On November 26, 2019, the President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, launched the National Youth Parliament Scheme (NYPS) portal to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Indian Constitution, also known as Samvidhan Diwas. The launch took place at the Central Hall of Parliament House, New Delhi, with the presence of important leaders like the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister, and other ministers and members of Parliament.
The NYPS portal was created by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs to help young people across India understand democracy and the workings of Parliament. Originally, the portal was for identified educational institutions, giving students a chance to connect with the democratic values of the country.
The portal, available at https://nyps.mpa.gov.in, provides various training help, such as guidelines, literature, video tutorials, and sample scripts, to help students prepare for Youth Parliament sittings. These settings can be kept in physical or virtual form. After finishing their sessions, participants can upload reports, photos, and videos, and receive certificates of participation directly from the portal. Schools and colleges can also register multiple teams, letting more students take part.
In September 2024, the NYPS 2.0 was launched by Shri Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, to involve all citizens of India. This new version of the portal allows participation in three ways: Institution Participation, Group Participation, and Individual Participation.
- Institution Participation allows schools and colleges across India to manage Youth Parliament sittings. There are two categories: Kishore Sabha for students in classes VI to XII, and Tarun Sabha for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Teachers and students receive certificates for their participation.
- Group Participation allows citizens to form groups, either formal or informal, to complete Youth Parliament sittings. Group leaders get certificates of appreciation, and all group members receive certificates of participation.
- Individual Participation allows citizens to take part in a quiz called "Bharatiya Democracy in Action." Participants can study content about the Indian Constitution and Parliament before trying the quiz. Those who r ply at least 6 out of 10 questions correctly will receive a certificate of participation. If they don't score enough, they can try again.
Since its launch, over 100,000 students have participated in various actions on the NYPS portal. The industry is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s concept of employing young people across the country in understanding the democratic process and strengthening India's democracy. (PR)