KBC (Kaun Banega Crorepatti), the most popular programme on TV
KBC has been the most popular knowledge based programme on the Indian TV screens. Earlier it raided the viewer-ship of Star Plus channel taking it to the top and now it is doing the same magic for the Sony TV. It is the show which brought out the versatility of India`s top rated cine star Amitabh Bachchan also the earnings from the show made him to come out of his financial troubles. The show became so popular that it is on the lips of every TV viewer in India, whether young or old. It is the host of the programme Amitabh Bachchan which made it achieve its present heights; otherwise it must have ended like any other GK quiz show. TV shows may come and go but the popularity of the KBC will always remain our minds for ever.
Why the need for a separate KBC programme for the young
Watching the ever-growing popularity of the KBC, earlier on Star Plus and now on Sony TV, I thought of exploring the possibility of creating a KBC programme especially for the young school going children of India. India is a country with one of the world`s highest number of kindergarten and primary schools catering to very high number of children population in the age group of 3-11 years. Presently, the questions on knowledge covered by the KBC programme pertain to a higher knowledge base since the programme is directed to the audience in age group of 17 and above. The younger generation of the country which constitute most of the population of the country is thus kept out of the purview of the KBC programme. So the younger generation is kept glued to their TV screen watching cartoon serials or film based programmes. Some channels are of course, attracting them to song bases or dance based programmes. But there is no good knowledge based TV programme which can cater to their needs. As such, there is an urgent need of programme like the KBC for school going children. The organisers need not to worry about the success of such a programme. The viewer-ship of the programme for the children will be multi-dimensional, since it will not be watched by the children alone, but their parents will also be compelled to watch the programme. The viewer-ship will even be more when the friends and relations of the children join together to watch such an interesting knowledge based programme especially made for the young.
KBC for kids can be divided into different categories:
Presently, the KBC programme is named as KBC Season 1, KBC Season 2 and so on. But the KBC for Kids can be categorised into different categories from the beginning itself. Four such categories are suggested here:
1. KBC for he kindergarten children aged 3 – 5 years.
2. KBC for the primary school children aged between 6 and 10 years.
3. KBC for secondary school children aged 11 – 14 years.
4. KBC for senior secondary children aged 15 – 16 years
The above classification will give the viewers a wide range of KBC games programme especially meant for the children. If the TV channels want, they can continue with the old pattern too along with the new programmes.
For administrative convenience, the programmes can be telecast at different times and different days keeping in mind the sleeping time and leisure hours available to the children after their school studies. Sundays and holidays will be ideal for some special programmes. Such programmes when aired on the Indian TV channels will not only add to the educational standards of the children but will also increase the profitability and the viewer-ship of the TV channels which telecast these programmes.
Creation of knowledge database for KBC programmes for kids.
It will be very easy to compile knowledge database for various categories as enumerated above. The base for compiling the database for programmes should be the children`s text books prescribed in various schools of the country. Emphasis should be more on graphics, sounds and video clips while compiling the database for the programme made for the small age groups. The KBC programme for the kindergarten (LKG and UKG) children can include topics like alphabets, numbers, animals, birds and insects including the sounds they make, action words with video clips, body parts, festivals related vocabulary, clothes, colours, family members, fruits, vegetables, nursery rhymes, classroom and school articles, names of days and months; means of transport; rooms in the house etc.
The material for knowledge database for the KBC programme to be rendered for the primary school age group children may be collected from books prescribed for them in the subjects of English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Moral Science and Computer Science. The survey of books used throughout the country can be made for this purpose.
Similarly the knowledge database for the children belonging to the age groups studying in secondary schools may be widened with the range of subjects taught in the secondary schools which may also include questions relating to the subjects on life sciences in addition to the subjects mentioned for primary schools. The scope of knowledge in all subjects has to be widened according to the age group.
The KBC programme database created for age groups of children studying in senior secondary schools of the country can be more comprehensive to cover almost every aspect of the knowledge which a child has to gain at this level. The difficulty levels of questions have to be devised in the same way as is being done in the KBC programmes telecast at present. The responsibility of hosting such programmes should be given to none other than the legendary Amitabh Bachchan. He will make the even the youngest child sitting in the hot chair to feel it cool and friendly. He has all the qualities and the knack to make even the dullest of the programmes to be turned into a most successful programme.
Prize money for KBC programme for kids.
If the organiser so feel they can reduce the prize money for the programme according to the age group of the participants. This may also be necessary if the number of days of the programmes to be telecast is required to be reduced since the four categories of the programmes have to be run. It is also suggested that the percentage of the prize money won by the participants should be kept for utilisation in the school of the child for helping the poor students. The purpose and feeling of social equality can be attained by the winners at a very young age in this manner.
Special persons to be called in KBC for kids.
Special persons especially the child artists in various fields should be invited to participate in the programme. The prize money earned by the special invitees should be donated to the schools from where the participants have come even if they are not able to make to the hot seat. This money must be used by those schools to give scholarships to the poor students.
Effect of programmes like KBC for kids on other organisations, especially the schools.
Going by the popularity and progress of the KBC programme for the kids, several organisations and schools will try to emulate the programme and make similar programmes for competition among the members of those organisation or schools children. For example, I developed a KBC programme for LKG students in MS PowerPoint, a snapshot of one of the slides of the programme is attached below for ready reference. Such a programme can be easily made using the common MS Office application called Power Point as had been done by me.
Conclusion:
Already, the songs and dance based programmes for children are quite popular on several TV channels. If the suggestions made in this article are implemented by some of the TV channels in India, it would go a long way in the development and increase in the educational standards in India. It would make learning a fun which is the need of the hour keeping in view the availability various multi-media aids available to the students in the modern schools. It will be the most educative and interesting knowledge based programme for the kids. Several regional TV channels will take cue from the national channels to develop their own programmes for the kids in future.