National Youth Day 2026 | 12 Jan 2026

Source: PIB 

Why in News? 

National Youth Day is observed annually on 12^th January, commemorating the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, whose ideals of character, courage, service, and nation-building continue to guide India’s youth-centric policies.  

• With over 65% of India’s population below 35 years, youth empowerment is central to the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.

What are the Key Initiatives Taken by the government for Youth Empowerment? 

• Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat): National digital youth platform linking volunteering, leadership and skilling with AI-enabled career services, mentorship and Fit India integration. 
• National Service Scheme (NSS) & Viksit Bharat Young Leaders’ Dialogue (VBYLD): NSS  promotes civic engagement and social responsibility through community service, while VBYLD provides a national ideation platform engaging nearly 3,000 young leaders, with a digital outreach of over 50.42 lakh youth via MY Bharat and MyGov. 
• Agnipath Scheme: A four-year military service pathway for youth aged 17.5–21 years, fostering discipline, technical skills, and post-service employability through structured resettlement support. 
• Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded(PM-SETU): A flagship initiative to upgrade 1,000 ITIs through a government-owned, industry-managed hub-and-spoke model, aligning vocational training with current and future labour-market demand. 
• Skill India Mission: An umbrella skilling ecosystem integrating PMKVY 4.0, PM-NAPS, and Jan Shikshan Sansthans (JSS) to deliver future-ready vocational training, apprenticeships, and lifelong learning opportunities. 
• PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana: A large-scale employment generation scheme aiming to support 3.5 crore jobs in two years, offering financial incentives to both newly employed youth and employers. 
• Startup India & PM MUDRA Yojana: Strengthening youth entrepreneurship through recognition of 1.97 lakh+startups and provision of collateral-free loans up to ₹20 lakh, especially benefiting first-generation entrepreneurs, women, and MSMEs. 
• Fit India Movement: A nationwide behavioural change campaign promoting daily fitness through initiatives such as Sundays on Cycle, Fit India School Certification, fitness pledges, and digital fitness tracking. 
• Youth Spiritual Summit & Kashi Declaration: A youth-led national roadmap emphasising mental well-being, substance-free living, and value-based leadership, aligned with the vision of a Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat. 
• Rashtriya Kishore Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK): A holistic adolescent health programme addressing nutrition, mental health, sexual and reproductive health, substance misuse, non-communicable diseases, and injury prevention through a preventive and community-based approach. 

What are the Key Facts About Swami Vivekananda? 

• About: Swami Vivekananda, born as Narendra Nath Datta on 12th January 1863, was a monk and the chief disciple of Ramakrishna Paramhansa. 
  • In 1893, upon the request of Maharaja Ajit Singh of the Khetri State, he took the name ‘Vivekananda’, changing from ‘Sachidananda’ that he used before. 
• Enlightenment: In 1892, Swami Vivekananda was said to have swum to a rock (later named Vivekananda Rock Memorial) in the Indian Ocean from the shores of Kanyakumari for meditation.  
  • He spent three days and nights there, resulting in his enlightenment.  
• Contributions:  
  • Philosophical: He introduced the world to the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga. 
    • He preached ‘neo-Vedanta’, an interpretation of Hinduism through a Western lens, and believed in combining spirituality with material progress. 
  • Spiritual: Vivekananda's message on human values draws from the Upanishads, the Gita, and the examples of Buddha and Jesus, emphasizing self-realization, compassion, and selfless service. 
    • He advocated the doctrine of service. Serving jiva (living beings) is considered worship of Shiva. 
    • He gave the four pathways of attaining moksha (liberation) from worldly pleasures and attachments in his books- Raja-yoga, Karma-yoga, Jnana-yoga and Bhakti-yoga. 
  • Revivalism: He laid emphasis on education for the regeneration of our motherland. He advocated a man-making, character-building education. 
• Associated Organisations: He founded the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897 to propagate the ideals of service, education, and spiritual upliftment. 
  • In 1899, he established the Belur Math, which became his permanent abode. 
• International Address: He addressed the Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893, at which he represented Hinduism. 
  • In July 1896, he addressed a conference of the London Hindu Association in London.