The Ministry of Education launched PM-YUVA 3.0 (Prime Minister’s Scheme for Mentoring Young Authors).

Highlights of the scheme:

• PM-YUVA (Young, Upcoming and Versatile Authors) is an author mentorship programme to train young and budding authors (below 30 years of age) in order to promote reading, writing and book culture in the country, and project Indian writings globally.

• National Education Policy, 2020 has emphasised on the empowerment of the young minds and creating a learning ecosystem that can make the young readers/learners ready for leadership roles in the future world. 

• India is considered to be a ‘young country’ because 66 per cent of its total population are young and can be tapped for capacity and nation building. 

• In this context, a national scheme for mentoring generations of young authors has proven to be a significant stepping stone for laying the foundation of the future leaders of the creative world. 

• The first mentorship scheme was launched on May 31, 2021. 

• This scheme has been conceptualised on the premise that 21st century India needs to groom a generation of young authors to create ambassadors of Indian literature and world view.

• The previous editions saw large scale participation from young and budding authors in 22 different Indian languages.

• PM-YUVA 3.0 aims to encourage the youth to understand and appreciate India’s rich culture, heritage and contribution of visionaries in the development and growth of the country.

• PM-YUVA 3.0 intends to bring to the fore the perspectives of the young generation of writers on three themes in an innovative and creative manner.

The themes are: 

i) Contribution of Indian Diaspora in Nation Building.

ii) Indian Knowledge System.

iii) Makers of Modern India (1950-2025).

• A total of 50 authors will be selected through an all India contest conducted from March 11 to April 10.

• The National Book Trust, under the Ministry of Education as the implementing agency, will ensure phase-wise execution of the scheme under well-defined stages of mentorship. 

• The books prepared under this scheme will be published by National Book Trust and translated into other Indian languages.

Expected outcomes:

• The scheme will help to develop a stream of writers who can write on various facets of India encompassing the past, present and future. 

• It will also provide a window to the aspiring youth to articulate themselves and present a comprehensive outlook of contribution of Indians across fields in ancient and present times.

• This scheme will ensure creation of a pool of authors in Indian languages as well as English who are ready to express themselves and project India on any international platform, as well as it will help in projecting Indian culture and literature globally.

• It will make sure to bring reading and authorship as a preferred profession at par with other job options, making the youth of India take reading and knowledge as an integral part of their grooming up years.

• India being the third largest publisher of books in the world, this scheme will give a boost to the Indian publishing industry, by bringing in a new generation of authors writing for national and international audiences.

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