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Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs
The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs has launched National Youth Parliament Scheme (NYPS) 2.0, an upgraded version of the original program designed to broaden students’ participation in democratic processes. While the previous version was restricted only to students of recognized educational institutions, NYPS 2.0 removes these barriers, opening the program to all educational institutions, groups, and even individual citizens across India, regardless of gender, region, or creed. This evolution aims to bring democratic awareness to remote and rural areas that were previously underserved.
Performance and Scale Since its launch in September 2024, the scheme has seen substantial nationwide traction:
Institutional Participation: 4,432 institutions have registered, organizing 1,536 Youth Parliament Sittings (YPSs) with over 52,000 participating students.
Individual Inclusion: Over 42,000 individual citizens have participated, bringing the total number of engaged stakeholders to over 95,000 as of January 2026.
Inclusivity Drive: To ensure diverse representation, the Ministry has actively engaged with State Governments, UT Administrations, and major educational boards like CBSE and CISCE.
Institutionalizing Democratic Awareness NYPS 2.0 leverages digital infrastructure through an upgraded web portal to manage registrations and event conduct. The Ministry also utilizes Sansad TV to broadcast publicity videos, further embedding the program into the public consciousness. This initiative reflects a strategic push to make the “temple of democracy” accessible to every young Indian citizen, transforming them from passive observers into active participants in parliamentary tradition.
What is the “Youth Parliament Sitting” (YPS) defined in NYPS 2.0? A Youth Parliament Sitting (YPS) is a simulated session where participants replicate the proceedings of the Indian Parliament. This includes the Question Hour, legislative debates, and passing of motions. In NYPS 2.0, these sittings are no longer confined to school classrooms but can be organized by citizen groups or individuals, serving as a practical laboratory for learning parliamentary etiquette, debate, and the nuances of the legislative process.
Policy Relevance
The transition to NYPS 2.0 marks a shift toward “Democratic Deepening” and civic literacy.
Breaking the “Recognized” Barrier: By allowing non-recognized institutions and individual citizens to participate, the government is acknowledging that civic education should not be a privilege limited to formal schooling.
Rural and Remote Outreach: The explicit focus on rural areas addresses the geographical imbalance in democratic participation, ensuring that the “Reform Express” reaches the grassroots level.
Building a Talent Pipeline: Simulated parliaments serve as a non-partisan training ground for future leaders, teaching them the value of consensus-building and constitutional discipline.
Leveraging Digital Governance: The use of an upgraded portal to track 95,000 participants illustrates how the Ministry is using technology to scale a traditionally resource-intensive educational program.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How can the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs collaborate with the newly proposed “University Townships” to make NYPS 2.0 a mandatory experiential learning module for graduate students?
Follow the full news here: NATIONAL YOUTH PARLIAMENT SCHEME 2.0