The National School Band Competition is jointly conducted by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Education. It brings together students from diverse educational institutions, including CBSE, ICSE, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, Sainik Schools and PM-SHRI schools.
This year witnessed a remarkable rise in participation, reflecting growing enthusiasm among students. As many as 763 school band teams competed at the State and Union Territory levels, out of which 94 teams advanced to the Zonal rounds.
Intense Zonal-Level Competition
The Zonal-level competitions saw the participation of 80 school band teams from 30 States and Union Territories, involving 2,217 students. Performances were held across four categories — Brass Band Boys, Brass Band Girls, Pipe Band Boys and Pipe Band Girls.
After rigorous evaluation, four teams from each zone were selected, resulting in a total of 16 finalists who will now compete for top honours at the national level.
Grand Finale at National Bal Bhavan
The grand finale on January 24 will showcase disciplined marching, musical precision and coordinated performances before a distinguished jury appointed by the Ministry of Defence. The jury will include representatives from the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force.
The top three teams in each category will receive cash prizes of ₹51,000 for first place, ₹31,000 for second place and ₹21,000 for third place, along with trophies and certificates. Consolation prizes of ₹11,000 will be awarded to the remaining teams in each category.
Encouraging Unity Through Music
Beyond competition, the initiative serves as a platform to instil values of teamwork, discipline and national integration among young students. The performances symbolise India’s unity in diversity, with participants coming from varied cultural and regional backgrounds.
Officials noted that the growing scale and quality of performances indicate the success of the initiative in nurturing talent while strengthening emotional bonds with national celebrations.
Strengthening Republic Day Celebrations
The National School Band Competition has become an integral component of Republic Day celebrations in recent years. It complements the ceremonial parade by highlighting youth participation and cultural expression.
With the grand finale approaching, excitement is building as the country looks forward to witnessing the young musicians perform with pride and passion on a national stage.