Quizzing for the Stars

The Daily Star GENIUS powered by Walton Smart Fridge is the country's first online inter-school quiz competition. An initiative of SHOUT -- The Daily Star's weekly youth supplement -- the goal behind this event is to engage school and college students in healthy competition over their knowledge of Bangladesh, the world, and everything else in between. Currently in its second week, the 13-week event is off to a great start, promising lots of excitement in every episode.

The competition is set up to be a grand festival of knowledge. With participation of 27 schools from across the nation, its allure is its scale. For weeks leading up to the launch on October 5, The Daily Star had been in contact with these schools and their student representatives to iron out the details of how this could be executed. The idea of general knowledge quiz competitions has been limited to physical events on stage, with a buzzer and at times, a quizmaster. But like many things during this pandemic, this model had to be discontinued.

Yet the quest for knowledge never stops, and The Daily Star GENIUS provides the perfect platform for buzzing young minds to pit themselves against each other, giving them the challenge and the recognition that is so very important. Not to forget, the platform also presents a much needed source of entertainment when schools are closed and extracurricular activities have come to a halt.

There will be nine matches in the first round, with the winner of each of these matches will face themselves in three semifinals, from where the three finalists will emerge. The winner of the final will receive, in addition to a trophy and certificate, the title of the first-ever Daily Star GENIUS, and a Walton laptop to further assist in their endeavour to acquire knowledge. The matches are held online, where contestants answer questions from the comfort of their homes while host and quizmaster Ashraful Haque Emu engages with them over video chat, making for a spectacle that is equal parts intense and entertaining.

The programme is broadcast live every Monday at 9:00 PM on The Daily Star and SHOUT's Facebook pages, The Daily Star's YouTube channel as well as its website, adding to the extravaganza. Live audiences have been engaging in comments with answers and support for the participants, making the event enjoyable for everyone involved.

General knowledge, by some, is looked at as an academic practice, just something to help students pass entrance exams. For others, it's all about rote memorisation. The prevailing understanding, however, is in the words itself. It's general knowledge, not special. It's about knowing what you should know; it's about being aware. That is something that has been reflected in the questions that students have had to answer in the first two episodes. The main aim of this event is to encourage a knowledgeable and thinking approach to life for youngsters across the country.