Parliament Question: Youth participation and Eklavya Model Residential School

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS RAJYA SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 2681 ANSWERED ON 16/03/2026 YOUTH PARTICIPATION AND EKLAVYA MODEL RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL

2681. #SHRI SHAMBHU SHARAN PATEL:

SHRI CHUNNILAL GARASIYA:

SHRI RAJIB BHATTACHARJEE:

SHRI MASTHAN RAO YADAV BEEDHA:

Will the MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) specific objectives of National Youth Parliament competition for tribal students of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in 2024;

(b) manner in which newly launched National Youth Parliament Scheme (NYPS) 2.0 differs from its predecessor in terms of public participation and registration;

(c) whether there is a provision for individual participation on the NYPS portal for citizens who are not part of any formal educational institution;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) details of financial assistance provided by the Central Government for organizing local Youth Parliament competitions in those States and Union Territories that do not have their own Legislative Assembly?ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING;

AND THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (DR. L. MURUGAN)

(a) The objectives of the National Youth Parliament Competition (NYPC) for Eklvaya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) are to strengthen the roots of democracy in the tribal areas of the country, develop tolerance for divergent views and inculcate healthy habits of discipline among the students of Eklavya Model Residential Schools through Youth Parliament Competitions, and to familiarize the students with the functioning of Parliament and parliamentary institutions by organizing these competitions annually among EMRSs.

(b) to (d) The Ministry launched a web-portal of the National Youth Parliament Scheme (NYPS) to increase the outreach of the Youth Parliament Programme to hitherto untouched sections and corners of the country in 2019. The students of recognized educational institutions could participate through the web portal of NYPS. In September 2024, to further expand the Youth Parliament Programme and to ensure wider participation, the Ministry has unveiled an upgraded version of the National Youth Parliament Scheme (NYPS) web portal, known as NYPS 2.0. Unlike the previous version, which was limited to students of recognized educational institutions only, NYPS 2.0 is open to all educational institutions, groups, and even individual citizens across the country. It is open for participation regardless of gender, caste, creed, religion, race, region, or place in the country. Participation on NYPS 2.0 can be

done through the following ways:-

(i) Institution Participation: All educational institutions can participate in this category by organizing Youth Parliament Sittings as per the guidelines available on the portal. The students from classes VI to XII may be selected for the “Kishore Sabha” sub-category, and Under Graduate and Post Graduate level students may be selected for the “Tarun Sabha” sub-category.

(ii) Group Participation: Groups of citizens can participate in this category by organizing Youth Parliament Sittings as per the guidelines available on the portal.

(iii)Individual Participation: Individual citizens can participate in this category by attempting quiz on the theme of ‘Bhartiya Democracy in Action’.

(e) As per the guidelines of Financial Assistance to States/Union Territories for organizing Youth Parliament Competitions, the actual expenditure incurred by the States/UTs is reimbursed by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Government of India, up to the prescribed ceilings, subject to receiving claims from them. The ceiling in respect of UTs having no legislatures is ₹2 lakh per UT per annum. During the current financial year, no reimbursement claim has so far been received from any UT having no legislature.

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