A total of 13,407 students from government and government-aided schools are expected to participate in the state-level art and culture competitions scheduled for January 5 and 6.

The school education department will hold separate competitions for government and government-aided students. The competitions are divided into five categories: Classes I and II, Classes III to V, Classes VI to VIII, Classes IX and X, and Classes XI and XII.

According to officials from the school education department, over 46.7 lakh students participated in the competitions at the school level. From this pool, 89,350 students progressed to the district-level competitions, according to a report by The New Indian Express.

Participation has more than doubled compared to last year, when around 19 lakh students took part. This increase is due to the inclusion of government-aided schools and students from Classes I to V this year.

The department plans to honour the winners at a special event and will take around 100 students on an international exposure visit, stated a report by The New Indian Express.

According to a circular from Samagra Shiksha, the competitions will be held in Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, and Namakkal. It asked the chief educational officers in the districts to ensure that the district-level winners are taken to the venues on the specified dates.