93 Universities Asked to Boost Student Participation in VBYLD 2027, Nasha Mukt Abhiyaan
New Delhi: The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has asked universities to be more involved in youth leadership and community engagement initiatives. Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Khadse chaired a high-level meeting of Vice-Chancellors of 93 universities to promote a broader participation by students in the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (VBYLD) 2027, Nasha Mukt Abhiyaan and Yuva Connect Programme.
The meeting gave university leadership a chance to engage with initiatives aimed at connecting young people to leadership opportunities, community initiatives and national-level dialogue.
93 Universities Join Youth Engagement Discussion
Representatives of 40 Central Universities, 38 State Universities and 13 Deemed and Private Universities participated in the meeting. The event also featured representatives of NSU, Manipur and LNIPE, Gwalior. Senior officials attending the meeting included Sunil Paliwal, Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs; Shiv Ratan, Joint Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs; Salil Kumar, Director, MY Bharat; and Prashant Priya Gautam, Director, National Service Scheme (NSS), along with Vice-Chancellors and representatives of participating universities.
The discussions focused on how higher education institutions can improve their involvement in the Ministry's youth-focused programmes and offer more pathways for student participation.
What Universities Are Being Asked to Do for VBYLD 2027
A major focus of the meeting was the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2027. According to the Ministry, the programme includes diverse tracks through which young people can present their ideas, creativity and solutions while interacting with policymakers, experts and national leaders. Universities have been encouraged to boost student participation in such opportunities.
For students, this means universities are in a good position to act as the institutional bridge between campus-level participation and national-level discussion.
Nasha Mukt Abhiyaan and Yuva Connect Also Highlighted
The meeting also allowed university leadership to learn about student engagement in the Nasha Mukt Abhiyaan. Universities have been urged to boost awareness and youth-oriented action in support of the initiative.
The Yuva Connect Programme was another key area of discussion, with the Ministry urging institutions to connect students to available opportunities and take youth-focused initiatives out into the surrounding communities. This approach gives more weight to community-level engagement.
Universities and the Viksit Bharat at 2047 Vision
Addressing the Vice-Chancellors, Raksha Khadse called on educational institutions to make more opportunities for youth participation, leadership, community engagement and constructive dialogue.
The Minister subsequently called on university leaders to ensure broad participation by both institutions and students in the three initiatives, with the aim of building a stronger ecosystem around youth leadership, social responsibility and nation-building.
Key Takeaway for University Students
For students, the development means universities are being asked to take a more active role in promoting opportunities related to:
- Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2027
- Youth leadership and idea-sharing
- Interacting with policymakers and experts
- Nasha Mukt Abhiyaan awareness and youth-led activities
- Yuva Connect Programme opportunities
- Community engagement and social responsibility
The meeting concluded with key action points aimed at improving engagement at the university level in the three programmes. Several Vice-Chancellors, including Prof. Nilofer Khan, Prof. Diwakar Singh Rajput, Prof. Kalpana Sharma, Prof. Dibakar Chandra Deka, Daljit Singh Chawdhary and Prof. Suresh Gosavi, participated in the discussion.
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