NEW DELHI – The Department of Journalism at Delhi College of Arts & Commerce (DCAC) has officially announced the return of its premier festival, Indraprastha Dialogue 2026 (IPD’26). This year’s theme, "The Fourth Estate 2.0: Journalism in the Age of AI, Algorithms & Attention," aims to tackle the evolving landscape of modern media and the intersection of technology and reporting. Scheduled for April 2, 2026, the festival promises a high-energy lineup of competitions designed to test the creativity, technical skills, and cinematic knowledge of students.

Indraprastha Dialogue has established itself as one of the most anticipated events at DCAC, offering a platform where creativity meets cinema. Organizers have invited movie enthusiasts, creative thinkers, and aspiring journalists to participate in a series of diverse competitions, all of which offer exciting cash prizes for the winners.

The festival features four flagship competitions, each catering to different facets of media and storytelling:

1. Cinema Clash: The Ultimate Film Quiz

For those who live and breathe movies, Cinema Clash offers an intensive trivia experience. This individual competition focuses on the theme of Films (Bollywood to Hollywood) and will be conducted offline at the DCAC campus.

• Format: The quiz is divided into three distinct rounds:
  • Round 1 (The Trivia Challenge): A test of fundamental knowledge regarding cinema, including directors, actors, and iconic moments.
  • Round 2 (The Recognition Challenge): A visual and auditory test where participants identify films from posters, scenes, or audio clips.
  • Round 3 (The Rapid Fire Challenge): A high-speed round requiring quick reflexes and a deep memory of film history.
• Judging Criteria: Winners will be determined based on the accuracy of their answers, speed of response, and overall knowledge of cinema.
• Deadline: The last date for registration is March 30, 2024.

2. Character Chronicle: Live Reporting Competition

Character Chronicle challenges participants to step into the shoes of Iconic Anchors in a live reporting format. This event tests a student's ability to remain in character while delivering journalistic content.

• Guidelines: Participants are assigned a character and a situation/topic by the organizers. After 2-3 minutes of preparation, they must present a report from the perspective of their assigned anchor for a maximum of two minutes. While props and gestures are encouraged, extensive stage setups are not permitted.
• Judging Criteria: Performers will be evaluated on creativity and originality, confidence, storytelling, and their ability to engage the audience while maintaining a professional journalistic style.
• Deadline: Registrations must be completed by March 31, 2024.

3. AI Ka Hungama: Meme Making Competition

Reflecting the festival's core theme of artificial intelligence, AI Ka Hungama invites students to use humor and digital savvy to explore the topic AI: Hero or Bot?

• Guidelines: Participants can submit memes in either image or video format (video duration must not exceed 30 seconds). Content must be original and humorous; any signs of plagiarism will result in immediate disqualification. The organizers have strictly prohibited any content that is offensive, obscene, or involves political or religious themes.
• Judging Criteria: Submissions will be judged on creativity, humor, relevance to the theme, and presentation.
• Deadline: The submission deadline is March 30, 2024.

4. Capture the Story: Photography Competition

For visual storytellers, Capture the Story provides a venue to showcase photography centered on the theme Life Around Us.

• Guidelines: Each participant can submit only two photographs, which must be in JPG or RAW format. While basic editing (brightness, contrast, cropping) is allowed, the use of AI-generated images or significant digital manipulation is strictly forbidden. Photographs must be original works and must be submitted before the deadline.
• Judging Criteria: The panel will look for creativity, technical skill, composition, and the ability to convey a story through the photograph.
• Deadline: Submissions close on March 30, 2024.

The festival is open to students who wish to showcase their talents and engage with the current trends in journalism and cinema. Prospective participants can register by scanning the QR codes found on the official event posters or by filling out the Google Form linked in the event's detailed information pack. All events will take place at the Delhi College of Arts & Commerce. The results for the submission-based competitions, such as the photography and meme-making contests, will be announced on the day of the main event, April 2, 2026.

The overarching theme of Indraprastha Dialogue 2026 highlights a critical juncture in the media industry. By focusing on AI and algorithms, the Dept of Journalism is encouraging students to think critically about how automated systems and the attention economy are reshaping the way news is gathered, reported, and consumed. As the sources suggest, the event is not just a competition but an experience intended to bring friends and peers together to celebrate the future of media. With a mix of rigorous academic inquiry and creative expression, IPD'26 is set to be a landmark event for the DCAC community.

For any further queries, participants are encouraged to contact the student heads listed on the competition posters or visit the Department of Journalism at DCAC.

Click Here for More Competition