1. Organiser

The My Bharathapuzha, My Vision — College YouTube Video Competition 2026 is organised by Friends of Bharathapuzha (FoB), an initiative dedicated to the conservation, revival and cultural significance of Bharathapuzha.

FoB is responsible for administering the competition, verifying entries, coordinating the judging process, announcing the recognised entries and arranging the associated recognition activities.

2. Eligibility

1. The competition is open to students currently enrolled in recognised colleges or universities in Kerala.
2. Entries may be submitted by an individual or a team of up to four eligible students.
3. Each student may participate in only one entry, either individually or as a team member.
4. Each team must nominate one lead participant who will be responsible for registration and official communication.
5. Participants must provide accurate details and produce proof of current student status if requested.
6. Participation is free of charge.

3. Theme

Every entry must have a meaningful connection to Bharathapuzha, also known as Nila.

Eligible subjects include the river’s ecology, biodiversity, water resources, cultural heritage, history, communities, livelihoods, present challenges and possible futures.

Entries may be documentary, fictional, interview-based, animated or creatively produced, provided that they comply with the competition rules.

4. Video Duration and Format

1. The completed video must be between 12 and 15 minutes, inclusive.
2. The runtime includes opening titles, closing credits and any introductory or concluding material.
3. Videos must be submitted in landscape orientation, preferably at a 16:9 aspect ratio.
4. The recommended minimum resolution is 1920 × 1080 pixels.
5. Audio must be clear and all on-screen text must be legible.
6. The final video must be provided as an MP4 file through Google Drive.
7. The link must permit the competition organisers to view or download the video.
8. Entries outside the permitted duration or format may be declared ineligible.

5. Language

Videos may be submitted in Malayalam or English.

English subtitles are strongly recommended for Malayalam entries, and Malayalam subtitles are welcome for English entries. Subtitles must accurately represent the dialogue and narration.

6. Originality and Use of AI

All entries must represent original creative work produced by the submitting participant or team.

AI tools may be used for supporting tasks such as editing assistance, transcription, subtitle preparation and research organisation. Entrants must disclose substantial AI-generated material, including synthetic footage, narration, music or major creative elements.

AI-generated content must not be used to impersonate real people, fabricate documentary evidence or misrepresent events as factual. All AI-assisted or generated material must comply with copyright, privacy and other applicable laws.

FoB may request clarification about the origin of material used in an entry.

7. Copyright and Third-Party Material

Participants must secure the necessary permissions or licences for music, photographs, footage, graphics, archival content, performances and other third-party materials included in their videos.

Giving credit does not automatically grant permission to use copyrighted material.

Participants are responsible for obtaining consent from identifiable interviewees and performers where required, and for complying with applicable filming and location restrictions.

8. Submission Procedure and Deadline

1. Entries must be submitted through the official FoB registration form.
2. The form must contain all required participant and video information.
3. The final video must be accessible through the Google Drive link supplied.
4. Submission deadline: 12 November 2026, 11:59 PM Indian Standard Time (IST).
5. The submission system’s recorded timestamp determines whether an entry was received on time.
6. Entries received after the deadline will not be considered.
7. Participants are responsible for ensuring that their submission is complete and accessible before the deadline.

9. Judging and Recognition

Each eligible entry will be assessed out of 100 points using the following criteria:

• Storytelling and narrative structure: 25 points
• Originality and creativity: 20 points
• Connection to Bharathapuzha: 20 points
• Research, insight and authenticity: 15 points
• Visual and audio execution: 10 points
• Emotional impact and clarity: 10 points
• Total: 100 points

The judging panel appointed by FoB will evaluate entries against these criteria. The three highest-scoring entries will receive the following recognitions:

• Voice of Nila
• River Guardian
• Young Visionary

The judging panel will assess every entry based on the published criteria. Social media popularity, views, likes, shares and the size of a creator’s audience will not affect the score.

The three entries with the highest final scores will receive the three recognitions, with category allocation based on the judging panel’s assessment. In the event of a tie, the higher score for storytelling and narrative structure will determine the ranking. If the tie remains unresolved, originality and creativity will be used as the next tie-breaker.

10. Meeting Opportunity

The creators of the three recognised entries will be invited to meet Dr. E. Sreedharan and discuss their ideas and vision for Bharathapuzha.

FoB will coordinate the meeting with the selected participants once the date and arrangements are confirmed. Participation in the competition does not guarantee a meeting for entrants other than the three selected creators.

11. Special Screening

Winning entries will receive a Special Screening at official FoB events.

FoB will communicate the screening arrangements to the selected creators. The screening may include an introduction to the film and its creators, subject to the event programme.

12. Copyright Licence and Publication Rights

Participants retain copyright ownership of their videos, subject to third-party rights, and grant FoB the licence described in the Participant Declaration, Copyright Licence and Consent agreement.

The licence permits FoB to publish, reproduce, screen, archive and promote submitted videos and to create reasonable promotional excerpts, trailers, thumbnails and subtitles for its official activities.

The licence is non-exclusive and royalty-free. FoB may use service providers to carry out these activities on its behalf. Commercial exploitation or broader sublicensing beyond the stated purposes requires separate terms.

Participation does not guarantee publication or selection. FoB will use submitted material in accordance with the published agreement and applicable law.

13. Disqualification

An entry may be disqualified if it:

• Fails to meet the eligibility, duration, format or submission requirements.
• Contains plagiarism, unauthorised copyrighted material or material that infringes third-party rights.
• Contains fabricated documentary evidence or materially misleading claims presented as fact.
• Includes false registration information or misrepresents the identities of the creators.
• Violates the competition rules or applicable law.
• Uses artificial engagement, paid voting or other prohibited methods to manipulate competition-related metrics.

FoB will communicate the reason for disqualification where practicable.

14. Results and Communication

FoB will contact the selected participants through their registered contact details.

Participants must respond to official communications within the time stated in the notification and provide any required verification or permissions.

The results will be published through FoB’s official communication channels after the judging process is complete.

15. Privacy and Personal Information

Participant information will be used for registration, eligibility verification, judging, results communication, recognition arrangements and the other purposes described in FoB’s privacy notice.

Personal information will be handled in accordance with the published privacy policy and applicable law. Permission to publish a participant’s video or profile will be governed by the relevant agreement.

16. Changes, Cancellation and Disputes

FoB may make reasonable administrative changes or cancel the competition where necessary. Any material changes will be communicated through the official website and, where appropriate, to registered participants.

Questions or complaints concerning the competition should be sent to connect@fobnila.org. FoB will review complaints in good faith and respond within a reasonable period.

The competition will be administered in accordance with applicable Indian law.

17. YouTube Disclaimer

YouTube is not a sponsor, organiser or endorser of this competition. The competition is independently organised by FoB. Participants must comply with YouTube’s applicable terms and policies wherever the platform is used.