The Department of Youth Affairs, through the MY Bharat platform, will run Vande Mataram Camps nationwide; the inaugural residential camp is in Kolkata from 24–30 June 2026, coinciding with Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s birth anniversary.
Camp design & scale
- Format and duration: Seven-day residential immersive camps.
- Number and reach: 20 camps planned; 150 participants per camp; ~3,000 youth overall.
- Inter-state composition: Each camp hosts participants from six states with mandatory Northeast representation.
Participant profile & inclusion
- Age cohort: 15–29 years (aligns with National Youth Policy 2014 age definition).
- Gender and social targets: Minimum 50% women participation; mandated inclusion of socially disadvantaged sections.
Themes and activities
- Historical and constitutional content: Sessions on the history of “Vande Mataram”, India’s freedom movement and constitutional awareness.
- Leadership and civic training: Leadership workshops and Nation First dialogues on civic responsibility.
- Cultural engagement: Inter-state cultural exchange and visits to local historical sites.
- Policy orientation: Briefings on flagship central schemes linked to the Viksit Bharat @2047 vision.
IASPOINT Booster Facts
- Implementing agency: Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports; delivered via the MY Bharat initiative.
- Bankim Chandra Chatterjee: Author of the song “Vande Mataram”; born 26 June 1838.
- Constitutional link: Article 51A(b) enjoins citizens to “cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle for freedom”.