Essay Writing Contests in India – 2018
Introduction
Essay writing contests have a long tradition in India and are popular ways for students and others to demonstrate their writing abilities while competing for prizes. With the growth of technology and online platforms, many more essay contests have emerged in India in recent years. This article provides an overview of some of the major and most prestigious essay writing contests that took place in India during 2018, including information on topics, eligibility criteria, prizes, and winners.
Indian Constitution @70 Essay Competition
One of the largest and most prestigious essay contests in India in 2018 was organized by the Ministry of social justice and empowerment to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Indian constitution. The topic was “Relevance of Constitution in Today’s Dynamic India”. Citizens of all ages were eligible to participate. Awarded by the Prime Minister of India, the top 3 prizes were Rs. 1 lakh, Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 25,000 respectively. The contest received over 100,000 entries from all over India. The winner was a 17 year old student from West Bengal who wrote insightfully on the continued relevance of constitutional values like equality, justice and secularism in modern India.
National Essay Competition by IIM Calcutta
The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta launched their annual national level essay competition open to students from all universities and colleges. The 2018 topic was “Role of Ethics in Business Decision Making”. Eligibility was for undergraduate and postgraduate students below 30 years of age. The top prize was Rs. 50,000 along with an internship opportunity at IIM Calcutta. More than 10,000 students participated from over 500 colleges nationwide. The winner discussed the importance of integrating ethical considerations into business policies and practices to build long term sustainable organizations and society.
English Essay Competition by British Council
Considered one of the most prestigious platforms for young writers in India, the annual national English essay competition organized by the British Council saw a participation of over 6,000 students from 20 Indian states in 2018. The topic was “Power of Stories – How narratives shape our identities”. The competition was open for Indians aged between 18-25 years studying in any recognized Indian college/university. The top 3 winners received cash prizes of Rs. 50,000, Rs. 30,000 and Rs. 20,000 along with fully funded study trips to the UK. In her award winning essay, the winner explored how stories from our personal experiences and community help in formation of self-identity and cultural values.
Young Writers Contest 2018 by OppIdeas
OppIdeas, a platform for young minds, hosted their annual Young Writers Contest on social issues. Open to citizens aged 18-30 years across India, the 2018 topic promoted insightful debate on “Mental Healthcare: Reducing Stigma and Increasing Access”. Cash prizes worth Rs. 50,000 were on offer. Nearly 3,000 thought-provoking entries were received. The winning entry recognized mental illness as a medical condition requiring the same accessibility, empathy and funding as physical ailments, and proposed community level awareness programs to remove social taboos around this issue.
Story Writing Contest organised by Pratham Books
Focused on fostering creative writing skills at a young age, Pratham Books’ contest on story writing in 2018 saw participation of over 10,000 children aged 6-14 years from all parts of India. Based on the theme “My Favourite Day of the Week”, the top 3 winners in each age group (6-8, 9-11 and 12-14 years) received cash prizes and books worth Rs. 5,000, Rs. 3,000 and Rs. 2,000 respectively. The young winning writers demonstrated excellent narrative skills through their entertaining and imaginative short stories celebrating different aspects of our lives.
Inspired Nation Essay Competition by Ministry of HRD
To engage college youth on nation building, the Ministry of Human Resource Development organized the ‘Inspired Nation’ essay competition across Indian universities in 2018. Open to all undergraduate students, topics explored ways to strengthen integration amongst various sections of the society. The top prize of Rs. 50,000 alongside internship opportunities were on offer. Over 30,000 essays poured in highlighting how embracing diversity, justice and equal rights can make India a global role model of unity and progress. The outstanding winning entry proposed educational reforms to promote inclusion and cultural exchange.
Some Additional Notable Essay Contests in 2018:
Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar: An annual competition by the National Academy of Letters to recognize exceptional literary talent in young writers below 35 years, with prizes worth Rs. 50,000.
Essay Competition by FICCI Ladies Organisation: Aimed at encouraging women empowerment, this contest invited essays from female grads on the theme “Women and Sustainable Development”.
Oxford University Press Essay Contest: Assessed analytical writing abilities of senior secondary students through critical evaluation of topic “Media and Its Impact on Society”.
Youth Essay Competition by Rotary club: Promoted ethics and community service values by asking entrants to share “How I Gave Back to Society”.
India Ideas Essay Competition by American India Foundation: Rewarded new thoughts on “India 2047 – My Vision” from Indian postgrads studying in top world institutions.
Conclusion
Essay writing contests play an invaluable role in India by providing young minds with impactful platforms to showcase their ideas, develop 21st century communication skills and compete for life changing rewards and exposures. With subjects spanning patriotism, literature, business ethics, women empowerment, nation building and more, these contests effectively tap into diverse strengths of the youth to help envision a progressive future. By encouraging analytical, creative and solution-oriented thinking, essay contests deserve continued support to sustain this tradition of nurturing outstanding writers and thinkers in India.
Andrew Stroud