The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : `Grading system augurs well for festivals'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 06, 2006

Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

`Grading system augurs well for festivals'

Staff Reporter

Dominic Presentation `officially' inaugurates revenue district schools youth festival

CULTURAL UNION: Participants of the cultural procession taken out in connection with the inauguration of the Ernakulam Revenue District Kalotsavam at Thripunithura on Thursday. Photo: Mahesh Harilal

KOCHI: The introduction of grading will usher in healthy competition in school youth festivals, Minister for Fisheries and Sports Dominic Presentation has said.

He was speaking at Thripunithura on Thursday evening after `officially' inaugurating the 18th Ernakulam Revenue District Kalotsavam. "Grading has resulted in participants performing sans unwanted tension. As a result, the number of appeals will go down.

In addition, the introduction of new computer software has shortened the time taken to announce results," Mr. Presentation said.

K. Babu, MLA, who presided over the function, said that the organisers should be prepared to surmount problems that might crop up at youth festivals.

The number of spectators and relatives of participants were comparatively less this time, which could be because of the introduction of grading.

The participants, prior to the inaugural function, took out a rally through Thripunithura.

Only three results were declared by late in the night on Thursday, when the district-level competitions began. Bridget Shalu of Mupathadam Government Higher Secondary School, was selected to participate in he State-level competition from the district in Samskrita Prashnothari. Akhila V.C from Thrikkakara Mary Matha School won the top honours in Kerala Nadanam while CCPLM Anglo Indian School, Perumanoor, was selected to represent the district in Poorakkali.The events which were held on Thursday included written competitions, dance, mimicry, kathakali, painting and clay modelling. A student of Government High School, Mupathadam, was reportedly denied chance to participate in an Arabic written event due to error in computing.

A huge score board has been put up at the main venue. Day two of the kalotsavam got off at three venues at Thripunithura in the morning.

At RLV School, hundreds participated in the Sanskrit literary competitions.

Teachers and students turned up at the venue before the actual schedule of the event.

Sidharoopocharanam (upper primary) event began at 11 a.m. Recitation and quiz events recorded good attendance with several students registering their names in advance.

Arabic literary events were held at Government Girls School. Short story writing, translation, letter writing and quiz were some of the events held in the morning. Participants of the TTI and the PPTTI kalotsavam matched their skills in literary items.

A meeting of the organising committee was held at Government Boy's School in the morning to chalk out steps for the smooth conduct of the six-day fest. Elaborating on the preparations, Mr. Sanu said that the kalotsavam would be held as per the new manual published by the Department of Education. There would be no Kalapratibha and Kalatilakom titles for this edition of the festival. A student could participate in only five items compared to eight during the festival held last year.

From this year, there would be separate rounds for boys and girls in the mimicry competitions. For arts and dance events, live accompaniment would not be allowed. Participants should use cassettes and CDs.

The number of items for the TTI and the PPTTI sections had come down this year.

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