KPP - Rules and Selection
HindiUSA Kavita Paath Pratiyogita Rules
Kavita Paath Pratiyogita is HindiUSA’s biggest and most popular competition that is held level wise among the students of ages 5-17 for all nine levels. It’s a fun competition that provides a platform for students to build confidence, develop leadership quality, sharpen memory, and improve pronunciation of Hindi language. This competition connects students to the uniqueness of their heritage and Hindi literature. All HindiUSA students are advised and highly encouraged to participate in Poem Competition.
Students who participate in this competition get extra credit in their oral exam.
External judges are invited to judge the Kavita Paath competition. Parents, their relatives, and community members are encouraged to attend this program without any cost to them.
Note: This information applies to both in-person as well as online competition. Information that applies only to online competition or to in-person competition is specifically called out at appropriate places within the document.
● Online competition is for students at online schools and remote schools who cannot participate in in-person competition. Students from all other schools will participate in in-person competition.
● Online competition will have 2 rounds, School/Class Level competition and Final competition.
● In-person competition will have 3 rounds, Quarter Final, Semi-Final, and Final Round
Round 1: Quarter Final Round/School Level (both online and in-person)
In round 1 (quarter-final), each school will hold an internal competition among its own students in January. This competition is conducted either during school time on Friday, or on Saturday depending on the availability of school facilities. Please contact your school coordinator and your child's teacher for this round. If your child is selected for the next round and you are not going to be available for it, please let your coordinator know so that the next student can be given a chance to participate.
Round 2: Semi Final (for in-person competition), Final (for online competition)
Winners from quarter final round (school level) from all HindiUSA schools will participate in this round in interschool level in February/March (details will be provided later).
This round is considered final round for the online competition across all levels as well as participants of in-person competition of S-1 to B-2 levels.
Round 3: Final (in-person only)
Winners from the semi-final competition for I-1 to A-2 levels will participate in the finals at Hindi Mahotsav in May (Details will be shared later).
Rules of Kavita Paath
1. Poem must be memorized. Students will not be allowed to read poems written on paper or any device.
2. Competitors will be judged on criteria like pronunciation, memorization, expression, presentation, confidence etc.
3. Introduction of poem, greetings etc. will not be included in reciting time.
Introduction must be brief. Participants should not announce their school
and level names.
4. Every participant will follow the time limit according to their level.
Level Reciting Time Limit
Starter-1 30 Seconds
Starter-2 45 Seconds
Beginner-1 1 Minute
Beginner-2 1.5 Minutes
Intermediate-1 2 Minutes
Intermediate-2 2 Minutes
Intermediate-3 2.5 Minutes
Advance-1 3 Minutes (not < 2 minutes)
Advance-2 3 Minutes (not < 2 minutes)
Important: If a participant exceeds the time limit for the level, he/she will lose 5 points from the total score. It is likely that the lowered score may push the student’s rank down enough such that he/she may not qualify for the next
level.
5. Poem recital duration can be shorter than what is allocated to the level, but it cannot exceed.
6. Prizes will be given based on the student’s performance in various categories
7. Students who are absent on the day of the Kavita Paath will not be given any credit for participation.
8. Students can dress and hold props, have background etc. matching their poems. Participants are encouraged to wear Bhartiya dresses or special costume according to their poem.
9. Song, Bhajan, Aarti, Rashtriya Geet, Chalisa, or Shloks are NOT allowed. Poems used in Hindi movies are also not allowed. If a student is not sure whether the poem is appropriate or not, please have it reviewed by the
student’s teacher or school coordinator. Any poem that is not reviewed and does not follow the above guidelines, will be disqualified.
10. A student must not repeat the same poem he/she had recited at any of the past years’ competition.
11.Participants must submit the name and first line of their poems to their teacher to avoid repetition of same poem by others.
12.For in-person competition, students must reach the venue on time. If a student is late in reaching the venue and/or if misses the turn, he/she will not be allowed to recite the poem.
Additional rules for online competition
13.Each student must recite the poem standing up, with at least their upper half body visible on the screen.
14.Please make sure that the background is very simple. A busy background with a lot of pictures and artifacts causes distractions. If props are being used for the Kavita, try to place them on one side of the student.
Note: Virtual background should not be used
15.Students will not be allowed to participate via pre-recorded video.
Important Tips
1. The standard of poem should be according to the child’s Hindi class level. For example, Starter-1 and Starter-2 students are advised to recite poems related to their curriculum like festivals, flags, colors, animals, fruits, vegetables, relations, feelings, nature, etc.
2. Students of Intermediate and Advance levels should also tell the name of the poet/ess whose poem they will recite. Introduction of poem should be in the following format: “नमस्ते, मेरा नाम रचना है। मेरी कविता का नाम “उठ जाग भारत” है। मेरी कविता केकवि श्री गजेंद्र सोलंकी हैं। मेरी कविता की कवियत्री श्रीमती सररता शमााहैं। Please do not say लेखक और लेखखका।
3. Select poem according to student’s skill. If a student can sing soft spoken poem provide him/her same stream poem. Provide िीर रस poem if the student can recite it in a commanding voice.
4. Before memorizing your poem, check with your teacher or school coordinator if it meets the rules and criteria of the competition.
Below are some links for Hindi poems.
http://www.pitara.com/talespin/poems_hindi.asp
http://kavitakosh.org/
http://www.hindinest.com/kavita/0poems.htm
http://www.anubhuti-hindi.org/
https://www.geeta-kavita.com/
https://thesimplehelp.com/hindi-poems-for-kids/