BHU to host AIU North Central Zone youth festival from 6 to 10 January 2027

VARANASI: Banaras Hindu University will host the North Central Zone UNIFEST, part of the Association of Indian Universities' 40th Inter University youth festival series for 2026-27, from 6 to 10 January 2027, according to the AIU schedule.

For Varanasi, this means inter-university cultural competitions on the BHU campus at the start of the new year, with student teams from the zone's member universities coming to the city. For BHU students and those at other universities in the zone, it is the stage where places in the national round are decided.

When and where: the zonal festival is scheduled at Banaras Hindu University from 6 to 10 January 2027. The AIU lists the university's Dean of Students and its cultural coordinator as the contact points for participating universities. Students take part through their own university's team, so interested students should approach their university's student welfare or cultural office.

What comes next: only the first, second and third position holders in each event, except the cultural procession, become eligible for the Inter-University National Youth Festival. That national round is scheduled at Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, Meerut, from 12 to 16 March 2027.

Details are from the Association of Indian Universities' UNIFEST 2026-27 schedule page.