Pathanamthitta: In a welcome move for young talents, the Kerala government has increased the prize money for A-grade winners at the State School Kalolsavam from ₹1,000 to ₹1,500, bringing added excitement to the state’s biggest school-level cultural festival.
Until last year, students securing an A grade were awarded a trophy and ₹1,000, officially known as the Cultural Scholarship. The enhanced amount will now be extended to all A-grade achievers.
Each year, nearly 12,000 students earn A grades at the State Kalolsavam. The cultural scholarship system was introduced in 2006, beginning with the Ernakulam Kalolsavam, after the traditional titles of Kalaprathibha and Kalathilakam were discontinued and the grading system was adopted.
When the grading system was first implemented, around 4,000 of the 5,000 participants qualified for A grades and scholarships. Over the years, the festival has expanded significantly, with more events, more participants, and a growing number of A-grade winners. This year, about 15,000 students are expected to compete, with A-grade numbers likely to match last year’s figure of around 12,000.
To ensure smooth and error-free distribution, the Education Department will collect bank details of A-grade winners through district team managers. The scholarship amount will be transferred via demand drafts and credited directly to students’ bank accounts, a system adopted to avoid errors seen in earlier years.
The enhanced prize money is expected to serve as a strong motivation for students, further strengthening Kerala’s rich tradition of nurturing artistic excellence among schoolchildren.
