Creative Writing & Essay Competitions for Kids in India
Writing competitions sharpen a child's voice and argument: essay, story, poetry and storytelling contests, from school level to national and international. WiWit lists 244 verified creative writing & essay competitions in India from 135 organisations. They include options spanning Class 1–12, 138 available online, 79 free to enter. Last reviewed June 2026.
Writing is the skill that quietly underpins every subject, and competitions give children a real audience and deadline to write for. The listings here include essay competitions, short-story and creative-writing contests, poetry challenges and storytelling events, for students across all classes. Themes range from social issues and the environment to imaginative fiction, and formats run from single submissions to multi-round national and international competitions. WiWit verifies each listing against its official source and shows the theme, word limits where stated, mode and fee, so you can find a writing competition that matches your child's class and interests, and gives their writing the recognition it deserves.
Last reviewed:
Creative Writing & Essay Competitions for Kids in India at a glance
| Opportunity | Organizer | Eligibility | Mode | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBSBAFPA Pre-Armed Forces Preparatory Program | Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Armed Forces Preparatory Academy | Class 10–11 | In-Person | ₹1,90,000 |
| Unified International English Olympiad (UIEO) OFFLINE | Unified Council | Class 1–10 | In-Person | ₹150 |
| Saadhana Entrance Exam by Rashtrotthana Trust for Girls' Residential NEET/CET Coaching | Rashtrotthana Trust | Class 10 | In-Person | Free |
| JKK Junior Summer Camp | Jawahar Kala Kendra | Class 1–12 | In-Person | Paid |
| Junior Animator Programmer - Online | Digital Connext | Class 3–9 | Online | ₹5,400 |
| Iowa Young Writers' Studio - 6-Week Online Creative Writing Course | University of Iowa | Class 9–12 | Online | $475 |
| FILMIT - Heritage Short Film Workshop and Festival for School Students | Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) | Class 7–10 | Hybrid | Free |
| Basic Course in Digital Filmmaking for Children | Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) | Class 6–12 | In-Person | ₹7,500 |
| Anant Design Summer IsCool | Anant National University | Class 9–12 | In-Person | ₹10,000 |
| Bangalore Gayana Samaja Music Competition - Sub-Junior Devaranama Vocal | Bangalore Gayana Samaja | Class 3–6 | In-Person | Paid |
| Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC) Online Program | Stanford University | Class 10–11 | Online | $3,750 |
| ISH Summer Experience Programme | Indian School of Hospitality | Ages 12–18 | In-Person | ₹50,000 |
| CBSE Budding Authors Programme | Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) | Class 5–10 | Online | Free |
| MaRRS International Spelling Bee | MaRRS International | Class 1–10 | Hybrid | Free |
| ISTSE (Indian School Talent Search Exam) Online Scholarship Olympiad for Indian Students | Educational Excellentia | Class 1–10 | Online | ₹399 |
BBSBAFPA Pre-Armed Forces Preparatory Program
by Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Armed Forces Preparatory Academy
Residential armed forces preparatory program at BBSBAFPA, Punjab for male students in grades 10-11. NDA coaching, physical training, and SSB preparation under SGPC. Annual fee: Rs. 1,90,000.
What your child could gain:
Unified International English Olympiad (UIEO) OFFLINE
by Unified Council
The Unified International English Olympiad (UIEO) is a national competition for students in Grades 1-10, designed to assess and enhance English language skills.
What your child could gain:
Saadhana Entrance Exam by Rashtrotthana Trust for Girls' Residential NEET/CET Coaching
by Rashtrotthana Trust
The Saadhana Entrance Exam by Rashtrotthana Trust offers a competitive pathway for academically strong 10th-grade girls from underprivileged backgrounds to secure admission into a fully sponsored two-year residential program for NEET/CET coaching.
What your child could gain:
JKK Junior Summer Camp
by Jawahar Kala Kendra
Annual multi-discipline arts summer camp at Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur, offering expert-led training across 18+ disciplines for children aged 5-17.
What your child could gain:
Junior Animator Programmer - Online
by Digital Connext
One-month course for ages 8-14 combining animation, coding, and game design. Children create animated stories, games, and interactive applications using block-based and visual programming tools.
What your child could gain:
Iowa Young Writers' Studio - 6-Week Online Creative Writing Course
by University of Iowa
University of Iowa's six-week online creative writing course for high school students in grades 9-12, led by faculty connected to the world-renowned Iowa Writers' Workshop.
What your child could gain:
FILMIT - Heritage Short Film Workshop and Festival for School Students
by Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH)
INTACH's national initiative training school students to make 3-minute short films on their city's heritage through guided workshops and a culminating film festival.
What your child could gain:
Basic Course in Digital Filmmaking for Children
by Film and Television Institute of India (FTII)
Five-day on-campus short course at FTII Pune introducing children aged 11 to 18 to digital filmmaking through hands-on instruction.
What your child could gain:
Anant Design Summer IsCool
by Anant National University
An 8-day immersive design program at Anant National University for grades 9-12. Focuses on design thinking, creative problem-solving, and various design disciplines.
What your child could gain:
Bangalore Gayana Samaja Music Competition - Sub-Junior Devaranama Vocal
by Bangalore Gayana Samaja
Annual Carnatic classical vocal competition for Sub-Junior students (8-11 years) focusing on Devaranama compositions.
What your child could gain:
Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC) Online Program
by Stanford University
Stanford University's six-week intensive online mathematics programme for high school students in grades 10-11, covering advanced topics in abstract algebra and number theory.
What your child could gain:
ISH Summer Experience Programme
by Indian School of Hospitality
A 5-day residential hospitality and culinary experience for students aged 12-18 at ISH Gurugram, with stay at Hyatt Regency.
What your child could gain:
CBSE Budding Authors Programme
by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
National short-story writing competition for CBSE Class 5 to 10 students, with selected stories e-published as a CBSE anthology.
What your child could gain:
MaRRS International Spelling Bee
by MaRRS International
A multi-stage English-language competition for school students from Class 1 to 10, testing spelling, vocabulary, pronunciation and word knowledge through written and oral rounds.
What your child could gain:
ISTSE (Indian School Talent Search Exam) Online Scholarship Olympiad for Indian Students
by Educational Excellentia
The Indian School Talent Search Exam (ISTSE) Online is a national scholarship olympiad for Indian students in Classes 1-10, assessing intellectual potential in Mental Ability, Mathematics, Science, and English. Top performers can win significant scholarships and recognition.
What your child could gain:
Future Blue Youth Council By Bow Seat
by Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs, Inc
The Future Blue Youth Council is an international group of young ocean advocates collaborating with Bow Seat to drive environmental change through creative action and leadership.
What your child could gain:
SCIFF MAKE Cinema - School Cinema International Film Festival
by LXL Ideas
Student filmmaking competition where school students write, shoot, and edit short films for screening at SCIFF.
What your child could gain:
KMMC Online Certificate in Composition - Violin
by KM Music Conservatory
Online certificate course from KM Music Conservatory focused on composition with a special emphasis on violin, melody, and arrangement.
What your child could gain:
KMMC Online Certificate in Composition - Hindustani Voice
by KM Music Conservatory
Online certificate course from KM Music Conservatory focused on composition with a special emphasis on Hindustani vocal music.
What your child could gain:
KMMC Online Certificate in Composition - Western Voice
by KM Music Conservatory
Online certificate course from KM Music Conservatory focused on composition with a special emphasis on Western voice, harmony, and arrangement.
What your child could gain:
Iowa Young Writers' Studio Summer Residential Program
by University of Iowa
Iowa Young Writers' Studio is a selective two-week writing retreat at the University of Iowa where high school students develop creative writing skills under Iowa MFA instructors.
What your child could gain:
Tata Power Club Enerji National Competition - Energy Q Quiz
by Tata Power Company Limited
A national quiz competition for Indian school students, Energy Q tests knowledge on energy conservation, climate change, and renewable energy across multiple rounds.
What your child could gain:
Telluride Association Summer Seminar (TASS)
by Telluride Association
TASS is a free six-week residential seminar at Cornell or Maryland for gifted high school students to engage in rigorous interdisciplinary study and democratic community living.
What your child could gain:
Children's Yoga Summer Camp at The Yoga Institute, Mumbai
by The Yoga Institute
A 5-day summer yoga camp for children aged 5-12 at the world's oldest organized yoga center in Santacruz East, Mumbai. The camp includes yoga asanas, relaxation, arts and crafts, storytelling, and interactive games for holistic development.
What your child could gain:
Browse all 244 creative writing & essay competitions
Competitions (207)
- Design Championship - Game Design Competition
- Advanced Placement (AP) Arts Exams
- Advanced Placement (AP) English Language and Literature Exams for Indian Students
- Advanced Placement (AP) World Languages and Cultures Exams for Indian Students
- AICEeCC - Audio
- AICEeCC - New Media
- AICEeCC - Video & Animation
- ARTEFFECT International Student Art Competition
- Asiarope English Olympiad
- ASMO (Asian Science & Mathematics Olympiad) India National Round
- ASTP Space Settlement Contest
- Axis Bank Splash - Art Competition
- Axis Bank Splash - Literature Competition
- Bangalore Gayana Samaja Music Competition - Sub-Junior Devaranama Vocal
- Bharat Ko Jano Quiz Competition
- BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition
- BLF YOUNGRANG Student Poetry Writing Contest
- Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Creative Writing Contest
- Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Poetry & Spoken Word Contest
- Cambridge Re:think Essay Competition
- CBSE Budding Authors Programme
- CBSE Expression Series
- CBSE Heritage India Quiz
- Civil Services Preparatory Olympiad (CSPO)
- Classmate All Rounder Competition by ITC Junior Category
- CMS VATAVARAN Environment and Wildlife Film Festival - Under 16
- CREST English Olympiad (CEO)
- CREST International Drawing Olympiad (CIDO)
- CREST International Spell Bee (CISB) - Summer Round
- CREST International Spell Bee (CSBW) - Winter Round
- Design Championship - Movie Making Competition
- Dhai Akhar Letter Writing Competition – Inland Letter Card Category (ILC)
- Dhai Akhar National Level Letter Writing Competition – Envelope Category
- Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam National Talent Troopers Competition
- Eduno English Olympiad (EEO)
- EHF International English Olympiad (IEO) Offline
- Ei ASSET English Exam
- Ei ASSET Hindi Exam
- Ei ASSET Talent Search (Ei ATS) Exam
- Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award
- FPSPI Creative Writing Competition
- FPSPI Storytelling Competition
- Frank Anthony Memorial All-India Inter-School Debate Competition
- Future Blue Youth Council By Bow Seat
- GELOSA - Global English Language Olympiad of Southeast Asia
- GEMA World Storytelling Competition for School Students
- Global English Olympiad (GEO) by UEPL
- Global Open Mic Talent Show by Hashtag Kalakar
- Global Student Speaker Competition by GEMA
- Harvard Crimson Global Essay Competition (HCGEC)
- Hashtag Kalakar Global Poetry & Creative Writing Competition
- Heartfulness Essay Contest
- Hindustan Olympiad
- Hippo English Olympiad
- HOPE Talent Contest - Art & Essay Writing Competition
- Humming Bird English Olympiad (HEO) for Classes 1-12
- Humming Bird Hindi Olympiad (HHO)
- Humming Bird Spelling Competition
- Humming Bird Tamil Olympiad (HTO)
- I CAN School Challenge by Design for Change
- India As I See - National Online Painting Competition
- Indian Academic Championship (INDAC) - Academic Bowl
- Indian Debating League (IDL)
- Indian Nationals Space Settlement Design Competition (INSSDC)
- Indian Talent Olympiad (ITO) General Knowledge International Olympiad (GKIO) - Offline Exam
- IndiaSkills Junior – Visual Merchandising
- INTACH India Heritage Quiz Competition
- International Academic Bee Asian Championship by IAC
- International Academic Bowl Asian Championship by IAC
- International Commerce Olympiad (ICO) by CTF for Class 11 & 12 Students
- International Competency Test (ICT) by CTF for Class 9 & 10 Students
- International English Olympiad (IEO) by SOF
- International English Qualifier (IEQ) by National Olympiad Foundation
- International Foundation English Olympiad (IFEO) by IOF
- International Foundation Hindi Olympiad (IFHO)
- International Foundation Spell Talent Olympiad (IFSTO)
- International French Qualifier (IFQ) by NOF
- International General Knowledge Olympiad (IGKO) by SOF for Indian Students
- International Genius Short film Olympiad by Terra Science and Education
- International GENIUS Speech Olympiad by Terra Science and Education
- International Gita Olympiad by Central Sanskrit University (CSU)
- International Hindi Olympiad (IHO) by SOF
- International Hindi Qualifier (IHQ) by National Olympiad Foundation
- International Public Speaking Competition (IPSC) by ESU
- International Space Settlement Design Competition (ISSDC)
- ISTSE (Indian School Talent Search Exam) Offline Scholarship Olympiad
- ISTSE (Indian School Talent Search Exam) Online Scholarship Olympiad for Indian Students
- ITO English International Olympiad (EIO) - Offline Mode
- ITO English International Olympiad (EIO) Online - National English Language Competition
- ITO General Knowledge International Olympiad Online
- ITO National Essay Olympiad (NESO) Offline
- ITO National Essay Olympiad (NESO) Online
- IWP Creative Writing Contest – Non-Fiction Category
- IWP Jr Creative Writing Contest – Article & Essay Category
- IWP Jr Creative Writing Contest – Fiction Category
- IWP Jr Creative Writing Contest – Personal Expression Category
- IWP Jr Creative Writing Contest – Poetry Category
- Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Selection Test (JNVST) for Class 11 Lateral Entry
- Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Selection Test (JNVST) for Class 9 Admission
- Jhankriti Theatre Competition
- John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize - Economics
- John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize - History
- John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize - International Relations
- John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize - Law
- John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize - Philosophy
- John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize - Politics
- John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize - Psychology
- John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize - Public Policy
- John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize - Science and Technology
- John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize - Theology
- Kala Utsav - National Theatre Competition
- Kalabharati Child Art Institute National Handwriting Competition
- Katha Utsav National Writers' Workshop
- Kruu Play Innovation Challenge
- Likhawat - National Essay Writing Competition
- MahaQuizzer by KQA
- MaRRS International Spelling Bee
- MegaWhats by KQA
- Meity - National Cyber Security Cartoon Story Board Competition
- MindSweep - International Solo Quizzing Championship by KQA
- Narmada Bal Ghar (NBG) Essay Writing Competition
- National AI Speech & Debate Championship for Indian Students
- National Cyber Security 'My Success Story' Competition By MeitY
- National Cyber Security Reels/Shorts Competition by MeitY
- National Cyber Security Slogan Writing Competition By MeitY
- National Cyber Security Story Writing Competition by MeitY
- National Cyber Security Technical Papers Competition By MeitY
- National Finance Olympiad (NFO)
- National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Olympiad (NIEO) by E-Cell IIT Madras
- National Sanskrit Olympiad (NSO) by Samskritha Bharathi Educational Trust
- National Young Authors' Fair
- Nature inFocus Photography Contest - Young Photographer Category
- NHRC Annual Short Film Competition on Human Rights
- NSS Gerard K. O'Neill Space Settlement Contest
- Ocean Awareness Film Contest By Bow Seat for Students
- Ocean Awareness Handcrafted Category Contest
- Ocean Awareness Interactive & Multimedia Contest By Bow Seat
- Online Indian Knowledge System Olympiad by CSU
- Power of the Pen – India As I See National Poetry Competition
- Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (Bal Shakti)
- Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) Entrance Exam for Class VIII Admission
- Rashtriya Military School (RMS) Common Entrance Test (CET) for Class VI & IX Admissions
- S7 National Poetry Contest
- Saadhana Entrance Exam by Rashtrotthana Trust for Girls' Residential NEET/CET Coaching
- Sacred Freedom Essay competition - India As I See
- SAIL National Story Writing Competition
- Sanskrit Olympiad by CSU
- SCIFF MAKE Cinema - School Cinema International Film Festival
- SIFFCY Student Film Competition
- SilverZone International Olympiad of English Language (iOEL)
- Spin Your Science (SYS) - National Science Fiction Writing Competition
- STEMCult by Kr8ivity League
- STTAR National Students Olympiad (NSO)
- Tata Building India School Essay Competition
- Tata Power Club Enerji National Competition - Energy Q Quiz
- The Hindu Young World Quiz
- The Pi Quiz (TPQ) by IIM Indore
- The Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition
- The World Scholar's Cup - Scholar's Challenge
- The World Scholar's Cup - Team Debate Competition
- The World Scholar's Cup - Tournament of Champions at Yale University
- The World Scholar's Cup (WSC) - Collaborative Writing Competition
- The World Scholar's Cup (WSC) - Scholar's Bowl
- THINQ Quiz by Indian Navy
- TOEFL Exam - English Proficiency for Global Education
- TSL International Student Competition - Sustainability
- Unicus English Olympiad (UEO)
- Unicus General Knowledge Olympiad (UGKO)
- Unicus Global English Olympiad (UGEO)
- Unified Cyber Olympiad (UCO) Offline
- Unified Cyber Olympiad (UCO) Online
- Unified International English Olympiad (UIEO) OFFLINE
- Unified International English Olympiad (UIEO) ONLINE
- Veer Baal Diwas Poetry Competition
- Veer Gatha Project Competition
- Wingword Poetry Prize
- Wipro Earthian - National Sustainability Education Program
- Wiz national Spell Bee by Extraschool
- Word Power Championship India
- WriteToWin – Monsoon Environmental Article Writing Competition
- WriteToWin – Spring Environmental Article Writing Competition
- WriteToWin – Summer Environmental Article Writing Competition
- WriteToWin – Winter Environmental Article Writing Competition
- XPERTSTEM International English Challenge
- YJI Cartoons Contest
- YJI Column Writing Award
- YJI Courage in Journalism Award
- YJI First Amendment Award
- YJI First-Person Essay
- YJI Frank Keegan Award for News
- YJI Illustration Contest
- YJI Jacinta Marie Bunnell Award for Commentary
- YJI Multimedia Feature Contest
- YJI Multimedia News Contest
- YJI Opinion Writing Award
- YJI Photo Essay Contest
- YJI Photography - Feature Photo
- YJI Photography - News Photo
- YJI Photography - Photo Illustration
- YJI Profile Writing Award
- YJI Travel Writing
- YJI Youth Journalism Contest - Enterprise Reporting
- YJI Youth Journalism Contest - Feature Story
- YJI Youth Journalism Contest - In-Depth Reporting
- YJI Youth Journalism Contest - Multimedia Profile
- YJI Youth Journalism Contest - Multimedia Sports
- YJI Youth Journalism Contest - News Story
Scholarships (3)
Programs (20)
- Anant Design Summer IsCool
- BBSBAFPA Pre-Armed Forces Preparatory Program
- CIEE High School USA Exchange Program
- FILMIT - Heritage Short Film Workshop and Festival for School Students
- FLAME University Summer Immersion Program (FUSIP)
- GenWise GW Wizards - Gifted Summer Program
- Iowa Young Writers' Studio Summer Residential Program
- ISH Summer Experience Programme
- Lumiere Research Scholars Program - (Individual Research)
- NLSIU Summer School – FLE Certificate Course
- Non-Trivial Research Scholars Program
- Pioneer Research Institute (Mentorship Program)
- Sankalp Open School Remedial Program for Children with Learning Disabilities
- Snehadhara Sangam Inclusive Arts Programme
- Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC) Online Program
- TBI Young Journalists Program
- Telluride Association Summer Seminar (TASS)
- Two-Year Pre-NDA Preparatory Program at MRSAFPI Mohali
- Two-Year Pre-NDA Residential Program at SPI Aurangabad
- Youth for Understanding (YFU) Intercultural Exchange Programs for Indian Students
Courses (9)
- Basic Course in Digital Filmmaking for Children
- Cambridge International AS & A Level
- IB Diploma Programme
- Iowa Young Writers' Studio - 6-Week Online Creative Writing Course
- Junior Animator Programmer - Online
- KMMC Online Certificate in Composition - Hindustani Voice
- KMMC Online Certificate in Composition - Piano
- KMMC Online Certificate in Composition - Violin
- KMMC Online Certificate in Composition - Western Voice
Workshops (1)
Camps (3)
Every creative writing & essay competition listing on WiWit is checked against the organiser's official source before it is published. See how WiWit verifies listings.
Frequently asked questions
- How many creative writing & essay competitions are listed on WiWit?
- WiWit currently lists 244 verified creative writing & essay competitions in India from 135 organisations. Each one is checked against the organiser's official source before it appears, and the list is kept up to date.
- Which classes can take part in creative writing & essay competitions?
- The creative writing & essay competitions listed here span students from Class 1 to Class 12. Use the comparison table to filter by your child's class and see the exact eligibility for each listing.
- Can my child take part in creative writing & essay competitions online?
- Creative writing & essay competitions are available in multiple modes: 138 run online, 67 are in person, 39 offer both. The mode is shown on every listing, so children anywhere in India can find suitable options.
- Are there free creative writing & essay competitions?
- Yes, 79 of the 244 creative writing & essay competitions listed are free to enter. The fee for every listing is shown on its card, so you can compare cost at a glance.
- What kinds of writing competitions are there?
- The listings span essay competitions on set themes, free creative-writing and short-story contests, poetry challenges and storytelling events. Each listing shows the format and theme so you can pick what suits your child's strengths.
- Are writing competitions open to younger children?
- Yes. Many have separate categories for primary, middle and senior school so children write against their own age group. Use the comparison table to find contests open to your child's class.