2026 PEYJAL GATHA National Water Stories & Water Ideas Challenge in India, Peyjal Gatha is envisioned as a national competition for students in Classes VIII–XII across India, encouraging them to explore and document stories and experiences connected to drinking water.
The initiative invites students to uncover water-related narratives from their families, schools, and local communities, including traditional water wisdom, indigenous practices, local water bodies, and innovative approaches to water management. It aims to preserve valuable knowledge, memories, and community practices that could otherwise be lost or remain undocumented.
The competition also encourages young participants to propose practical, youth-driven solutions for water conservation, reuse, sustainable water sources, and responsible consumption. The stories, ideas, and documentation
Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the full details and submit their applications before the specified deadline to seize this grant opportunity.
Last Date of Submission: 8th December 2026
2026 PEYJAL GATHA National Water Stories & Water Ideas Challenge in India
Eligibility and Scope
Peyjal Gatha is open to students enrolled in Classes VIII–XII in schools recognised by State and Union Territory (UT) Boards, CBSE, KVS, NVS, NIOS, and other eligible school systems across India.
2026 PEYJAL GATHA National Water Stories & Water Ideas Challenge in India
Participant Groups
- Group A: Classes VIII–X— Entries will be evaluated according to age-appropriate expectations, with emphasis on observation, storytelling, creativity, and local relevance.
- Group B: Classes XI–XII— Entries will be assessed with greater emphasis on analysis, practical thinking, evidence, and the feasibility of proposed ideas.
2026 PEYJAL GATHA National Water Stories & Water Ideas Challenge in India
Competition Categories
- My Drinking Water Story
What to submit:
Share a personal, family, school, or community story that explores the role of drinking water in everyday life.
Suggested themes:
- Life before and after household tap water
- Women and access to water
- Community-led water initiatives
- Changes in health, time, dignity, or daily life
Drinking water focus: At least 40–50% of the entry should directly explore drinking water and its impact.
- Water Wisdom of My Village
What to submit:
Document traditional knowledge, practices, structures, or customs connected to water in your village or community.
Suggested themes:
- Rainwater harvesting
- Ponds, wells, stepwells, and springs
- Oral traditions and local knowledge
- Protection of water sources
- Traditional water-management practices
Drinking water focus: At least 50% of the entry should explain how this local wisdom relates to drinking water. Participants may also include “then and now” photographs to show how practices or water sources have changed.
- Young Water Innovator: Finding an AQUA Solution
What to submit:
Propose a practical and affordable idea that can help save, reuse, monitor, or manage water more effectively.
Suggested themes:
- Water-saving initiatives in schools
- Greywater reuse
- Awareness and behaviour-change tools
- Simple water-monitoring solutions
- Sustainable water-source management
Drinking water focus: At least 40% of the entry should address drinking water or systems that support drinking-water security, along with the expected impact of the proposed solution.
- My Local Water Body and Its Life
What to submit:
Explore and document a nearby pond, river, lake, spring, johad, talab, or other local water source.
Suggested themes:
- History and heritage
- Ecology and biodiversity
- Present condition
- Community dependence
- Challenges and threats
- Ideas for restoration and long-term care
Drinking water focus: At least 50% of the entry should explain the water body’s importance to drinking water or the sustainability of local water sources.
How Entries Will Be Evaluated
Entries will be assessed on the following criteria:
- Originality and authenticity – 25%:Demonstration of the student’s own voice, local evidence, observations, and experiences.
- Relevance to drinking water – 30%:Strength and clarity of the connection to drinking water, conservation, service delivery, or source sustainability.
- Quality of the story or idea – 20%:Clarity, creativity, coherence, and effectiveness of communication.
- Local knowledge value – 15%:Insights into community practices, heritage, local changes, or water-related challenges.
- Ethical documentation – 10%:Appropriate consent, respect for people’s dignity, safe representation, and responsible use of photographs and other documentation.
Recognition
Shortlisted students will receive a Certificate of National Recognition, acknowledging their contribution to documenting local water stories, knowledge, and solutions.
Terms and Conditions
- The competition is open to citizens of Indiawho meet the applicable eligibility requirements.
- Students in Classes VIII–Xmay submit a written entry of up to 500 words, while students in Classes XI–XII may submit an entry of up to 800 words, not exceeding 3–4 pages.
- Entries must be submitted in PDF format only.
- All entries must be submitted exclusively through the MyGov website. Submissions made through email, WhatsApp, or any other means will not be accepted.
- Participants must provide accurate details, including their name, email address, telephone number, and postal address, including state. By providing these details, participants consent to their use for purposes related to the competition.
- Entries received after the specified submission deadline will not be considered under any circumstances.
- Participants are responsible for ensuring that their uploaded entries are clear, legible, and complete.
- Each participant may submit only one entry. Multiple entries from the same participant will be rejected.
- All submissions must be the participant’s original workand must not have been previously published or submitted to another competition. Where an entry includes identifiable individuals, interviews, photographs, or community knowledge, the participant must obtain appropriate consent. Incomplete, plagiarised, unsafe, offensive, or factually misleading submissions may be rejected. Detailed terms and conditions may be finalised jointly with MyGov and participating institutions.
- The organisers will not be responsible for entries that are lost, delayed, incomplete, or not successfully transmitted due to technical issues, computer errors, or circumstances beyond their reasonable control. Proof of submission does not constitute proof of receipt.
- In the event of unforeseen circumstances, the organisers reserve the right to amend, suspend, or withdraw the competition at any time, including the right to modify these Terms and Conditions.
- All submissions must be original and unpublishedand must comply with the Indian Copyright Act, 1957. Entries must not infringe upon the intellectual property rights of any third party.
- By entering the competition, participants acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms and Conditions.
- The organisers reserve the right to disqualify or refuse participation to any participant whose participation or conduct is deemed detrimental to the competition, organisers, or their partners. Registrations may also be declared invalid if the information provided is illegible, incomplete, damaged, false, or inaccurate.
- MyGov will not be responsible for any copyright violations or intellectual property infringements committed by participants. Any entry found to involve such violations may be disqualified at any stage of the competition.
- The organisers’ decisions regarding the competition will be final and binding, and no correspondence concerning such decisions will be entertained.
- The winning essay will become the exclusive intellectual property of MyGov, and the winner will have no claim over its future use, modification, reproduction, or publication.
- By participating in the competition, participants grant MyGov an exclusive, irrevocable, perpetual, royalty-free rightto use, adapt, modify, reproduce, publish, and display submitted material, including any logo or tagline, in any form, medium, or platform.
- Any entry found to violate the competition guidelines or these Terms and Conditions at any stage may be disqualified without prior notice.
- Entries will be evaluated by an Expert Committee, whose decision will be final and binding on all participants.
- Any changes, announcements, or updates concerning the competition will be published on the MyGov platform. Participants are responsible for keeping themselves informed of such updates.
- Participants must ensure that all information provided during registration and submission is complete, accurate, and correct.
- Participation in the competition constitutes acceptance of and agreement to comply with all applicable Terms and Conditions.
- Any disputes arising out of or in connection with the competition will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts in Delhi.
- These Terms and Conditions will be governed by the applicable laws of India.
Why the Peyjal Gatha Challenge Is Important
The Peyjal Gatha Challenge gives students an opportunity to look at water not simply as a resource, but as an essential part of their families, communities, history, and everyday lives.
The challenge is important because it encourages young people to document local water stories and traditional knowledge that might otherwise be forgotten. It also creates a space for students to identify challenges around drinking water and think about practical solutions that can be applied in their own schools and communities.
By bringing together personal stories, local traditions, observations of water bodies, and youth-led innovations, the challenge can help build greater awareness of water conservation, sustainable sources, responsible consumption, and community participation.
Most importantly, it encourages students to become young water ambassadors who can learn from their communities and contribute their own ideas to India’s water-security efforts.
What Makes a Strong Application?
A strong entry should feel personal, locally grounded, original, and relevant to drinking water. Students should focus on showing what they have discovered rather than simply presenting general information about water.
- Choose a specific story or issue:A focused story about one family, village, water body, school initiative, or solution is stronger than a broad discussion of water problems.
- Use your own observations:Describe what you personally saw, heard, experienced, or learned from people in your community.
- Make the drinking-water connection clear:Ensure the entry meets the required drinking-water focus for the selected category.
- Include local knowledge:Interviews, community memories, traditional practices, historical information, photographs, and observations can make an entry more authentic.
- Show change or impact:Where possible, explain how things have changed over time and what difference access to safe water, conservation, or community action has made.
- For innovation entries, be practical:Explain how your idea would work, who could use it, what it would cost or require, and what impact it could have.
- Tell a compelling story:Use clear language and a beginning, middle, and conclusion rather than simply listing facts.
- Respect ethical documentation:Obtain consent when photographing or interviewing people, and represent communities and their knowledge respectfully.
- Keep it original:The entry should be the student’s own work and should reflect their individual voice and understanding.
A useful question to ask before submitting
“What did I discover about water in my own community that someone elsewhere in India might not know?”
That unique local perspective can become the strongest part of the entry.
How to apply?
Note: For more comprehensive details click the link below
Get full access to the grant information, visit the Official Website Link
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who can participate in the Peyjal Gatha Challenge?
The challenge is intended for students studying in Classes VIII–XII in eligible schools across India, including schools recognised by State/UT Boards, CBSE, KVS, NVS, NIOS, and other eligible school systems.
2. What can I submit?
You can choose from four categories: My Drinking Water Story, Water Wisdom of My Village, Young Water Innovator: Finding an AQUA Solution, or My Local Water Body and Its Life. Each category has different requirements and a specific focus on drinking water.
3. Can I use photographs, interviews, or community stories?
Yes. Photographs, interviews, oral histories, and local knowledge can strengthen an entry, particularly in categories involving traditional practices and local water bodies. However, students must obtain appropriate consent when documenting identifiable people or using community knowledge.
4. How long can my entry be?
Students in Classes VIII–X can submit entries of up to 500 words, while students in Classes XI–XII can submit up to 800 words, with the entry not exceeding 3–4 pages. Entries must be submitted in PDF format.
5. What will judges look for?
Entries will be assessed on originality and authenticity, relevance to drinking water, quality of the story or idea, local knowledge value, and ethical documentation. Shortlisted students will receive a Certificate of National Recognition.
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