Malappuram emerged overall champion after four days of competitions in 180 events at the State School Science Festival here on Sunday.
Malappuram bagged the championship with 1,442 points, winning the first position in 26 events and securing 245 A grades. It bagged the second position in 13 events and came third in 15, and got B grade in 11 events. The dominance it secured on the second day of the festival was maintained till the end.
Last year’s champions Palakkad secured second place with 1,350 points. Kannur took the third position with 1,333 points, while Kozhikode, which trailed behind by just a point, settled at fourth position.
Score card
Except for the Science Fair, Malappuram was the leader in all other categories – Mathematics Fair (268 points), Social Science Fair (132 points), Work Experience Fair (792), and IT Fair (144 points). In Science Fair, Malappuram was ranked 11 (106 points).
Thrissur grabbed the top spot in Science Fair with 124 points, followed by Palakkad in second position with 120 points, and Kasaragod with 119 points.
In Mathematics Fair, Palakkad and Thrissur were in second (256 points) and third (255 points) positions with a difference of a single point.
Thiruvananthapuram came second in Social Science Fair with 125 points, with Kottayam close behind with 123 points.
Palakkad and Kozhikode were ranked second and third in Work Experience Fair with 746 and 739 points, respectively.
Kannur secured the second position with 128 points and Kozhikode the third with 115 points in IT Fair.
Among schools, Durga Higher Secondary School, Kanhangad, Kasaragod, was the overall champion with 142 points. Fathima Matha Girls Higher Secondary School, Koomanpara, Idukki, was in second place with 138 points, closely followed by Higher Secondary School, Panangad, Thrissur, with 134 points.
A Malappuram school was, however, in the top spot in Science Fair – GB Higher Secondary School, Manjeri.
TRK HSS, Vaniyamkulam, was the topper in Mathematics Fair; CJ Higher Secondary School, Chemmanad, Kasaragod in Social Science Fair; Durga Higher Secondary School, Kanhangad, in Work Experience Fair; and SG Higher Secondary School, Kattappana, Idukki, in IT Fair.
V.K. Prasanth, MLA, gave away the prizes. A souvenir with a cover picture produced using artificial intelligence was released on the occasion.
Huge participation
A video message by Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty who was taking part in Nava Kerala Sadas was screened on the occasion.
The Minister said a gold cup for the district that secured the maximum points in the State School Science Fair from next year was under consideration. Nearly 10 lakh students took part in various levels of the festival. At a time when scientific truths were being ignored and superstitions and historical untruths were being propagated, such festivals with huge participation of the student community were important. Beyond textbooks, students should display their talents in science, art, sports, reading, and so on. He stressed the importance of providing opportunities to students to excel and making a name for themselves. More than winning, presenting one’s ideas and skill was important, Mr. Sivankutty said.
