Lok Sabha Question No. 3832 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-16
Subject: Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: Shri Kamakhya Prasad Tasa

## Government of India Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports Department of Youth Affairs

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3832 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16/03/2026

Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue

3832. SHRI KAMAKHYA PRASAD TASA:

Will the Minister of YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  transformed  the  National  Youth Festival as the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (VBYLD) and if so, the details thereof along with the objective of the said initiative;
- (b) the selection procedure adopted for participants under VBYLD;
- (c)  the  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  equitable  and inclusive representation of talented youth from all sections of society;
- (d) the number of youths reached or impacted through the VBYLD, so far;
- (e) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to ensure participation  of  youth  across  the  country,  State/UT-wise  including  in rural areas; and

(f) the measures taken by the Government to ensure accessibility of the programme for youth from non-urban and underprivileged background?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS (DR. MANSUKH MANDAVIYA)

- (a) Yes Sir, the National Youth Festival (NYF) has been restructured as the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (VBYLD). The VBYLD 2026 was organised with the objective of providing a national platform for youth  to  deliberate  on  ideas  and  solutions  aligned  with  the  vision  of Viksit Bharat @2047. The aim of Dialogue was to engage youth in public affairs, encourage leadership and innovation, and promote meaningful participation of young people in nation-building. Participants deliberated on key national development themes including innovation and entrepreneurship, sustainable development, women-led development, cultural diplomacy and building a future-ready workforce. It was held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi during 9-12 January 2026.

(b) Youth leaders for VBYLD 2026 were selected through a merit-based, multi-stage  process  conducted  through  the  MY  Bharat  and  MyGov platforms. The process commenced with the Viksit Bharat Quiz hosted on the MY Bharat and MyGov platforms, which witnessed participation from  more  than  50  lakh  youth  from  all  States  and  Union  Territories. Subsequently, 39,463 youth submitted essays through the MY Bharat portal. The third stage, the State-level PPT Challenge, further shortlisted participants based on  their leadership  qualities, clarity of vision and collaborative abilities. Approximately 3,000 selected youth were invited to participate in the national-level Dialogue held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi during 9-12 January 2026.

(c), (e) & (f) The Government took several structural, technological and thematic measures to ensure equitable and inclusive participation of talented youth from all sections of society. The VBYLD Quiz recorded near-equal  gender  representation  (51%  male,  49%  female)  and  a dedicated core theme on 'Women-Led Development: The Key to Viksit Bharat' was included. The district-level competition structure mandated State Governments to ensure balanced representation across all districts, including aspirational ones, while a Cultural Track provided youth from tribal and traditional backgrounds a distinct entry point into the national-level dialogue.

To ensure pan-India participation and accessibility for youth from nonurban  and  underprivileged  backgrounds  through  a  bottom-up,  multipronged  approach.  The  MY  Bharat  and  MyGov  platforms  served  as

primary digital interfaces for registration and participation across all States and Union Territories.

To ensure accessibility for rural and geographically marginalised youth, the MY Bharat Portal was linked with Common Service Centres (CSCs), and over five lakh Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) enabled youth in villages  to  register  and  participate  from  their  nearest  CSC.  Essay submissions were accepted in all 22 scheduled Indian languages while the quiz was available in 12 languages, removing linguistic barriers for youth from marginalised communities.

(d) VBYLD 2026 collectively reached and impacted more than 50 lakh youth  across  all  States  and  Union  Territories  through  its  multi-stage process. The previous edition, i.e. VBYLD 2025 had a participation of more than 28 lakh youth.

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