Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat), under the Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, organised 23 editions of ‘Viksit Bharat Yuva Samvad: Know Your Vote’ across colleges and institutions in 12 States and Union Territories today, with the participation of 5,481 youth. The initiative aims to promote electoral awareness among young people, particularly first-time voters and encourage informed participation in the democratic process by familiarising them with voting rights, electoral procedures and civic responsibilities.
As part of the nationwide campaign, being conducted across 500 universities, colleges and institutions from October 26 to November 5, 2026, a total of 50 Yuva Samvads have been held across 19 States and Union Territories as of October 29, engaging 11,787 youth and 51 Youth Icons. The sessions bring together young people, public representatives and Youth Icons for discussions on democratic participation, civic responsibilities and the role of youth in nation-building.
At Deesa College in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, more than 250 youth participated in the programme, with Member of Parliament Shri Brijmohan Agrawal as the Chief Guest. Participants discussed voting rights, electoral procedures and their responsibilities as citizens. Participants also pledged to uphold constitutional values, protect democracy and promote responsible citizenship.
In Madhya Pradesh, interactions with public representatives and Youth Icons highlighted democratic participation and the role of young people in nation-building. In Betul, Union Minister Shri Durgadas Uikey engaged with youth, while Youth Icon Yogi Deshmukh encouraged active voting and participation in democracy. In Mandsaur, Member of Parliament Shri Sudhir Gupta interacted with participants. In Narmadapuram, Member of Parliament Shri Darshan Singh Choudhary and Asian Games bronze medallist Harshita Tomar interacted with youth, highlighting the importance of voting rights and informed electoral participation.
In the North-Eastern Region, the programme in West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh, featured Youth Icon Shri Shyam Mogar, who discussed electoral rolls and the importance of electoral awareness. An interactive question-and-answer session addressed participants’ queries, followed by the Loktantrik Pledge. In Agartala, Tripura, the programme was attended by Member of Parliament Shri Rajib Bhattacharjee and Youth Icon Shri Shubhrajit Bhattacharjee. Students discussed public affairs, civil services, civic responsibility and the role of first-time voters, and reaffirmed their commitment to democratic values.
Electoral awareness and voter registration also featured in sessions across Jammu and Kashmir and Gujarat. In Kupwara, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Dr. Mudasir Ahmad interacted with students and addressed their queries on electoral procedures. In Kutch (Bhuj), first-time voters interacted with the Electoral Registration representative and Youth Icon on voting-related issues. In Sabarkantha (Himmatnagar), students discussed voting rights and electoral participation with Member of Parliament Smt. Shobhanaben Mahendrasinh Baraiya.
In Uttar Pradesh, students in Shahjahanpur discussed voting rights, responsibilities and electoral procedures. The programme in Ghaziabad covered voter registration, the Viksit Bharat Youth Leadership Dialogue (VBYLD) Quiz and Youth Parliament. In Sultanpur, participants took part in a question-and-answer session on the Election Commission of India and electoral participation, alongside a cultural track programme under the MY Bharat banner. In Shekhpura, Bihar, youth participated in the Democratic Pledge and interactive discussions on responsible citizenship and democratic participation.
The 23 programmes were held in Raipur, Chhattisgarh; Betul, Mandsaur and Narmadapuram in Madhya Pradesh; Sabarkantha (Himmatnagar) and Kutch (Bhuj) in Gujarat; Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir; Ghaziabad, Shahjahanpur and Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh; and Shekhpura in Bihar. Other locations included Balrampur, Budaun, Deoria, Siddharthnagar and Sonbhadra in Uttar Pradesh; West Kameng (Bomdila) in Arunachal Pradesh; Agartala (West Tripura) in Tripura; Bengaluru Urban in Karnataka; Kottayam in Kerala; Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu; and Mahabubnagar and Ranga Reddy in Telangana.
The campaign also features the Loktantrik Pledge and the ‘Know Your Vote’ online quiz to promote awareness of electoral processes and democratic values. MY Bharat registrations and QR-based collection of suggestions at programme venues provide additional avenues for youth engagement.