Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports Electoral Awareness Campaign
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, through Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat), conducted 46 'Viksit Bharat Yuva Samvad: Know Your Vote' programs across 21 States and Union Territories on October 30, 2026, with 6,688 youth participants. This nationwide campaign, running from October 26 to November 5, 2026, aims to reach 500 universities, colleges, and institutions across India to promote electoral awareness among young people, particularly first-time voters.
The initiative focuses on familiarizing youth with voting rights, electoral procedures, and civic responsibilities while providing platforms for interaction with elected representatives and Youth Icons. The programs covered a wide geographical spread including Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
Cumulatively, as of October 30, 2026, 96 Yuva Samvads have been conducted across 27 States and Union Territories, engaging 18,475 youth and 97 Youth Icons. State-specific activities included: in Punjab, interactions with International Rugby Player Ms. Amandeep Kaur and other Youth Icons; in Jammu and Kashmir, discussions with Lacrosse athlete Ms. Abhilove Kour; in Madhya Pradesh, presentations on youth leadership and Viksit Bharat vision; in Chhattisgarh, MP Smt Kamlesh Jangde's interaction with participants; and in Tamil Nadu, a Parliament-style discussion on the Women's Reservation Bill.
Additional program components included yoga and meditation sessions under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, Loktantrik Shapath (democratic pledge) ceremonies, street plays on voting importance, awareness sessions on drug-free lifestyles, and youth mobilization activities for neighborhood youth parliaments. The campaign emphasizes responsible citizenship, youth participation in governance, and the role of young people in strengthening democratic institutions and nation-building.