Centre Expands Youth Parliament Outreach To Strengthen Public Engagement In Democratic Processes
The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs has launched a series of initiatives aimed at deepening public engagement in parliamentary processes through education and outreach programmes, with a special focus on youth participation across the country.
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju said the Ministry organises multiple Youth Parliament Competitions for students at school, college and university levels in coordination with concerned stakeholder organisations. These include competitions for schools under the Directorate of Education of the Delhi government and the New Delhi Municipal Council, as well as national-level competitions for Kendriya Vidyalayas, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and universities and colleges.
The minister said that a new initiative has also been introduced in the form of a National Youth Parliament Competition for Eklavya Model Residential Schools. In addition, the Ministry provides financial assistance to States and Union Territories for organising Youth Parliament Competitions, subject to the submission of claims as per prescribed guidelines.
To widen participation and reach remote and underserved regions, the Ministry has introduced an upgraded version of the National Youth Parliament Scheme (NYPS) web portal, known as NYPS 2.0. Unlike the earlier version, which was restricted to students of recognised institutions, the upgraded platform is open to all citizens, irrespective of gender, caste, religion, region or place of residence.
Participation under NYPS 2.0 is enabled through three modes. Educational institutions can organise Youth Parliament sittings for students from classes VI to XII under the “Kishore Sabha” category and for undergraduate and postgraduate students under the “Tarun Sabha” category. Groups of citizens can also participate by organising sittings as per the guidelines, while individual citizens can take part by attempting an online quiz on the theme ‘Bhartiya Democracy in Action’.
Rijiju said the Youth Parliament Programme is an awareness initiative aimed at strengthening democratic values, promoting discipline and tolerance, and familiarising citizens with parliamentary practices and procedures. The programme seeks to enhance understanding of constitutional values and the functioning of government, encouraging citizens to actively engage in democratic life.
