National Model Youth Gram Sabha Awards 2025-26 | 30 Jan 2026

Why in News?

Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, S. P. Singh Baghel, conferred the National Model Youth Gram Sabha (MYGS) Awards at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, to nurture future leaders by connecting students with grassroots democratic processes.

Key Points: 

• Objective: To provide students with experiential learning of the three-tier Panchayati Raj system as envisaged under the 73rd Constitutional Amendment. 
• Collaborating Ministries: The ceremony was a joint effort by theMinistry of Panchayati Raj, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. 
• Participation: Over 28,000 students from 619 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) and 200 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) participated in simulated Gram Sabha proceedings. 
• Major Awardees:The awards were divided into two main categories: JNVs and EMRSs.  
  • JNV Una, Himachal Pradesh: Won the top prize in the JNV category, receiving a cheque for ₹1 crore for development activities. 
  • EMRS Kosambuda, Chhattisgarh: Won the top prize in the EMRS category, also receiving ₹1 crore. 
  • Runners-up: Schools ranked second and third were awarded ₹75 lakhs and ₹50 lakhs respectively. 
• Documentation: A comprehensive compendium was released, documenting the journey and impact of the MYGS initiative.  
• Significance:The initiative aligns with efforts under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to integrate experiential learning with democratic values. 
  • Grassroots Democracy: Strengthening the foundation of local self-governance through youth engagement. 
• Civic Education: Integrating democratic values into the formal school curriculum through "Loktantra Ki Pathshala" (School of Democracy).