Tiatr Competition for Educational Institutions at Higher Secondary/College/University Level

What is the Tiatr Competition for Educational Institutions?

Tiatr Competition for Educational Institutions at Higher Secondary/College/ University level is scheme number 40 of the 41 schemes run by the Tiatr Academy of Goa (TAG), the autonomous body of the Government of Goa under the Department of Art and Culture. TAG explains the scheme's origin at the head of the rules: a lot of enthusiasm is shown by students of educational institutions at higher secondary, college and university level to involve themselves in tiatr activities, this is a good sign for the development of tiatr, and TAG has therefore formulated the scheme.

Tiatr is the Konkani musical theatre form built in acts called podd'dde with songs called kantaram or cantos set between them, and a comedy track tied to the main plot. Staging a full-length tiatr is expensive; live band, lights, a built set, costumes and make-up, which puts it out of reach of most student groups. This scheme removes that barrier by reimbursing up to Rs 50,000 of production expenditure per institution.

The current rules document on the TAG website is the 2025 edition, which carries the updated participation and format rules described on this page.

What does a participating institution receive?

• Reimbursement of a maximum expenditure of Rs 50,000 (rule 7(b)).
• Under rule 11, this financial support is meant to meet expenditure on: (a) music; live band with at least two blowing instruments, (b) light effects, (c) stage setting, (d) background music, (e) make-up, (f) costumes, (g) refreshments for rehearsals, and (h) transport.
• All payments are made by cheque in the name of the educational institution, not in the name of a teacher or a student.
• A video recording of the tiatr. TAG records every performance with a videographer it appoints, to preserve the legacy of tiatr for posterity, and the institution may take a soft copy from TAG.

Under rule 18, the prizes themselves are mementos and certificates with no cash prizes, across an unusually wide list of categories:

• Best Performance to 1st, 2nd and 3rd
• Individual acting to 1st and 2nd for male, 1st and 2nd for female, 1st and 2nd for best comedian male, 1st and 2nd for best comedian female
• Best Direction to 1st, 2nd and 3rd
• Other aspects: best setting, best light effects, best live music, best background music, best make-up, best costumes
• Best Singer (solo) — 1st, 2nd and 3rd for male and for female
• Other songs to 1st, 2nd and 3rd for best duet, best duo, best trio, best quartet/quintet and best choral song
• Best Lyrics to 1st and 2nd
• Best Script to 1st and 2nd

What format must the tiatr follow?

Rule 6 fixes the traditional format TAG approves for this scheme:

• 6 to 7 acts (podd'dde) with at least 4 cantos.
• Comedy linked to the story of the play.
• At least 10 kantaram, which must include 1 interactive duet, 1 interactive duo, 1 interactive trio, 1 interactive quartet or quintet, 1 choral song, and solos.

Rule 5 sets the duration at not less than 2 hours and not more than 3 hours, including an interval of minimum 10 and maximum 15 minutes. Rule 4 allows the script to be a new one or any tiatr script published by a reputed tiatr writer.

Who can and cannot take part?

An institution can take part if:

• It is an educational institution at higher secondary, college or university level in Goa.
• It can field a cast and crew of academic students. Rule 7(a) limits participation strictly to academic students, except for stage setting, live band music and light effects, and rule 7(d) requires 100 per cent participation of students.
• It performs its own original script, or an old script with the written permission of the writer (rule 7(c)).
• It can produce a bonafide certificate from the Head of the institution naming each participating student and their standard (rule 12).
• It applies within the stipulated time after TAG announces the scheme.

An institution is not eligible, and cannot apply, if:

• It uses non-students in roles other than stage setting, live band music and light effects.
• It has already performed more than 2 shows of the given script before the competition performance (rule 9).
• Its tiatr runs under 2 hours or over 3 hours.
• It misses the deadline, and note that even a previous year's award winner loses its direct entry if the entry does not arrive before the due date.
• It fails to submit the typed script and songs, cast and song summary at the TAG office during office hours 3 days before the competition commences (rule 8).
• Its script, song lyrics, performance or speeches carry adverse remarks against any government, individual or institution, or anything against caste, creed or religion that may hurt sentiments. Under rule 10, TAG may disqualify the performance and refuse or recall payment.

Rule 7(e) is worth flagging for teachers planning casting: students can play roles regardless of gender expectations, so a shortage of male or female students in a particular class is not a barrier to staging the tiatr.

How to apply for the Tiatr Competition for Educational Institutions

1. Watch for the announcement. Rule 1 says the scheme will be announced in the local press and colleges will be informed. Interested institutions must apply in the prescribed form within the stipulated time.
2. Download the prescribed form for scheme 40 from the Schemes of TAG page at tiatracademyofgoa.com. The current file is the 2025 edition.
3. Fill the form completely. It asks for the name of the educational institution, the name of the tiatr, the address, PAN with a copy, Aadhaar with a copy, contact number, email, playwright, director, light effects, set designer, background music, costumes, make-up and live band. It also asks for the structural details: number of podd'ddes, number of cantos, whether the comedy is related to the play, and the count of solos, interactive duets, duos, trios, quartets/quintets and choral songs.
4. Get the bonafide certificate from the Head of the institution, naming each participating student and their standard, as rule 12 requires.
5. Submit the form to the Tiatr Academy of Goa, AS-1, 2nd Floor, Campal Trade Centre, Campal, Panaji, Goa 403001, before the due date.
6. Attend the lots meeting if called. If more than 10 applications arrive, TAG calls a meeting of all applicants and decides the remaining 7 places by lots. The first three award winners of the previous year hold direct entry.
7. Submit the script and songs 3 days before the competition. Rule 8 requires a typed copy of the script and a typed copy of the songs, plus the cast of the tiatr and a summary of songs, at the TAG office during office hours.
8. Stage the tiatr at the place and on the day identified by TAG. The schedule is announced in the local newspapers under rule 14.

How do we claim the Rs 50,000 reimbursement?

The scheme works as a reimbursement, so the institution incurs the expenditure first. Rule 7(b) caps it at a maximum of Rs 50,000, and rule 11 defines the eight heads it may be spent under; live band music with at least two blowing instruments, light effects, stage setting, background music, make-up, costumes, refreshments for rehearsals, and transport.

Keep bills and vouchers under each of those eight heads. All payments are made by cheque in the name of the educational institution, so the institution's bank details and PAN must be in order before the claim is put in. Rule 10 also allows TAG to recall payment already made if a disqualifying breach is proved after the fact, so the conditions do not lapse once the cheque is issued.

What are the common reasons an entry fails?

• Non-students in the cast. Only stage setting, live band music and light effects may be handled by non-students.
• No bonafide certificate naming students and standards.
• Missing the 3-day script and songs deadline before the competition.
• More than 2 prior shows of the same script by the same troupe.
• A tiatr under 2 hours or over 3 hours, or an interval outside 10 to 15 minutes.
• A format shortfall: fewer than 6 podd'dde, fewer than 4 cantos, fewer than 10 kantaram, or a missing interactive duet, duo, trio, quartet/quintet or choral song.
• Missing PAN or Aadhaar copies with the form.
• Content breaching rule 10, in the script, lyrics, performance or speeches.
• A previous winner missing the due date, which forfeits the direct entry under rule 2.

TAG reserves the right, under rule 17, to make any changes in the rules, so work from the current PDF on the Schemes of TAG page. Rule 15 makes the panel of judges' decision final and binding on all.

Where do I raise a grievance about this competition?

Contact the Tiatr Academy of Goa on 0832-2230738 (fax 0832-2230739) or by email at tiatracademy@gmail.com. The office is at AS-1, 2nd Floor, Campal Trade Centre, Campal, Panaji, Goa 403001.

Under the Right to Information Act, the Member Secretary of TAG is the Public Information Officer and the President of TAG is the First Appellate Authority, so a written RTI application about a pending reimbursement or a rejected entry goes first to the Member Secretary at that address. Because rule 15 makes the judges' decision final, a grievance should be confined to procedure rather than to the result.

Key facts to remember

• Tiatr Competition for Educational Institutions is scheme 40 of 41 run by the Tiatr Academy of Goa.
• Minimum 5 and maximum 10 institutions take part; the previous top 3 get direct entry.
• TAG reimburses expenditure up to Rs 50,000 per institution, by cheque in the institution's name.
• Prizes are mementos and certificates only: no cash prizes.
• The tiatr must run 2 to 3 hours including a 10 to 15 minute interval.
• Format: 6 to 7 podd'dde, at least 4 cantos, at least 10 kantaram, comedy tied to the story.
• Participation is limited to academic students except stage setting, live band and lights.
• A bonafide certificate from the Head of the institution is compulsory.

How to check your application status

There is no online portal or tracking number for this scheme, so status checking is manual and happens at three separate points in the process.

1. After submitting the entry form. Since only 5 to 10 institutions can take part and the first 3 slots go to the previous year's award winners, call the Tiatr Academy of Goa on 0832-2230738 to confirm your form has been received and to ask whether a lots meeting has been scheduled (this happens only if more than 10 institutions apply for the remaining places). TAG does not send an automatic acknowledgement, so a follow-up call after a week or two is the only way to know your entry is in the pool.
2. Confirming your performance date. TAG announces the competition schedule in local newspapers under rule 14, not by individual letter to each institution, so the institution's coordinator should track the local press or call the office directly once the announcement stage has passed to get the exact date and venue.
3. Tracking the Rs 50,000 reimbursement after the performance. Because payment is made by cheque to the institution and can take time to process, and because rule 10 allows TAG to withhold or recall payment if a breach is later established, follow up with the office by phone or in writing (email to tiatracademy@gmail.com) a few weeks after the show if the cheque has not arrived, quoting the institution's name and the year of participation. Keep a copy of the submitted form, the bonafide certificate, and the bills and vouchers for the eight permitted expenditure heads, since the office may ask for these again before releasing payment.

If a call or email does not resolve a stuck reimbursement or a dispute over eligibility, a written request can be sent to the Member Secretary of TAG, the designated Public Information Officer, at AS-1, 2nd Floor, Campal Trade Centre, Campal, Panaji, Goa 403001.