YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS

THE Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports was bifurcated into two departments in 2008—Department of Youth Affairs and Department of Sports.

Youth Affairs

India has the largest youth population in the world. The youth represents the most dynamic and vibrant segment of the population. To optimally tap their constructive and creative energies, the Department of Youth Affairs pursues the twin objectives of personality development and nation building. The role  of the Department of Youth Affairs is to act as a facilitator and catalytic agent for youth development.

The subjects being dealt by the Department of Youth Affairs are: youth affairs/youth policy; voluntary youth organisations, including providing financial assistance to them (Financial Assistance to Youth Organisations for Youth and Adolescents’ Development); Commonwealth Youth Programme and United Nations Volunteers; youth welfare activities, youth festivals, work camp, etc. (National Youth Festival); assistance to scouting and guiding organisations; National Youth Awards; residual work of the erstwhile National Discipline Scheme; and exchange of youth delegations with foreign countries, among others.

Website : www.yas.nic.in

National Youth Policy

The National Youth Policy, 2014 proposes a holistic vision for the youth, which is ‘to empower youth of the country to achieve their full potential, and through them enable India to find its rightful place in the community of nations’. In order to realise this vision, the NYP- 2014 identifies five clearly defined objectives which need to be pursued and priority areas under each of the objectives—

(i)                    Create a productive workforce that can make a sustainable contribution to India’s economic development: education, employment and skill development, and Entrepreneurship;

(ii)                  Develop a strong and healthy generation equipped to take on future challenges: health and healthy lifestyle, and sports;

(iii)                 Instil social values and promote community service to build national ownership: Promotion of social values, and community engagement;  

(iv)                 Facilitate participation and civic engagement at all levels of governance: participation in politics and governance, and youth engagement; and  

(v)                  Support youth at risk and create equitable opportunity for all disadvantaged and marginalised youth: Inclusion.

Schemes for Youth

Rashtriya Yuva  Sashaktikaran Karyakram

Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan

Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), launched in 1972, is one of the largest youth organisations in the world. NYKS has presence  in 623 districts through Nehru Yuva Kendras (NYKs). The objective  of the programme is to develop the personality and leadership qualities of the youth and to engage them in nation-building  activities. The areas of focus of the NYKS activities include literacy and education; health and family welfare; sanitation and cleanliness; environment conservation; awareness on social issues; women empowerment; rural development; skill development and self- employment, entrepreneurship development; civic education; disaster relief and rehabilitation, etc. The youth associated with Nehru Yuva Kendras are not only socially aware and motivated but are also inclined towards social development work through voluntary efforts.

National Youth Corps

The Scheme of National Youth Corps (NYC) was launched in 2010-11 and the same is being implemented through NYKS. The main objectives of the Scheme are: 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 realisation of inclusive growth (both social and economic); to act as group modulators and peer group educators; and to act as role models for the younger cohort, especially towards enhancement of public ethics, probity and dignity of labour. Under the scheme, youth in the age group of 18-25 years are engaged as volunteers to serve up to maximum 2 years in nation-building activities at block level.

National Programme for Youth and Adolescent Development

National Programme for Youth and Adolescent Development (NPYAD) scheme was introduced in 2008. Under it, financial assistance is provided to government/non-government organisations for taking up youth and adolescent activities. The assistance under NPYAD is provided under 5 major components: (a) youth leadership and personality development training; (b) promotion of national integration; (c) promotion of adventure; Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards; (d) development and empowerment of adolescents; and (e) technical and resource development. Under the component promotion of national integration of NPYAD, a National Youth Festival is organised in January every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda (12th January),which is celebrated as National Youth Day.

International Cooperation

The Department endeavours to create an international perspective among youth in collaboration with other countries and international agencies/organisations on various youth issues. The Department also collaborates with UN Agencies like United Nations Volunteers (UNV)/United National Development Fund (UNDP) and the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) on various youth related issues.

Youth Hostels

Youth Hostels are built to promote youth travel and to enable the young people to experience the rich cultural heritage of the country. The construction of the youth hostels is a joint venture of the central and state governments. While the central government bears the cost of construction, the state governments provide fully developed land free-of-cost, with water supply, electricity connection and approach roads. Youth hostels are located in areas of historical and cultural value, in educational centres, in tourist destinations, etc. Such hostels provide good accommodation for the youth at reasonable rates.

Assistance to Scouting and Guiding Organisation

The Department provides assistance to the scouting and guiding organisations, with a view to promote the scouts and guides movement in the country. This is an international movement aimed at building character, confidence, idealism and spirit of patriotism and service among young boys and girls. Scouting and guiding also seeks to promote balanced physical and mental development among the boys and girls. The financial assistance is provided to scouting and guiding organisations for various programmes such as organisation of training camps, skill development programmes, holding of jamborees, etc . The activities, inter alia, include programmes related to adult literacy, environment conservation, community service, health awareness and promotion of hygiene and sanitation.

National Young Leaders Programme

A new Central Sector Scheme, ‘National Young Leaders Programme (NYLP)’, was formulated with a view to develop leadership qualities among the youth to enable them to realise their full potential and in the process, to contribute to the nation-building process. The scheme was launched in 2014. The programme aims  at motivating the youth to strive for excellence in their respective fields and to bring them to the forefront of the development process. It seeks to harness the immense youth energy for national-building. The programme beneficiaries are the youth in the age group of 15- 29 years, in line with the definition of ‘youth’ in the National Youth Policy, 2014. This central sector scheme has the following components: Neighbourhood Youth Parliament (NYP); Youth for Development Programme (YFDP); National Young Leaders Awards (NYLA); National Youth Advisory Council (NYAC); and National Youth Development Fund (NYDF).

National Service Scheme

National Service Scheme (NSS) was introduced in 1969 with the primary objective of developing the personality and character of the youth through voluntary community service. Education through Service is the purpose of the NSS. The ideological orientation of the NSS is inspired by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. Very  appropriately, the motto of NSS is “not me, but you”. An NSS volunteer places the ‘community’ before ‘self’. NSS aims at developing the following qualities/ competencies among the volunteers: to understand the community in which the NSS volunteers work and to understand themselves in relation to their community; to identify the needs and problems of the community and involve themselves in problem-solving exercise; to develop among themselves a sense of social and civic responsibility; to utilise their knowledge in finding practical solutions to individual and community problems; to gain skills in mobilising community participation; and to practise national integration and social harmony; to acquire leadership qualities and democratic values; to develop capacity to meet emergencies and natural disasters; and to practice national integration and social harmony. NSS attempts to establish meaningful linkages between ‘Campus and Community’,  ‘College and Village’ and ‘Knowledge and Action’.

Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development

Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD), Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, is an ’Institute of National Importance’ under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, by virtue of enactment of RGNIYD Act, 2012. The RGNIYD has been conferred the status of ‘Deemed to be University’ under ‘De-novo’ category in 2008, by the erstwhile Ministry of Human Resources Development. The Institute functions as a vital resource centre with its multi-faceted functions of offering academic programmes at postgraduate level encompassing various dimensions of youth development, engaging in seminal research in the vital areas of youth development and conducting training/capacity building programmes in youth development, besides the extension and outreach initiatives across the country.

RGNIYD functions as a think-tank of the Ministry and premier organisation of youth related activities in the country. As the apex institute at the national level, it works in close cooperation with the NSS, NYKS and other youth organisations in the country. It has a wide network with various organisations working for the welfare and development of young people and also serves as a mentor.