Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) is the world’s largest students’ organisation having more than 33 lakh members. ABVP always stands up for student-centric issues and also works for enhancing quality in various dimensions of the education system & student-related policies. We congratulate MoYAS for coming up with such a well-rounded policy document, and as a responsible organisation are also sharing our inputs on the same. This body of suggestions is a result of focused reading and understanding of the draft policy document, thorough research & analysis, wider consultation with Youth and several rounds of meetings culminating into healthy brainstorming. Our inputs are listed as follows:
1. The Draft Policy is visionary and has many worthy points to harness the innate potential of the youth. However, it should be made more visible and popular among all sections of the society especially amongst the young population. Far and wide-reaching consultation and discussion with all stakeholders must be held in order to formulate the final draft of the National Youth Policy, so as to make it Sarva-Samaveshi and Sarva-Sparshi.
2. The document uses the phrase for youth as ‘leaders for tomorrow’ in paragraph 2.5. The Policy can alternatively use the term ‘citizens of today’ who can lead in the society today itself. ABVP as a students’ organization has been using this terminology since 1970s and it is a matter of satisfaction that it is now widely being recognized in government policy.
3. The policy should put further impetus to promoting the concept of sustainable life where youth can aspire for and lead a “happy and meaningful life”.
4. ABVP appreciates the initiative for the Policy giving adequate space to skilling and training of youth, specifically in paras 4.37 to 4.43. It discusses about the need to ‘reform skilling’ and devising new skilling techniques. Proper mapping of existing skill sets of the youth and industry requirements should be done. Training modules should be developed after looking at the ‘skill gap’ among youth and aim to bridge the gap. A dedicated sample survey enumerating the professional qualification details of the youth should be initiated.
5. The policy draft appears to focus on ‘engagement’ of the youth, as mentioned throughout Chapter 5 of the draft. However, it is suggested that the policy should focus on ‘involvement’ of the youth population. Youth should become a stakeholder in the overall process of governance, and social transformation and should be involved in the decision-making at all levels, wherever feasible.
6. The Policy needs to be appreciated for including in the vision for strengthening the volunteering ecosystem, expanding opportunities for leadership development and mobilizing technology to establish a vibrant youth enablement platform, as well as integrating community service in the curriculum in paragraphs 2.5 and 3.11. However, the Policy should lay down a clear roadmap with the way forward for increased participation of youth in activities like social service, environmental protection, arts, and sports.
7. The Draft has specified the role of government-initiated platforms for youth like NCC, NSS, NYKs etc. It should also explore ways to engage a vast pool of youth connected with student organizations, cultural organizations, NGOs etc. as volunteers in government schemes, such as by the formation of a Yuva Aayog.
8. NYKs have played a pioneering and defining role in establishing a network and pool of trained volunteers across the country. However, the NYKs must be restructured and re-invented in line with the requirements of the day. Its role should be expanded and strengthening should be done so that the volunteers can efficiently reach the grassroots and the last-mile delivery of government schemes to the stakeholders is ensured.
9. The draft policy document briefly mentions about the role of youth in nation-building. However, efforts must be made to instill the spirit of nationalism, constitutional ethos and patriotic fervor in the youth. Although a passing reference in Paragraph 3.26 has been made to the Constitutional and legal awareness for the youth for improved participatory citizenship, a lot more remains to be done to imbibe the concept of ‘responsible youth’ underlining the significance and role of youth in social reconstruction should be expressly emphasized in the Policy.
10. Paragraphs 6.31 to 6.37 specifically discuss the development of sports and fitness as a trend and fostering of healthy habits in the youth. However, the NYP document should include a broader vision for the spiritual development of youth, so as to ensure holistic development encompassing overall well-being.
11. The NYP document should talk about the importance of healthy family life and communal living to start a discussion among youth and also to check the rising tendency of absolute individualism.
12. The draft policy document talks about revitalization of village economy. ‘Career guidance centers’ should be opened at village panchayat level or at the block/tehseel level, depending upon the feasibility. Mentorship programs should be launched to guide village youth to make them ‘Swavavalambi’, to inculcate the spirit of entrepreneurship and their professional development. Special efforts should also be made to ensure that the ‘dignity of labour’ is maintained.
13. The policy document should make a roadmap so as to provide more opportunities to the students to earn through internships, volunteering, and apprenticeship while pursuing higher education.
14. 'Safe space’ is a term-long referred to in relation to specific groups which excludes certain sections of the society. Historically speaking, the term has gained a negative connotation on various occasions as it attaches a notion of ‘othering’ in a way that the other spaces or surroundings apparently appear to be unsafe and non-conducive for young people who’re in the need of a human-friendly environment. Therefore, the term ‘safe space’ used in paragraphs 7.9, 7.10 and 7.14 must be replaced with an appropriate term which would instill a sense of inclusivity and non-discrimination.
15. The draft NYP document does not give much focus on para-sports athletes. It should include capacity building of sports infrastructure, especially for para-sports facilities in the Chapter dealing with ‘Sports and Fitness’.
16. ABVP has taken up various initiatives like Mission Sahasi – focused on inculcating confidence and self-defense techniques to girls. Another project initiative run by ABVP is Mission Rajaswala/Ritumati Abhiyan for training at menstrual wellness, hygiene and proper diet and nutrition. Such initiatives and other best practices should be included in the National Youth Policy for being emulated.
17. The Government must express unwavering faith in India’s youth and their potential, and door-step access to the support ecosystem for entrepreneurship must be provided to the skilled youth, in form of timely and appropriate assistance including financial/technical aid and guidance.
18. Cultural sports and physical exercises must be promoted among the youth and appropriate standardization of the training facilities must be done to ensure that the collective community knowledge accumulated for generations do not get lost.
19. Whereas the Policy has provided a comprehensive vision for youth’s all-round manifestation of personality and innate potential, special emphasis must be provided for youth from Aspirational districts, geographical regions, those practicing agriculture as well as for the marginalized tribal population.
20. It is recommended that the Policy should factor in and include within its purview the vast vistas of Bharat, including the aspirations and challenges of each region be it rural, urban or semi-urban; or be it the mountainous or hilly regions, Gangetic Plains, the Deccan Plateau, Coastline territories or the hinterlands.