The ministry of power in association with bureau of energy efficiency is undertaking the "national awareness campaign 2015", which involves children, enabling them to inculcate the habit of energy conservation.

The campaign aims at sensitising children towards issues of energy conservation. One of the major activities of the campaign is a painting competition for school students. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has asked its affiliated schools to take part in the 11th painting competition which is comprised in two categories - category A (classes 4, 5 and 6) and category B (classes 7, 8 and 9). The painting competition will be divided in three levels - school, state and national.

Sugandha Sharma, additional director of CBSE, said: "The painting competition on energy conservation is being held since 2005. In 2014, around 60 lakh students from various parts of the country participated in the painting competition. The winners of the national level painting competition were felicitated by the Union minister of state for power, coal and new and renewable energy in a function held at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi," she said.

The participating students will receive a certificate of participation by the bureau of energy efficiency (BEE) and ministry of power, government of India. "Schools are requested to send the list of participating students categorically to their state nodal officers by September 30, 2015. Schools which would record a 100% participation at the painting competition, will have their names included in the competition booklet prepared by BEE," she said.

The district education officer, Chandrasekhar Kumar, said: "An expert committee will select a maximum number of 50 paintings each, for category A and B out of the total numbers of paintings sent by the principal of the respective schools.

The selected students will then be invited for a state level on-the-spot painting competition on November 6, 2015.

According to the CBSE circular, the first, second and third prize winners of category A would be invited to Delhi to participate in the national level painting competition on December 12, 2015. The results would be declared on December 14, 2015. A committee of experts at Delhi will evaluate the nominations of students who emerge as the top three winners from category B.

Lalit Singh, a class VII student of Radiant International School, said: "Last year, I qualified for the state level painting competition in category A but could not compete at the national level for some personal reasons. But this time, I will try my best to make it to the next level."

Shreya Suman, a class V student of St Michael's High School said: "These state and national level competitions give students like us a leeway to know our hidden potential. Painting is one of my favourite hobbies. I want to make a career in this field."