State sets registration target, outlines tracks and timelines
KOHIMA — Nagaland is seeking around 18,000 registrations for the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (VBYLD) 2027, officials said at a joint press conference in Kohima on Thursday, urging students and young people between the ages of 15 and 29 to participate in competitions, cultural programmes and innovation tracks connected to the national event.
The press briefing was attended by the State Director of MY Bharat Nagaland, Alphonce Toppo; Director of Youth Resources & Sports, Kethosituo Sekhose; State NSS Officer Ruokuovituo Zatsu; and District Youth Officer (MY Bharat Kohima) Pradeep J.
"The 2026 edition witnessed more than 50 lakh participants and 3,000 finalists," Toppo said, describing the scale of the national exercise that has now been reframed as VBYLD to align with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
Toppo said the national summit will be held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, from 10 to 12 January 2027. The event, he explained, evolved from the National Youth Festival — held since 1995 on National Youth Day to remember Swami Vivekananda — and was transformed into VBYLD to support the Prime Minister’s Viksit Bharat @2047 agenda.
Tracks, progression and selection process
VBYLD-2027 will engage youth across multiple thematic tracks. Officials highlighted the principal streams that will shape selection from local to national level:
- Viksit Bharat Challenge — begins with a digital quiz and an essay competition; shortlisted participants will give district-level PowerPoint presentations, with winners progressing to the state and then national rounds.
- Youth Parliament — platform to foster civic debate and leadership among youth.
- Innovate for Bharat / Hack for Social Change / Designs for Bharat — innovation and design challenges with social impact emphasis.
- Youth Entrepreneurs Challenge — a new track for start-up ideas aligned to the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
- Cultural track — includes folk dance, folk song, painting, nukad natak (street theatre) and poetry; selection will proceed through district, state and national stages in physical mode.
State and district schedules — timelines provided by officials
Officials outlined schedules for district and state-level events, although timings vary across statements made at the briefing.
| Level | Dates mentioned |
|---|---|
| District-level events | Officials provided a district calendar running across September–October in one account; another notice listed district-level events in late September. |
| State-level Youth Festival | One statement scheduled the state-level festival from 28–30 September, while an alternate briefing listed the state round between 17 November and 7 December. |
| National VBYLD | 10–12 January 2027 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. |
Officials said district winners will advance to state rounds and, subsequently, to the national dialogue. The cultural track is intended to be conducted physically at each level to ensure grassroots participation before finalists travel to Delhi.
Who can take part and how the State plans outreach
The programme targets youth aged 15–29. State agencies — the Directorate of Youth Resources & Sports, MY Bharat Nagaland and the National Service Scheme — called for widespread participation by students and young people across urban and rural areas.
Toppo cited the reach of the previous edition, saying the 2026 programme attracted over 50 lakh participants nationally and produced some 3,000 finalists, and urged Nagaland’s youth to seize the opportunity to present ideas and cultural expression at district, state and national forums.
Practical information for interested participants
- Age eligibility: 15–29 years.
- Tracks available: cultural events, quizzes, essays, presentations, innovation and entrepreneurship challenges, youth parliament and hack/design challenges.
- Selection path: digital rounds (where applicable) → district physical rounds → state rounds → national dialogue in New Delhi.
Officials encouraged institutions, youth clubs and student groups to coordinate with district MY Bharat and NSS offices for registration details and local schedules. They said the State is aiming for mass mobilisation to meet the target of about 18,000 registrations.
No registration portal link or fee details were supplied during the briefing; interested participants should contact local MY Bharat or Directorate of Youth Resources & Sports offices for confirmation of registration procedures and finalised district and state timelines.
As VBYLD 2027 will bring national-level finalists and cultural delegations together in January, organisers said final travel and accommodation arrangements for chosen participants will be communicated by the respective State and district coordinators in due course.
