Youth Affairs, Games and Sports

⇒ According to ‘INDIA 2021’, India is one of the youngest nations in the world, with about 65% of the population under 35 years of age. The youth in the age group of 15-29 years comprise 27.5% of the population.

The National Youth Policy, 2014 (NYP-2014) was launched in 2014, replacing the erstwhile National Youth Policy, 2003. The Policy defines ‘Youth’ as persons in the age-group of 15-29 years.

The Department of Youth Affairs undertook a comprehensive exercise to re-structure/consolidate all the schemes which are now being operated by Department of Youth Affairs into 3 flagship Schemes as follows:

The following eight schemes have been merged into a new ‘umbrella’ Scheme called ‘Rashtriya Yuva Sashaktikaran Karyakram’ (RYSK).

Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), launched in 1972, is one of the largest youth organisations in the world. NYKS currently has about 8.7 million youth enrolled through3.04 lakh youth clubs/mahila mandals. NYKS has presence in 623 districts through Nehru Yuva Kendras (NYKs).

The objective of the programme is to develop the personality and leadership qualities of the youth and to engage them in nation-building activities.

The areas of focus of the NYKS activities include literacy and education, health and family welfare, sanitation and cleanliness, environment conservation, awareness on social issues, women empowerment, rural development, skill development and self-employment, entrepreneurship development, civic education, disaster relief and rehabilitation, etc.

The scheme of National Youth Corps (NYC) was launched in 2010-11 and the same is being implemented through NYKS.

The main objectives of the scheme are to set up a group of disciplined and dedicated youth who have the inclination and spirit to engage in the task of nationbuilding; to facilitate the realization of inclusive growth (both social and economic); to act as group modulators and peer group educators; and to act as role models for the younger cohort, especially towards enhancement of public ethics, probity and dignity of labour.

Under the scheme, youth in the age-group of 18-25 years and engaged as volunteers to serve upto maximum 2 years in nation-building activities.

The minimum qualification for NYC volunteers is Class-X passed and they were initially paid honorarium of 2,500/- per month, but the same was increased to 5,000/-per month from 2016.

National Programme for youth and Adolescent Development (NPYAD) scheme was introduced from 01.04.2008. Under it, financial assistance is provided to Government/non-Government organizations for taking up youth and adolescent activities.

The assistance under NPYAD is provided under 5 major components, namely: (a) Youth leadership and personality development training; (b) promotion of national integration; (c) promotion of adventure; Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards; (d) development and empowerment of adolescents; (e) technical and resource development.

Youth Hostels are built to promote youth travel and to enable the young people to experience the rich cultural heritage of the country.

The construction of the youth hostels is a joint venture f the central and state governments. While the central government bears the cost of construction, the state governments provide fully developed land free-of-cost, with water supply, electricity connection and approach roads.

Youth hostels are located in areas of historical and cultural value, in educational centres, in tourist destinations, etc. Such hostels provide good accommodation for the youth at reasonable rates.

Out of 83 currently operational hostels, 11 have been transferred to Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, Sports Authority of India, concerned state governments, for optimum use for youth and sports development and the remaining 72 hostels are under direct control of the Ministry of youth affairs and sports, Govt. of India.

The Department provides assistance to the scouting and guiding organisations, with a view to promote the scouts and guides movement in the country.

This is an international movement aimed at building character, confidence, idealism and spirit of patriotism and service among young boys and girls.

Scouting and guiding also seeks to promote balanced physical and mental development among the boys and girls.

The financial assistance is provided to scouting and guiding organisations for various programmes such as organisation of training camps, skill development programmes, holding of jamborees, etc.

A new central sector scheme, namely, ‘National Young Leaders Programme (NYLP)’ was launched in 2014, with a view to develop leadership qualities among the youth to enable them to realise their full potential and in the process, to contribute to the nation-building process.

The Programme aims at motivating the youth to strive for excellence in their respective fields and to bring them to the forefront of the development process.

The programme has the following components; Neighbourhood youth Parliament (NYP); Youth for Development Programme (YFDP); National Young Leaders Awards (NYLA); National Youth Advisory Council (NYAC); National Youth Development Fund (NYDF).

Besides above mentioned six schemes, two other schemes

(a) ‘International Cooperation’ and

(b) National Discipline Scheme have also been merged into RYSK.

National Service Scheme (NSS) was introduced in 1969 with the primary objective of developing the personality and character of the student youth through voluntary community service. Education through service is the purpose of the NSS.

The ideological orientation of the NSS is inspired by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. Very appropriately, the motto of NSS is “not me, but you”. An NSS volunteer places the ‘Community’ before ‘self’.

NSS aims at developing the following qualities/ competencies among the volunteers : to understand the community in which the NSS volunteers work and to understand themselves in relation to their community; to identify the needs and problems of the community and involve themselves in problem-solving exercise; to develop among themselves a sense of social and civic responsibility to utilize their knowledge in finding practical solutions to individual and community

problems; to gain skills in mobilizing community participation; and to practise national integration and social harmony.

Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD), Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, is an ‘Institute of National Importance’ under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

The RGNIYD was set up in 1993 as a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1975 and was conferred the status of ‘Deemed to be University’ in 2008, by the Ministry of Human Resources Development.

The Institute functions as a vital resource centre with its multi-faceted functions of offering academic programmes at post graduate level encompassing various dimensions of youth development, engaging in seminal research in the vital areas of youth development and conducting training/capacity building programmes in youth development, besides the extension and outreach initiatives across the country.

Sports and games have always been seen as an integral component in all round development of human personality. Apart from being means of entertainment and physical fitness, sports have also played a great role in generation of spirit of healthy competition and bonding within the community. Achievements in sports have always been a source of national pride and prestige.

National Sports Policy, 2001 envisages mainly broadbasing and promotion of excellence in sports. The salient features of this policy are :

(a) broadbasing of sports and achievement of excellence

(b) Upgradation and development of infrastructure;

(c) Support to national sports federations and other appropriate bodies;

(d) Strengthening of scientific and coaching support to sports;

(e) Incentives to promote sports;

(f) Enhanced participation of women, scheduled tribes and rural youth;

(g) Involvement of corporate sector in sports promotion, and

(h) Promotion of sports mindedness among the public at large.

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports was implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme called the Panchayat Yuva Krida aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA) from 2008-09 to 2013-14.

The scheme aimed at creation of basic sports infrastructure at village and Block Panchayat Levels through development and maintenance of playground and mass participation in sports through conduct of annual sports competitions.

Separately, a Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS) was also introduced in 2010-11 and continued. upto 2015-16.

Khelo India is the New umbrella scheme after merger of on-going schemes like Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan (RGKA), Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS) and National Sports Talent Search System Programme (NSTSSP).

Various schemes to give incentives to sportspersons to take up sports are also implemented.

The scheme was launched in the year 1991-92 with the objective of honouring sports persons to enhance their general status and to give them greater dignity and place of honour in society.

Under this scheme, an amount of 25 lakh (earlier the award money was 7.5 lakh) is given as award for the most spectacular and outstanding performance by a sports person over a period of four years immediately preceding the year in which award is to be given.

The award was instituted in 1961. To be eligible for the award, a sports person should have not only good performance consistently for the previous four years at the international level with excellence for the year for which award is recommended, but should have also shown qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and a sense of discipline.

The awardee is given a statuette, a certificate, ceremonial dress and a cash award of 15 lakh (earlier 5 lakh.) Not more than fifteen awards are given every year.

This award was instituted in 2002. This award is given to honour those sports persons who have contributed to sports by their performance and continue to contribute to promotion of sports even after their retirement from active sporting career.

The awardee is given a statuette, a certificate, ceremonial dress and a cash award of 10 lakh (earlier 5 lakh.) Not more than three awards are given every year.

This award was instituted in 1985 to honour eminent coaches who have successfully trained sportspersons or teams and enabled them to achieve outstanding results in international competitions.

The awardee is given a statuette of Guru Dronacharya, a certificate, ceremonial dress and a cash award of ₹ 10 lakh (earlier 5 lakh.) Not more than five awards are given every year.

The sports Authority of India (SAI) was established in 1984 as a registered society primarily to ensure effective maintenance and optimum utilization of the sports infrastructure that was built in Delhi during ASIAD, 1982.

It is now the nodal agency in the country for broadbasing sports and for training of sports persons to achieve excellence in national and international sports.

The Society for National Institute of Physical Education and Sports (SNIPES) was merged with SAI in 1987. Subsequently Netaji Subhash National Institute of Sports (NSNIS), Patiala and its allied centres at Bengaluru, Kolkata and Gandhinagar and Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education at Thiruvananthapuram came under SAI.

It has now regional centres at Bengaluru, Gandhinagar, Kolkata, Sonepat, Bhopal, Imphal, Chandigarh and Lucknow. SAI also operates a High Altitude Training Centre (HATC) at Shillaroo (HP).

established initially as a college on August 17, 1957, the centenary year of the first war of Independence. The University is located at Gwalior, (MP).

In recognition of the services rendered in the field of physical education and sports by the Institute, it was upgraded to a “Deemed University” in 1995. The LNIPE is fully funded by the Government of India.

The Institute attracts students from abroad also. A North East Campus of LNIPE has been established at Guwahati (Assam) and is functioning since 2010-11.

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