panaji in the riot of colour that the carnival is a significant part of it is thrown in by young girls in frilly skirts and boys flaunting cowboy hats the remnant of goas colonial past is not only all about fun and frolic for youngsters but has also been for many years now a means to make those extra bucks for college students and the trend is proliferating with each passing year not only do the students find it an easy way to earn some pocket money organisers find students an inexpensive and easytohandle option as against hiring professionals float organiser savio coutinho says once the students are chosen they get a chance to participate in the parade at all the citiespanaji margao vasco and mapusa and they get paid up to rs 500 per day they are given only a days training of the dancing sequence and after practising the steps on sundays they are ready to participatethe carnivals train of floats is not complete without a fleet of young girls and boys moving their hips in choreographed rhythm for every few meters of the float parade all that the students have to do is be lucky enough to be picked up by the organisers of one of the sponsored floats says countinho sponsors from mobile service providers to soft drink companies scout higher secondary schools and colleges days before the carnival starts for students to be part of their floatsthe youngsters are expected to just add a little colour to the float by trailing behind shaking a leg or just throw a few pamphlets for the advertised product from the float to the crowd and needless to say the students also enjoy the excitement of being part of the paradebut students have also discovered other means to earn some extra pocket money through the carnival nalisha carrasco a first year student of arts at the st xaviers college in mapusa approached the mapusa carnival committee and bagged herself a fashion show at the fiveday cultural programme to be held as part of the carnival celebrations nalisha is now the organiser of the festival and is employing others from her own and other colleges i have made a troupe of eight students we call ourselves mystical illusion i am organising such an event for the first time i thought this would be a great platform for youngsters who want to get into modelling our show is on sunday college students from st xaviers don bosco and dhempe audition for me and if they have the talent i select them says nalishawith regards the payment she says i am still in negotiations with the organisers and once we decide upon my payment i am also going to negotiate a sum for those working with meincidentally for the first time a troupe of 75 odd school children and children from special schools will participate in the panaji carnival parade theyll be doing it for the love of dancing the samba with