PEYJAL GATHA Water Stories & Ideas Challenge 2026 by MyGov for Class 8–12 Students [National Certificate]: Submit by Dec 8

MyGov is inviting students studying in Classes VIII–XII across India to participate in PEYJAL GATHA – National Water Stories & Water Ideas Challenge 2026. Students can document drinking-water experiences, traditional wisdom, local water bodies or practical water-security ideas. Shortlisted students will receive a Certificate of National Recognition.

Click here to participate in PEYJAL GATHA 2026.

About the Challenge

PEYJAL GATHA is a national competition encouraging school students to explore drinking-water experiences within their families, schools and communities.

The challenge aims to preserve local water knowledge, document community memories, encourage practical conservation ideas and create a repository of authentic student-generated content for education and public awareness.

Eligibility Criteria

The challenge is open to students enrolled in Classes VIII–XII in recognised schools across India, including schools affiliated with:

• State and Union Territory boards
• CBSE
• Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan
• Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti
• National Institute of Open Schooling
• Other eligible school systems

Although the general Terms and Conditions state that the competition is open to all Indian citizens, the dedicated competition description specifically restricts participation to students in Classes VIII–XII. Applicants should therefore follow the more specific student eligibility requirement.

Participant Groups

Group A: Classes VIII–X

Entries will be assessed using age-appropriate expectations.

Students may submit a written entry of up to 500 words.

Group B: Classes XI–XII

Entries will be assessed with greater emphasis on analysis, practicality and feasibility.

Students may submit a written entry of up to 800 words, limited to approximately three or four pages.

Competition Categories

1. My Drinking Water Story

Students may share a personal, family, school or community story connected with drinking water.

Possible subjects include:

• Life before and after receiving household tap water
• Women and water
• Community action
• Changes in health, dignity, time or daily life

At least 40–50% of the entry should relate directly to drinking water and its impact.

2. Water Wisdom of My Village

Students may document traditional knowledge, practices, structures or customs related to water.

Possible subjects include:

• Rainwater harvesting
• Ponds, wells, stepwells and springs
• Oral traditions
• Source protection
• Local water-management practices

At least 50% of the entry should connect this local wisdom with drinking water. “Then and now” photographs may also be included.

3. Young Water Innovator: Finding an AQUA Solution

Students may present a practical and affordable idea for saving, reusing, monitoring or managing water.

Possible ideas include:

• School water-saving initiatives
• Greywater reuse
• Awareness tools
• Simple monitoring systems
• Source-sustainability measures

At least 40% of the entry should address drinking water or its supporting systems and explain the expected impact.

4. My Local Water Body and Its Life

Students may document a nearby pond, river, lake, spring, johad, talab or another local water source.

The entry may examine its:

• History and ecology
• Present condition
• Importance to the community
• Current challenges
• Restoration and protection needs

At least 50% of the entry should explain the water body’s connection with drinking water or source sustainability.

Submission Guidelines

• Classes VIII–X may submit up to 500 words.
• Classes XI–XII may submit up to 800 words and not more than three or four pages.
• The entry must be uploaded in PDF format only.
• The PDF must be clear and readable.
• Each student may participate only once.
• Multiple entries from the same participant will be discarded.
• The submission must be original and unpublished.
• It must not have been submitted to another competition.
• Entries may be submitted only through MyGov.
• Email and WhatsApp submissions will not be accepted.
• Plagiarised, incomplete, unsafe, offensive or factually misleading submissions may be rejected.
• Students must provide accurate contact and postal details.

Click here to log in and upload your PDF entry.

Consent and Ethical Documentation

If an entry includes identifiable people, interviews, photographs or community knowledge, the student must obtain appropriate consent.

Students should represent people and communities respectfully and avoid publishing private, unsafe or misleading information.

Evaluation Criteria

Entries will be evaluated on:

• Relevance to drinking water: 30%
• Originality and authenticity: 25%
• Quality of the story or idea: 20%
• Value of local knowledge: 15%
• Ethical documentation: 10%

The Expert Committee’s decision will be final and binding.

Reward

Shortlisted students will receive a Certificate of National Recognition.

The official page does not mention any cash prize or monetary reward.

Important Intellectual-Property Note

The supplied Terms and Conditions state that the winning essay will become MyGov’s exclusive intellectual property and that the winner will have no claim over its future use, modification or reproduction.

Another clause grants MyGov an exclusive, irrevocable, perpetual and royalty-free right over the submitted work, but incorrectly refers to a “logo and tagline.” This appears unrelated to a water-story competition and may be a template error.

The official Terms and Conditions PDF link was returning a 404 error when checked on September 28, 2026. Students, parents and teachers should review the live MyGov page for a corrected document or updated clarification before submitting.

How to Participate?

1. Select one of the four competition categories.
2. Collect information through personal observation, family conversations, school experiences or community interaction.
3. Obtain consent before using interviews, identifiable photographs or community knowledge.
4. Prepare an original entry within the applicable word limit.
5. Convert the entry into a clear PDF.
6. Register or log in to MyGov.
7. Upload the PDF through the official competition page.
8. Retain any available submission acknowledgement.

Important Dates

• Competition opens: September 9, 2026, at 7:00 PM IST
• Submission deadline: December 8, 2026, at 11:45 PM IST

Entries submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

Click here to read the official PEYJAL GATHA guidelines and participate.

Click here to log in directly and submit your entry.