ORMA International Speech Competition – Season 4 General Rules & Video Submission Guidelines
To maintain the highest standards of fairness, integrity, and oratorical excellence, all participants across both English and Malayalam categories must strictly adhere to the following rules and regulations.
A. General Competition Rules
Eligibility – Open to Malayalee Students Worldwide
The ORMA International Speech Competition is open to eligible Malayalee students living anywhere in the world. At least one parent of the participant must be of Kerala origin.
Category & Grade Eligibility
The participant’s category will be based on the grade or educational level in which they are studying at the time of the initial (First Round) video submission. This category will remain the same throughout Season 4.
Grade Verification
If required, ORMA International may request an official letter or other verification from the participant’s educational institution confirming their grade or educational level.
Professional College Students
Students enrolled in professional colleges or professional degree programs are eligible to participate, provided they meet the educational-level requirements of the applicable category.
Participation in English & Malayalam
A participant may compete in both English and Malayalam by completing two separate registrations and submitting a separate speech video for each language. However, a participant may advance to the Second Round in only one language category.
Assigned Topic
The speech must address the official topic assigned for the participant’s category and language. Participants are expected to remain relevant to the assigned topic throughout the speech.
Previous Winners
The following previous winners are not eligible to participate in the same category in Season 4:
- Season 1: Grand Winner and First Prize winners
- Season 2: Grand Winner and First Prize winners in all four categories
- Season 3: Grand Winner and First Prize winners in all four categories
Speech Preparation
Participants may receive training, coaching, research assistance, and appropriate technological support while preparing their speeches. However, the final presentation and delivery must represent the participant’s own speaking ability, voice, expression, and presentation skills.
B. Video Recording & Submission Rules
Maximum Duration
The recorded speech must not exceed 3 minutes.
Continuous Recording
The speech must be recorded continuously from beginning to end. Cuts, splicing, combining multiple takes, or other forms of video editing are not permitted.
Introduction
At the beginning of the recording, the participant should state only their name and then begin the speech.
Landscape Format
The video must be recorded in landscape (horizontal) format.
Body Visibility
Approximately three-fourths of the participant’s body—from the head to around the knees—should be visible. This allows the judges to properly evaluate facial expressions, gestures, posture, and overall body language.
Standing Position Recommended
Participants are strongly encouraged to deliver the speech while standing, preferably near the center of the frame. Standing in one appropriate position is preferred over sitting, continuously walking, or making unnecessary movements. Natural gestures and limited purposeful movement are appropriate.
Eye Contact
The participant should look directly at the camera, as though speaking directly to the judges or an audience.
Camera Position & Stability
The camera should remain steady throughout the recording and should preferably be positioned around chest/eye level. A tripod or stable phone stand is recommended whenever possible.
Background, Lighting & Audio
The recording should be made in a quiet, well-lit location with a simple, non-distracting background. The participant’s face and body language should be clearly visible, and the voice should be clearly audible.
No Prompters During Recording
Reading from a script, teleprompter, computer or phone screen, cue cards, or another prompting device during the actual recording is not permitted.
No Digital Alteration of Performance
Background music, special effects, voice enhancement, filters, AI-generated or AI-modified voice or facial expressions, or other digital alterations that could affect the evaluation of the participant’s natural performance are not permitted.
Sample Recording Guidelines
Participants are strongly encouraged to review the sample video and video-recording guidelines available at www.ormaspeech.org before recording their competition video.
First Round Video Submission
Participants are strongly encouraged to submit the First Round video along with the initial registration. If technical difficulties occur when adding a video later to an already submitted application, please start a new application and submit it with the video.
Registration & Submission
Participants must complete the official registration and submit/upload their speech video through the Google Form provided at www.ormaspeech.org. All required information and materials must be submitted before the announced deadline.
C. Participant Responsibility, Media Rights & Judging
Accuracy of Information
Participants and their parents/guardians are responsible for providing complete and accurate information regarding the participant’s grade, educational institution, competition category, and other eligibility requirements.
Verification of Eligibility
ORMA International reserves the right to request documentation to verify eligibility at any stage of the competition.
Original Performance
The submitted recording must represent the participant’s own speech delivery and performance. No other person or technology may prompt, speak for, or otherwise assist the participant during the actual recording.
Media & Publication Rights
By submitting a video to the competition, the participant and, where applicable, the participant’s parent or legal guardian grant ORMA International permission to publish, reproduce, share, and use the submitted competition video, in whole or in part, on ORMA International’s website, social media platforms, promotional materials, news/media coverage, and other communication channels for competition-related, educational, archival, and promotional purposes.
Compliance with Competition Rules
Participants are responsible for ensuring that their registration and video submission comply with all published competition requirements. Failure to comply with the rules may result in disqualification or the submission not being considered for evaluation or advancement.
Judging
All eligible submissions will be evaluated according to the official judging criteria established by ORMA International. The decisions of the official judging panel will be final.
Interpretation of Rules
ORMA International reserves the right to clarify or interpret the competition rules and resolve questions concerning eligibility, submissions, categories, and competition procedures when necessary for the fair and orderly conduct of the competition.
