16 selected teams to perform in grand finale at National Bal Bhavan, New Delhi
New Delhi | As part of the Republic Day Celebrations 2026, the National School Band Competition has successfully concluded its Zonal-level round, with 16 school teams from across the country qualifying for the grand finale to be held at the National Bal Bhavan, New Delhi, on January 24, 2026.
The shortlisted teams represent four zones—East, West, North and South—and will compete across four categories: Brass Band Boys, Brass Band Girls, Pipe Band Boys and Pipe Band Girls. Four teams from each zone have been selected, reflecting a balanced national representation and the diversity of musical traditions nurtured in schools across India. The competition aims to revive and strengthen the spirit of patriotism, discipline and national unity among school children.
The finalists include schools from Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Tripura, Gujarat, Delhi, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh, among others. Prestigious institutions such as City Montessori School, Lucknow; St Xavier’s High School, Chaibasa; Don Bosco High School, Mumbai; Government Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Delhi; and PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalaya, Bengaluru have secured places in the final round.
The top three teams in each category will be awarded cash prizes of ₹51,000, ₹31,000 and ₹21,000 respectively, along with trophies and certificates. Consolation prizes of ₹11,000 will be given to the remaining finalist teams in each category. Performances will be evaluated by a jury appointed by the Ministry of Defence, comprising experts from the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force.
The competition is being jointly organised by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Education. At the first level, it was conducted by all States and Union Territories, involving schools affiliated with CBSE, ICSE, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, PM-SHRI schools, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Awasiya Vidyalayas and Sainik Schools.
Building on the success of last year’s edition, participation witnessed a significant rise in 2026. A total of 763 school band teams took part at the State-level competitions, from which 94 teams were shortlisted for the Zonal rounds. The Zonal-level competitions saw the participation of 80 teams from 30 States and Union Territories, involving 2,217 students, highlighting the growing enthusiasm for music, discipline and national service among young Indians.
The grand finale is expected to be a vibrant showcase of talent, teamwork and patriotic spirit, forming a key highlight of the Republic Day Celebrations 2026.
