The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has extended the submission deadline for Stage II of the Viksit Bharat Essay Challenge to 22 October 2026. This extension provides additional time for eligible youth to submit their 500-word essays on the MY Bharat portal as part of the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2027 selection process.
The program has received substantial participation, with 1,45,26,013 attempts recorded in the initial Viksit Bharat Quiz stage. Approximately 570,000 youth who qualified from the quiz round have advanced to the essay challenge phase. Participants must write on themes designated for their specific regions.
The Ministry has requested State Governments and Union Territory administrations to widely communicate the revised deadline to ensure broad participation. This flagship youth engagement initiative aims to foster youth participation, leadership, and innovation, providing a platform for young people to contribute to the Viksit Bharat @2047 vision.