Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports Raksha Khadse chaired a high-level meeting with Vice-Chancellors of 93 universities from across the country to strengthen engagement with youth-focused initiatives. The meeting, held on September 18, 2026, included participation from 40 Central Universities, 38 State Universities, and 13 Deemed and Private Universities, along with representatives from NSU Manipur and LNIPE Gwalior.
Key officials present included Shri Sunil Paliwal (Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs), Shri Shiv Ratan (Joint Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs), Shri Salil Kumar (Director, MY Bharat), and Shri Prashant Priya Gautam (Director, National Service Scheme). The meeting focused on three major initiatives: Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2027, Nasha Mukt Abhiyaan, and Yuva Connect Programme.
Minister Khadse emphasized the collective responsibility of educational institutions in advancing the Viksit Bharat @2047 vision and called for creating greater opportunities for youth participation, leadership, and community engagement. Specifically on VBYLD 2027, she highlighted its diverse tracks and encouraged universities to facilitate student participation to showcase ideas and engage with policymakers and national leaders.
The Minister urged universities to strengthen awareness and youth-led action under Nasha Mukt Abhiyaan and connect students with opportunities through Yuva Connect Programme, emphasizing the role of institutions in extending youth initiatives beyond campuses into communities. The meeting concluded with key action points for strengthening university-level engagement with these programs, with participation from Vice-Chancellors including Prof. Nilofer Khan, Prof. Diwakar Singh Rajput, Prof. Kalpana Sharma, Prof. Dibakar Chandra Deka, Daljit Singh Chawdhary, and Prof. Suresh Gosavi.