The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has launched MY Bharat Budget Quest 2026, a nationwide youth initiative to improve understanding of the Union Budget and make fiscal provisions more citizen-centric. The programme aims to connect the Union Budget 2026 with the daily lives of young citizens through a structured competition on the MY Bharat platform.
Objective of the Initiative
The initiative is designed to involve students from colleges, educational institutions and coaching centres across India. It seeks to encourage youth participation in budget-related discussions and to build awareness about public finance, governance and national development priorities.
Competition Format and Timeline
The first stage will be a national-level online quiz on the Union Budget 2026. It will begin on 3 February 2026 and remain open until 17 February 2026 for youth registered on the MY Bharat portal.
- Top performers from each State and Union Territory will qualify for the second round.
- The second round will be an essay-writing competition from 17 February to 3 March 2026.
- Participants will write on eight budget-related topics linked to the vision of Viksit Bharat.
Evaluation and Rewards
Essay evaluation will take place from 3 March to 10 March 2026. State-wise and Union Territory-wise merit lists will be announced on 10 March 2026. Winners from each State and Union Territory will get an opportunity to join a virtual interaction with the Prime Minister on the vision of a Viksit Bharat Budget.
Link with Viksit Bharat Dialogue
The initiative builds on the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue, where youth ideas were acknowledged during the Budget Speech and some suggestions were reflected in the Union Budget 2026-27. The new programme continues this participatory approach by giving young citizens a direct platform to contribute ideas on budget priorities and national development.
Last Modified: April 27, 2026