National Youth Day 2025

Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports

National Youth Day 2025

Celebrating the Power of Youth

Posted On: 11 JAN 2025 5:24PM by PIB Delhi

Introduction

The National Youth Day or Rashtriya Yuva Divas is celebrated on 12th January every year in commemoration of the great spiritual leader, philosopher and thinker Swami Vivekananda, whose unwavering belief in potential of youth continues to resonate deeply with young citizens of the country. His inspiring life and empowering message urge the youth to nurture their dreams, unleash their energies, and shape a future worthy of his envisioned ideals. The youth, defined as those within the age group of 15-29 years, make up nearly 40% of India’s total population. Representing the most vibrant and dynamic segment of society, this group constitutes the nation’s most valuable human resource. With their limitless potential, the youth hold the power to propel India to new heights of progress and innovation. National Youth Day serves as a moment to acknowledge, celebrate, and harness this potential, inspiring young minds to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s development.

Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue – 2025

The Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2025, commemorating Swami Vivekananda’s 162nd birth anniversary, is scheduled for January 11-12, 2025, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment formally inaugurated the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue on 11 January 2025.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will also engage with 3,000 dynamic young leaders from across India, selected through a merit-based, multi-level process from over 30 lakh participants on 12 January 2025. The event aims to break the 25-year-old tradition of holding the National Youth Festival in a conventional manner. It will provide a platform for youth to present innovative solutions for a developed India. Participants will make presentations to the Prime Minister on ten thematic areas pivotal to India’s development, including technology, sustainability, women empowerment, manufacturing, and agriculture. Additionally, a compilation of the best essays on these themes will be released. In a unique setting, the Prime Minister will join the young leaders for lunch, offering them an opportunity to share their ideas, experiences, and aspirations directly with him.

Objectives of National Youth Day

• To generate awareness about the life and message of Swami Vivekananda to inspire and motivate youth into participate in nation building.

• To involve youth in various activities and to promote spirit of service and volunteerism.

Restructuring the schemes

The Department of Youth Affairs re-structured/ consolidated all the Scheme implemented by the Department, into 3 Schemes, with effect from 01.04.2016, as follows:

SCHEMES AND INITIATIVES

In order to support the youth, achieve its full potential, The department of youth, Ministry of Youth and Sport Affairs has carried out many schemes and initiatives like:

Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS)

Launched in 1972, NYKS is one of the world’s largest youth organizations with the primary goal to develop the personality of youth and engage them in nation-building activities. NYKS activities fall into four categories:

1. Core Programs: Implemented with NYKS’s own budget.
2. Youth Affairs Schemes: Includes National Program for Youth and Adolescent Development (NPYAD) and National Young Leaders Program (NYLP).
3. Collaborative Projects: Funded by other ministries for youth development.
4. Special Programs: Focused on critical youth-centric activities.

National Youth Policy (NYP-2024)

The Government has reviewed and updated the National Youth Policy (NYP) 2014, and has released a draft for the new NYP 2024. This draft outlines a ten-year vision for youth development in India, aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It focuses on five main areas: education, employment, youth leadership, health, and social justice, with a commitment to social inclusion.

Key points include:
1. A clear plan to achieve youth development goals by 2030.
2. Alignment with the National Education Policy 2020 to improve career and life skills.
3. Strengthening leadership and volunteering opportunities and using technology to empower youth.
4. Enhancing healthcare, especially mental health and reproductive health, and promoting sports and fitness.
5. Ensuring safety, justice, and support for marginalized youth.

 National Youth Corps (NYC)

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports introduced a scheme called National Youth Corps during 2010-11. The objective of the scheme is to set up a group of disciplined and dedicated youth, who have the inclination and spirit to engage in the task of nation building, to facilitate the realization of inclusive growth (both social and economic), to act as points for dissemination of information, basic knowledge in the community, to act as group modulators and peer group educators and to act as role models for the younger cohorts especially towards enhancement of public ethics, probity and dignity of labour.

National Young Leaders Programme (NYLP)

NYLP focuses on fostering leadership and innovation among young individuals to enable them to contribute effectively to social and economic development. The aim of the programme is to create an institutional platform where youth can articulate their views and draw the attention of the local administration to such issues/ concerns affecting their lives, educate youth about contemporary socio-economic development issues and enable them share their experiences and ideas on community development and social welfare activities.

National Youth Awards

Recognizing exemplary contributions by youth and NGOs, the National Youth Awards are conferred every year for excellent work done by them for nation-building/ community service. A cash award of Rs. 1,00,000, a medal and a certificate are given to each individual awardee. The award to voluntary youth organisations comprises of a certificate, a medal and an amount of Rs. 3,00,000.

A glimpse from the 27^th National Youth Awards held in 2024 in Nashik

National Programme for Youth and Adolescent Development (NPYAD)

Under NPYAD Scheme, financial assistance is provided to Government/ non-Government organisations for taking up activities for youth and adolescent development.

The assistance under NPYAD is provided under 5 major components, namely,

a) Youth Leadership and Personality Development Training

b) Promotion of National Integration (National Integration Camps, Inter-State Youth Exchange Programmes, Youth Festivals, multi-cultural activities, etc.)

c) Promotion of Adventure; Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards

d) Development and Empowerment of Adolescents (Life Skills Education, Counselling, Career Guidance, etc.)

e) Technical and Resource Development (Research and Studies on Youth issues, Documentation, Seminars/ Workshops)

National Service Scheme (NSS)

Established in 1969, NSS encourages students to engage in community service with the motto “NOT ME, BUT YOU” (Swayam se pehle aap)’. Its objectives include fostering social responsibility, leadership, civic engagement, and national integration while promoting meaningful links between educational institutions and communities.

Youth Hostels

Youth Hostels promote travel and exploration by offering affordable accommodations, fostering social and cultural exchange. Hostels provide good accommodation for the youth at reasonable rates, and are looked after by Managers and Wardens, appointed by the Central Government

International Cooperation

The Department endeavors to create an international perspective among youth in collaboration with other countries and international agencies/ organizations on various youth issues. The Department also collaborates with UN Agencies like United Nations Volunteers (UNV)/ United National Development Programme (UNDP) and the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) on various youth-related issues. The Department has initiated collaboration with The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) since July, 2020 for imparting skill training & for providing gainful employment to the youth.

Conclusion

National Youth Day serves as an essential reminder of the pivotal role that youth plays in shaping the future of India. As we commemorate the life and message of Swami Vivekananda, we are reminded of the boundless potential within the youth of India. Through various initiatives and schemes like NYKS, NYC, NYLP, and others, the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports continues to empower young individuals, guiding them toward nation-building and personal growth. With the support of these programs, the youth are not only equipped to pursue their dreams but also contribute meaningfully to the social and economic progress of the nation, furthering the vision of a prosperous, self-reliant India.

References

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Santosh Kumar/ Sarla Meena/ Vatsla Srivastava/ Madiha Iqbal

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