 items into separate men’s and women’s events; the Maharashtra and Punjab lists run every item open to both.
- Language versions double the schedule. The Maharashtra list runs mono acting, skit, one act play and story writing twice — once in the main language and once for any other language — so plan stage and hall time for both.
- Regional items sit beside national ones. Kathaprasangam in Kerala, and Mehndi in Punjab, appear alongside a common core found in all three: classical vocal, group song, mime, skit, elocution, debate, quiz, painting, cartoon, collage, clay modelling and rangoli.
For judging criteria for the most common items, see speech and elocution, singing, group dance, drama and skit and debate. For running the whole fest, see college fest management software.
Run your college fest on eTalenter
Items, sections, men’s and women’s events, team entries and time limits are all settings. Each college registers its own students, chest numbers and ID cards print from the same data, judges score every item on their phones, and the college championship table updates as results are approved. Open a live demo and log in as a demo coordinator or judge (no sign-up), message us on WhatsApp (WhatsApp only — no phone calls), or email support@etalenter.com.
Frequently asked questions
What events are held in a college fest?
Music (classical and light vocal, instruments, group song), dance (classical and folk, solo and group), theatre (mime, mimicry, mono act, skit, one act play), literary events (elocution, debate, quiz, writing) and fine arts (painting, poster making, cartoon, collage, clay modelling, rangoli).
How many items are there in a university youth festival?
It depends on the university. The three real lists on this page have 61, 41 and 34 items. A small college fest can pick a core of 20 to 30 items from the same five sections.
How is the overall college championship decided?
Each place or grade in every item carries points for the student’s college, and the college with the most points wins. Publish the points for each place, and the tie-break rule, before the fest begins.
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