New Delhi, Jan 27 (IANS) Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj S.P. Singh Baghel will hand over awards to winners of the Model Youth Gram Sabha (MYGS) on Wednesday, recognising their understanding of the three-tier Panchayati Raj system envisaged under the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, an official said.
Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar will also attend the event during which a comprehensive compendium documenting the transformative journey of the MYGS initiative will be released, said the official in a statement.
The ceremony will celebrate the achievements of over 28,000 students from 619 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and 200 Eklavya Model Residential Schools who participated in simulated Gram Sabhas and Gram Panchayat proceedings across the country.
Around 900 participants, including students and teachers from the winning schools, elected representatives of PRIs and key stakeholders associated with the MYGS initiative, will also participate in the event.
The Model Youth Gram Sabha, aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, was implemented across over 1,000 schools, including Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs), Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs), and State Government Schools last October.
The initiative aims to promote experiential and activity-based learning, helping students understand democratic functioning and the importance of collective decision-making.
At the launch event, Baghel said that realising the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047 requires nurturing a generation of young leaders who understand and strengthen India’s democracy.
He described the Model Youth Gram Sabha as a powerful platform to build confidence, leadership, and civic responsibility among students. Taking the idea forward, he suggested that similar initiatives may also be introduced in urban areas through Model Ward Sabhas, enabling students in cities to understand participatory decision-making and community leadership.
Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Durgadas Uikey described the initiative of Model Youth Gram Sabha as a reflection of a new vision of participatory education that connects young minds with the functioning of democratic institutions.
He said that the initiative connects education with democratic participation and inspires students to listen, decide, and act responsibly.
Sharing his personal journey from a tribal village, he said that grassroots leadership has the power to transform lives and communities. He also underlined that the tribal society’s harmony with nature offers valuable lessons in sustainable living and maintaining community balance.
Panchayati Raj Secretary Vivek Bharadwaj had said at the event that for many of the country’s problems, solutions lie within its Gram Sabhas and Gram Panchayats, which form the foundation of local self-governance.
He described the MYGS as a vital step to connect students with grassroots democracy and help them learn responsibility, transparency, and accountability through real-life experience.
He emphasised that education must blend knowledge with experience so that learning becomes enjoyable, participative, and rooted in community values.
School Education and Literacy Secretary Sanjay Kumar had said that the MYGS is a timely step to help students understand grassroots democracy and the functioning of PRIs.
The initiative, he noted, will provide real-life exposure to governance, build teamwork and leadership skills, and promote learning by doing, community participation, and mental well-being – nurturing confident and responsible citizens.
The launch witnessed participation from over 700 attendees, including students and teachers from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and Eklavya Model Residential Schools, as well as elected Panchayat representatives and officials from State Panchayati Raj Departments and State Institutes of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj (SIRD&PRs).
