Dastak Youth Festival 2023

Feb 10th to 12th, Season 14

Sangeet Natak Academy, Gomtinagar – Lucknow

RULEBOOK & TOPICS

- The purpose of this fest is to bring understanding of equality, gender sensitivity, and create
awareness towards social change.
- Reporting time for each day will be 10 am.
- Participants should take care of their own belongings and should not leave it unattended
at any time.
- Please clarify all the doubts regarding your competition before it starts to avoid
confusions later or during the competition.
- COVID-19 Guidelines must be strictly followed - Mask, sanitize your hand before and
after the performance, keep your belongings sanitized, maintain social distance while
interacting and performing.
- The decision of the judges will be final and binding under all circumstances.
- Only college students can participate in the competition.
- Last time changes can be done hence please stay in touch with your event coordinators
for all the information.
- Smoking/Drinking is strictly prohibited in the premises.

Rangoli
● Only one entry per institution is allowed.
● Maximum 5 participants can be allowed in a team. This is a group competition.
● Topic will be disclosed on the spot.
● Total duration for completing the rangoli shall not exceed 3 hours.
● Participants must bring their own materials.
● Rangoli should be done with rangoli powder only.
● Use of any reference such as pictures, printed material etc. will lead to disqualification.

Theme Decoration
● Entry per institution: 01
● Number of participants:3-5
● Duration: 03 hrs.
● Topic will be disclosed on the spot. (Will be related to the theme of the fest)
● Participants should bring their own material.

Extempore
● Entry per Institution: 01
● No of participants: 01
● Topic will be disclosed on the spot
● Maximum time limit to think over the topic will be 1 minute and the maximum time for speech will
be also of 2 minutes only.
● The participant will be allowed to select the topic once only.
● Participants will not be allowed to take any paper or material with him or her during the speech.
● Judges will be looking for clarity of thought, logical organization, sincerity, and the effective use of
plain English.
● In the case of a tie, the winner will be decided by the panel of judges by mutual discussion.

Memoir Writing
● Entry per Institution/college: No limit
● No of participants: individual
● Topic will be disclosed at the time of event.
● Time duration: 1.5 hours.
● An actual happening up to 1,500 words must be written.
● Sheets will be provided.
● Lines need to be double Spaced.
● Judges will be looking for clarity of thought, logical organization, sincerity, and the effective use of
plain English.
● The memoir must be your own original work.
● Must follow all rules as described in each individual contest description as well as General Rules.

News Reporting
TOPIC: YOUTH IS THE FUTURE
● Entry per Institution: 01
● No of participants: all 3 days team of 3 to 5 members.
● Time duration for presenting: 5 minutes.
● Each team needs to cover the ongoing things of the festival daily and submit their news in digital
format on the final day.
● It needs to be submitted offline at the venue on 12th Feb. The last time to submit your news reports
is 1pm.
● The winner would be selected by the judges based on originality of the content, creativity, the
efforts you put in your news reports, it's impact and relevance of the theme.
● Your news reports can be in either Hindi or English.

Photography
TOPIC: Shades of Spontaneity/candid shots
● Both mobile and DSLR photographs are allowed.
● Topic will be disclosed on the first day of the event.
● 5 photographs are to be submitted on the last day of the event, i.e., 12th Feb.
● All the 5 photographs must be captured during the event.
● The pictures should be theme based.
● Photographs should be submitted in digital format before 1 p.m.

Mehendi
TOPIC: Lucknow ki Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb
● Entry Per Institution: 01
● No. of Participants: 01
● Time Durations: Maximum Time: 1.5 hours
● No. of student accompanist: 01
● Item will be conducted on the spot on the given subject/idea.
● Additional instructions will be announced on the spot.
● Participants shall bring their own material. Only traditional Indian Motifs can be used.
● Arabian Mehndi, use of glitter is not allowed.
● Mehndi can be applied on both sides of one forearm (till Elbow).

Poetry Writing
● Poem can be in Hindi/English/Urdu.
● Topic will be provided at the time of competition.
● The poem should be original. Plagiarism of any sort would lead to straight disqualification.
● Participant must provide the title of the poem too.
● Total time duration is 1 hour.
● Poem must be written according to the given theme.
● The poems should not have obscene language or any vulgar innuendos. Usage of such language
will lead to disqualification.
● Participants will be judged on authenticity, theme, clarity of words, expression, and presentation.

Comic reel making

● Entry per Institution/college (no limit) group of 2 members.
● The competition will be conducted on all 3 days at the venue and the participants are required to
make comic reels on the theme/area given by the organising team, at the time of competition.
● The teams can work on their reels on all 3 days but final 3 reels have to be presented on final day
of the fest by 1 pm.

Short news reporting

TOPIC: DASTAK – FESTIVAL OF UNITY
● Entry per Institution: 01.
● No of participants: All 3 days group of 3.
● Time duration for presenting: 2 minutes.
● Each team needs to cover the ongoing things of the festival daily and submit their news in digital
format on the final day.
● It needs to be submitted offline at the venue on 12th Feb. The last time to submit your news reports
is 1pm.
● The winner would be selected by the judges based on originality of the content, creativity, the
efforts you put in your news reports, it's impact and relevance of the theme.
● Your news reports can be in either Hindi or English.

Intro-view competition
TOPIC: DYF – connecting generations of Lucknow
● Entry per Institution: 01.
● No of participants: All 3 days group of 2.
● Time duration for presenting: 2 minutes.
● Each team needs to conduct interviews of guests at the fest and submit their digital recordings on
the final day at the venue on 12th Feb.
● The last time to submit your news reports is 1pm.
● The winner would be selected by the judges based on originality of the content, creativity, the
efforts you put in your news reports, it's impact and relevance of the theme.
● Your news reports can be in either Hindi or English.

Clay modelling
TOPIC: Inequality – A Curse
● Entry Per Institution: 01
● No. of Participants: 01
● Time Durations: Maximum Time: 3 hours
● Item will be conducted on the spot.
● Topics/Size and other specific rules shall be announced on the spot.
● Pure clay & required material will be arranged by the participant.
● Size of the item should not be less than 10 inches in height with permissible variation of 5%.

Collage making
● Entry per Institution/college: No limit.
● The competition will be conducted On the Spot and the participants are required to make a collage
on the subject given by the panel of judges, at the time of competition.
● The total duration for completing the collage shall not exceed 1.5 hours.
● Chart paper will be provided by the Event organizers; however other required material (wastepaper
& material) should be arranged by the participant.
On spot Poster Making
● Each participating college / institute can depute only 1 student participant.
● Topic will be provided at the time of competition.
● The competition will be conducted On the Spot and the participants are required to make a poster
on the subject given by the panel of judges, at the time of competition.
● The total duration for completing the painting shall not exceed 1.5 hours.
● Drawing paper will be provided by the Event organizers, however other required material should
be arranged by the participant.

Debate
TOPIC: An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind (for and against)
● Each participating college / institute can depute only 2 student participants.
● The proposition for the debate will be equality for the competition
● Time duration: 3 min to speak on the topic and 2 min for the question/answer round.
● First student debater will speak FOR the proposition and the second debater AGAINST the
proposition.
● Both debaters must present their proposition in Hindi or English language only.
● However, both may present in same language or different. Team of 2 has to register.

Cartoon Making
● Entry per Institution/college: No limit
● The competition will be conducted On the Spot and the participants are required to make a
cartoon on the subject given by the panel of judges, at the time of competition.
● The total duration for completing the cartoon shall not exceed 1.5 hours.
● Drawing paper will be provided by the Event organizers, however other required material should
be arranged by the participant.

Solo Singing
● Only one participant can participate in the solo Singing.
● Participant is free to sing any English or Hindi song.
● Selection of the song Should be related to the theme.
● The maximum time duration of solo Singing is 3 minutes while the minimum is 1.5 minutes.
Exceeding the time may lead to deduction in marks.
● Participants will be judged on authenticity, theme, clarity of words, harmony, tune, rhythm,
expression, discipline, timing, and presentation.

Group Singing
● Minimum of 4 & Maximum 10 participants can participate in a group singing competition.
● Selection of the song Should be related to the theme of the festival.
● Participant is free to choose any Hindi/English song.
● Minimum 3 min and maximum 5 minutes can be given to a team to perform.
● Participants can only use instruments as their music.
● Participants will be judged on authenticity, theme, clarity of words, harmony, tune, rhythm,
expression, discipline, timing, and presentation.

Face Painting
● Topic will be disclosed on the spot
● Entry per institution: 01
● Participant must bring a partner along with them to paint their face.
● Participant must bring their own paints, brushes and other materials required. No material will be
provided from our side.
● Time limit: 02 hrs.
● Any sort of vulgar or inappropriate element will lead to immediate disqualification.
Bait Bazi- शेरो शायरी पर आधाररत लखनऊ की पुर ानी ररवायत
A verbal game and a genre of Urdu poetry played by composing verses of Urdu poems.
● Entry per Institution/college: No limit.
● No of participants: Team of 3.
● The teams are required to present verses of Urdu poems on the subject/theme given by organising
team.
● The total duration for the presentation should be not more than 5 mins.
● Teams will be judged based on content, fluency, clarity of speech, presentation & pronunciation,
and voice modulation.
Note: Avoid religious, racial, sexual comments, dual meaning obscene content.
Details for this competition will be disclosed soon – stay connected with the organizers

Nukkad Natak
● Topic – Issues of youth – harsh reality vs bright projections on media
● Entry per college/Institution: 01
● No of participants: 5 to 10
● Street plays can be in Hindi or English.
● Time limit: 14 to 15 minutes
● Usage of abusive language is strictly prohibited and may lead to disqualification.
● Use of any sort of hazardous element/prop is strictly prohibited.
● No technical support will be provided.
● Teams are allowed to use any musical instruments like dholak, flute etc of their choice but usage
of mic, lights or other electrical instruments is prohibited.
● No processional assistance is allowed. All student members should be certified students of the
Institute. So please bring along your identity cards.

Meme Making
● Entry per Institution/college (no limit) group of 2 members.
● The competition will be conducted on all 3 days at the venue and the participants are required to
make memes on the theme/area given by the organising team, at the time of competition.
● The teams can work on their memes on all 3 days but final 5 memes must be presented on final
day of the fest by 1 pm.

Stand Up comedy
● Topic – फिर भी दिल है दहिंितु ानी...
● It is an individual competition. Entry per college/Institution: 01
● Time limit is maximum 10 minutes.
● Note: Avoid religious, racial, sexual comments
● Participants will be judged based on content, fluency, spontaneity, presentation & sense of
humour.
● No participant can point out any individual or religion in any way, and any dual meaning obscene
content is strictly not allowed.
● Negative marking for exceeding time limit.

Group Dance
● Each participating college can depute a single group having minimum 3 and maximum 10 student
participants.
● The total duration of dance performance is minimum 5 and maximum 8 minutes.
● The computation of time shall start as soon as music/announcement starts, or curtain is fully open,
whichever is earlier.
● The dance should either be folk or related to any social theme according to the event
● It is the responsibility of the participating college / institute / department to remove the sets,
property, etc. within five minutes after their performance.
● Live accompaniment will be given due credit.
● type/style of dance and the text meaning of the song, if any, should be submitted at the time of
registration on the day of competition.

Short Film
● Topic: Unplanned Development models of State - an invitation to man-made calamities
Reference - Short film must be made according to the given theme and depict the current situations
and past incidents for example – Laddakh water issue, Joshimath etc
● This is a short film competition and hence ONLY Short Films should be submitted NO
DOCUMENTARIES. The entries can be short digital animation films too on the topic.
● The film should have to be submitted offline at the venue on 12th Feb. The last time to submit your
short film is 1pm.
● The short film can either be in Hindi/English according to your preferences.
● The short film must be original.
● The timeline for the short film is min 5 minutes and maximum 7 minutes.
● One team can only have 3 members.

Skit/Play
● Topic: Hypocrisy on social media – Shrinking society and human values
● Team per college/institute:01
● Number of participants: min.- 4, max.- 6
● Time limit: 10 mins. Negative points will be given if limit is exceeded.
● Any sort of vulgar or inappropriate behaviour or content will lead to immediate disqualification.
● Participants shall bring their own props if needed.

Solo Dance
● Time limit is 2-3 minutes. Negative points for exceeding the time limit.
● The participants are requested to bring two CDs or pendrives to avoid technical
disturbance. Out of which, they are also requested to submit one CD or pendrive to the coordinator
of the event.
● No extra time shall be given for installing CDs. It should be done prior to the event.
● The participants will be judged on their costumes, visual presentation and dance form.
● The dance needs to be according to the theme.
● Participants should get their own props. All props must be specified to the event
coordinator.
● Lighting of matchsticks, candles and cigarettes or any derogatory acts are strictly not
allowed on stage.
● Selection of the song should be related to the theme of the festival.
● Social Harmony, inequality, unity or issue based songs that give a positive approach to
the society should be chosen.
● Any obscene/offensive music/song is not allowed.