Want Your Story Published by CBSE? Budding Authors Programme 2025–26 Is Now Open
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued a fresh circular announcing the CBSE Budding Authors Programme 2025–26, a nationwide initiative aimed at nurturing creative writing and storytelling skills among school students.
The programme invites students from Classes 5 to 10 to write and submit their own original short stories in Hindi or English, offering young writers a unique opportunity to see their work published at the national level.
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A Platform to Inspire Young Writers
According to the circular dated 05 January 2026, the Budding Authors Programme has been designed to help students discover the joy of creative expression.
Through authentic writing experiences, the initiative aims to strengthen language skills, critical thinking, and confidence. CBSE has clarified that the programme is open to all themes, genres, and styles of writing, giving students complete freedom to explore their imagination. Importantly, there is no registration fee for participation.
Who Can Participate and What to Write?
Students from Classes 5 to 10 can submit an original, unpublished short story in either Hindi or English. Each student may participate in only one language.
Word Limit by Class
| Class Category | Eligible Classes | Word Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | Classes 5–6 | 500–600 words |
| Category 2 | Classes 7–8 | 600–900 words |
| Category 3 | Classes 9–10 | 1000–1500 words |
CBSE has also noted that for Hindi submissions, both the student name and school name must be entered in Hindi on the portal.
How Will the Programme Be Conducted?
The Budding Authors Programme will take place in three stages, starting at the school level and moving up to national recognition.
Stage 1: School-Level Round
The first round will be conducted by schools between 06 January and 31 January 2026. Schools must follow the guidelines provided by CBSE and appoint one teacher as a Nodal Officer to coordinate the programme. There is no limit on the number of participants per class at this stage.
Stage 2: Registration and Submission
The second round will run from 03 February to 27 February 2026. Based on the school-level evaluation:
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- Each school must shortlist 12 best stories
- This includes two stories per class, one in Hindi and one in English
- Shortlisted students must be registered on the official CBSE portal using OASIS credentials
- The Nodal Teacher will upload the selected stories online
Stage 3: Evaluation and Publication
All shortlisted stories will be evaluated by a panel of subject experts. CBSE has stated that the final decision will rest with the committee constituted for the programme. The best entries at the national level will be e-published by CBSE as a compilation of short stories for each category.
The stories will be licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0). While the copyright will remain with the student authors, CBSE will hold the right to be the first publisher of the selected works.
Certificates and Recognition
CBSE will issue an online Participation Certificate to all students who qualify for the second round. Students whose work is judged as outstanding will receive a Certificate of Appreciation, recognising their creative achievement.
CBSE Urges Schools to Encourage Participation
Through this circular, CBSE has urged all affiliated schools to ensure maximum student participation. The Board believes that programmes like these play a crucial role in developing reading and writing habits from an early age and in fostering a culture of creativity in classrooms.
For queries related to the programme, schools may contact CBSE via email at cbse.reading.mission@cbseshiksha.in.
01_Circular_2026.pdfThe Budding Authors Programme 2025–26 marks another step by CBSE towards promoting holistic education, where creativity and self-expression are valued alongside academic learning.
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