Kashi Tamil Sangamam 5.0: registration open till November 13
By Aditi KulkarniEducation Writer, Peepals Bharat
File photo: Marcin Białek (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons
Registration for Kashi Tamil Sangamam 5.0, to be held November 28 to December 12, 2026 on the Thirukkural theme, is open on the IIT Madras portal till November 13.
What Happened
Registration is open for the fifth edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam, the Ministry of Education's programme that takes groups from Tamil Nadu to Varanasi to learn about the links between the two regions. The ministry said Kashi Tamil Sangamam 5.0 will be held from November 28 to December 12, 2026, on the theme "Thirukkural Payilvom" (Let us learn the Thirukkural). Registration opened on October 22 on a portal hosted by IIT Madras and closes on November 13, 2026.
Key Facts
- Programme: Kashi Tamil Sangamam 5.0, run by the Ministry of Education.
- Dates: November 28 to December 12, 2026.
- Places: Varanasi, with visits to Prayagraj and Ayodhya.
- Theme: "Thirukkural Payilvom – Thirukkural Abhyas Karen", built around the Thirukkural, the classical Tamil text of couplets on ethics and life.
- Registration: opened October 22, 2026, on the portal kashitamil.iitm.ac.in hosted by IIT Madras; last date November 13, 2026.
- Who can apply: seven categories: students; teachers; writers and media professionals; people from agriculture and allied sectors; professionals and artisans; women; and spiritual leaders.
- Scale: about 1,400 participants from Tamil Nadu are expected to travel in seven groups, and a separate Thirukkural learning effort is to involve students from 1,000 higher education institutions across India.
Why It Matters
Kashi Tamil Sangamam began as a way to show the long cultural and spiritual ties between Tamil Nadu and Kashi, as Varanasi is traditionally called. It is organised by the Ministry of Education, with IIT Madras handling registration. Participants travel in groups, visit temples, ghats, universities and cultural sites, and meet people in Uttar Pradesh. For most students and teachers who go, it is a funded chance to travel, see another region and take part in seminars and cultural programmes that they would not otherwise reach.
This year's theme puts a Tamil classic at the centre. The Thirukkural is a classical Tamil collection of short couplets on ethics and everyday life, and the programme's theme asks participants to learn from it. By making it the theme, and by linking it to a learning effort in 1,000 colleges and universities across India, the ministry is using the programme to introduce the text to students outside Tamil Nadu as well.
For an applicant, the practical points are the categories and the deadline. Groups are organised by category, so a student applies as a student and a teacher as a teacher; each group's travel dates will differ within the November 28 to December 12 window. Applications are online only, through the IIT Madras portal, and the portal closes on November 13. Applicants should check the eligibility rules on the official portal before applying, since unofficial sites have published differing claims.
| Detail | Kashi Tamil Sangamam 5.0 |
|---|---|
| Dates | November 28 to December 12, 2026 |
| Places | Varanasi, Prayagraj, Ayodhya |
| Theme | Thirukkural Payilvom |
| Registration | October 22 to November 13, 2026 |
| Portal | kashitamil.iitm.ac.in (IIT Madras) |
| Categories | 7, including students, teachers and women |
The ministry presents the programme as a cultural and educational exchange between the two regions; participants' own accounts after the visits will be the best guide to what it offers.
Impact
Short-term: Students, teachers, artisans, farmers, writers and others in Tamil Nadu have until November 13 to apply for a place in one of the seven groups.
Long-term: The Thirukkural learning effort in 1,000 institutions could bring the text into more classrooms outside Tamil Nadu, and repeated exchanges add to contacts between institutions in the two states.
Who is affected: Students and teachers in Tamil Nadu who apply; colleges and universities taking part in the Thirukkural learning effort; host institutions and communities in Varanasi, Prayagraj and Ayodhya; and IIT Madras, which runs the registration.
Key Takeaway
Registration for Kashi Tamil Sangamam 5.0, to be held from November 28 to December 12, 2026 on the theme of the Thirukkural, is open on the IIT Madras portal until November 13, 2026.
Questions and Answers
What is the last date to register for Kashi Tamil Sangamam 5.0?
The last date is November 13, 2026. Registration opened on October 22, 2026, on the portal kashitamil.iitm.ac.in hosted by IIT Madras.
When and where will Kashi Tamil Sangamam 5.0 be held?
From November 28 to December 12, 2026, in Varanasi, with visits to Prayagraj and Ayodhya, according to the Ministry of Education.
Who can apply for Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2026?
Applicants can register under seven categories: students; teachers; writers and media professionals; agriculture and allied sectors; professionals and artisans; women; and spiritual leaders. Full eligibility rules are on the official portal.
What is the theme of Kashi Tamil Sangamam 5.0?
The theme is "Thirukkural Payilvom – Thirukkural Abhyas Karen", meaning learning the Thirukkural, the classical Tamil collection of couplets on ethics and life.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
By Aditi Kulkarni, Education WriterCovers Education and more for Peepals Bharat. All stories by Aditi Kulkarni
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Aditi Kulkarni is a pen name of the Peepals Global Editorial Team, which researches, fact-checks and publishes every story. The portrait is an illustration.
