Contest Rules
Effective Date: 6 July 2026
Contest Name: महाराष्ट्राचा कथासंग्राम
Competition Tag: कथाकोश संग्राम सीझन १
App Name: Kathakosh / कथाकोश
Developer: Kathakosh Creations
Contact Email: kathakoshcreations@gmail.com
Country: India
These Contest Rules apply to Kathakosh writing competitions, including the competition titled महाराष्ट्राचा कथासंग्राम. By participating in the contest, writers agree to follow these rules along with the Kathakosh Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, Refund & Cancellation Policy, and Copyright & Takedown Policy.
1. Contest Overview
महाराष्ट्राचा कथासंग्राम is a Marathi story-writing competition hosted on Kathakosh.
The contest is intended to encourage Marathi writers to publish original, long-form, part-wise stories for readers on the Kathakosh platform.
This is a skill-based writing competition. It is not gambling, betting, lottery, fantasy sports, casino, wagering, or a chance-based game.
2. Important Dates
The contest schedule is:
Contest Start Date: 1 August 2026
Contest End Date: 14 September 2026
Result Date: 15 November 2026
Kathakosh may update dates if required due to technical, legal, operational, platform, or unavoidable reasons. Any major update will be communicated through the app or official Kathakosh channels.
3. Free Participation
No separate entry fee or paid purchase is required to participate in महाराष्ट्राचा कथासंग्राम.
Kathakosh subscription or membership is not required to enter the contest, to be judged, or to win a prize.
Kathakosh subscription is only for reading access, such as unlocking story parts after the free reading limit. Subscription does not provide extra contest points, extra chances, better ranking, paid boosts, or any advantage in judging.
Contest winners are selected based on story quality, originality, completion, rule compliance, reader response where applicable, and Kathakosh evaluation.
4. Eligibility
To be eligible for contest recognition, prizes, or certificates:
- The participant must have a valid Kathakosh account.
- The participant must publish the story on Kathakosh under the contest category/tag.
- The participant must follow all contest rules.
- The story must be original and written by the participant.
- The story must meet the required part count and word count rules.
- The story must not violate Kathakosh policies, Google Play policies, copyright laws, or applicable Indian laws.
- The participant must not use fake engagement, bots, fake accounts, or unfair methods.
Cash prize winners may be required to confirm that they are at least 18 years old and provide valid verification details before prize distribution.
5. Contest Category / Tag
Contest entries must be submitted under the competition tag:
कथाकोश संग्राम सीझन १
Stories not submitted under the correct competition tag/category may not be considered for contest results.
6. Story Format
Contest stories must follow these format rules:
- The story must be written in Marathi.
- The story must be published in parts/chapters.
- Each contest story must have a minimum of 30 parts.
- Each contest story may have a maximum of 35 parts.
- Each part must contain at least 1200 words.
- The story must be readable, meaningful, and suitable for the Kathakosh platform.
- Parts should be published within the contest period unless otherwise allowed by Kathakosh.
Stories with fewer than 30 valid parts may be considered incomplete and may not be eligible for prizes.
Stories exceeding 35 parts may be restricted, disqualified, or treated according to app rules.
7. Originality Requirement
All submitted stories must be original.
Participants must not submit:
- Copied stories
- Plagiarized content
- Unauthorized translations
- Content copied from books, websites, apps, social media, or other platforms
- Content generated or submitted in violation of copyright or intellectual property rights
- Stories owned by another writer or publisher
- Content already exclusively licensed elsewhere
Kathakosh may disqualify any entry suspected of plagiarism, copying, unauthorized adaptation, or rights violation.
8. Content Rules
Contest entries must not contain:
- Illegal content
- Hate speech
- Threats or harassment
- Defamation
- Explicit sexual exploitation
- Content promoting terrorism, violence, self-harm, or crime
- Copyright-infringing material
- Private personal information of others
- Misleading, fraudulent, or harmful content
- Content violating Google Play policies or Indian law
Kathakosh may remove or restrict any content that violates platform standards, legal requirements, or app policies.
9. Judging Criteria
Contest entries may be judged using one or more of the following factors:
- Story quality
- Originality
- Language and writing style
- Reader engagement
- Completion of required parts
- Consistency of publishing
- Character development
- Plot structure
- Emotional impact
- Genre suitability
- Ratings, likes, comments, and reader response
- Compliance with contest rules
- Kathakosh editorial/evaluation review
Reader engagement may be considered, but fake engagement, fake ratings, fake comments, or manipulated activity will not be accepted.
Kathakosh may use editorial judgment, reader response, platform data, and internal review to decide winners.
10. No Paid Advantage
No participant can buy a better chance of winning.
Kathakosh does not allow:
- Paid extra contest chances
- Paid ranking boosts
- Paid judging advantage
- Paid votes
- Paid winner selection
- Wagering or betting
- Lottery-style selection
- Random cash-prize draw
Subscription, if purchased by a user, is only for reading access and does not affect contest judging.
11. Fake Engagement and Misuse
Participants must not use:
- Fake accounts
- Bot activity
- Paid or manipulated likes
- Fake ratings
- Fake comments
- Harassment of readers or competitors
- Misleading promotion
- Any unfair method to influence results
If suspicious activity is found, Kathakosh may reduce engagement counts, disqualify the entry, suspend the account, or take other action.
12. Prize Pool
The contest cash prize pool is:
Winner / First Prize: ₹10,000
Second Prize: ₹5,000
Third Prize: ₹2,500
5 Special Writers: ₹1,000 each
10 Special Mentions: Name/story recognition in result announcement
Total cash prize pool:
₹22,500
Certificates may be awarded to recognized participants, including winners, special writers, and special mentions.
13. Special Mentions and Certificates
Kathakosh may recognize additional writers through special mentions.
Special mention recognition may include:
- Writer name or pen name
- Story title
- Public result announcement
- Digital certificate, if applicable
Special mention does not necessarily include a cash prize unless specifically stated.
14. Prize Distribution
Winners may be required to provide accurate information for prize distribution, such as:
- Full legal name
- Contact details
- Age confirmation
- Bank or payment details
- Identity proof
- Tax or compliance information, if required
Kathakosh may withhold, delay, or cancel prize distribution if:
- The winner cannot be contacted
- The winner provides incorrect information
- The entry violates contest rules
- Plagiarism or fraud is discovered
- Fake engagement is found
- The winner cannot confirm age or identity where required
- Legal or tax compliance is incomplete
- The user fails to respond within a reasonable time
Prize distribution timelines may depend on verification, banking process, tax compliance, and operational requirements.
15. Taxes and Compliance
Winners are responsible for any applicable taxes, deductions, reporting, or legal obligations related to prize money.
Kathakosh may deduct or withhold amounts if required by applicable law.
16. Disqualification
Kathakosh may disqualify a participant or story if:
- Contest rules are violated
- Story is copied or plagiarized
- Writer uses fake engagement
- Story does not meet word count or part count requirements
- Story is not submitted under the correct contest tag/category
- User violates Kathakosh Terms & Conditions
- User violates Google Play policies or applicable laws
- Writer provides false identity or misleading information
- Content is harmful, illegal, abusive, or infringing
- Writer attempts to manipulate contest results
- Writer uses bots, fake accounts, fake ratings, or fake comments
Disqualification may happen before or after result announcement if a serious violation is found.
17. Editing and Republishing
Writers may be allowed to edit stories or parts according to app functionality.
However, major edits, deletion, republishing, or changes after the contest deadline may affect eligibility if they create unfair advantage, break contest rules, or make review impossible.
Kathakosh may consider the version available during the contest period or review period for judging.
18. Result Announcement
Results are planned to be announced on:
15 November 2026
Results may be announced inside the app, on Kathakosh pages, or through official communication channels.
Kathakosh may publish:
- Winner names or pen names
- Story titles
- Prize category
- Special writer recognition
- Special mentions
- Certificates or recognition details
19. Final Decision
Kathakosh’s decision regarding eligibility, judging, winners, prizes, disqualification, and results will be final.
Kathakosh may correct errors, investigate complaints, revise decisions, or take action if fraud, plagiarism, technical issues, legal problems, or policy violations are discovered.
20. Platform and Technical Issues
Kathakosh is not responsible for delays or failures caused by:
- Internet issues
- Device problems
- App crashes
- Firebase or Google service issues
- Play Store issues
- User account problems
- Payment/subscription verification delays
- Incorrect user submissions
- Unavoidable technical or operational problems
Kathakosh may take reasonable steps to address technical issues but does not guarantee uninterrupted contest access.
21. Changes to Contest Rules
Kathakosh may update, modify, extend, suspend, or cancel the contest if required due to technical, legal, operational, platform, or unavoidable reasons.
Updated rules will be posted on this page or communicated through the app.
22. Contact
For contest-related queries, eligibility questions, copyright complaints, prize issues, or support, contact:
Kathakosh Creations
Email: kathakoshcreations@gmail.com
Country: India