Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri S.S. Ahluwalia, presided over the Prize Distribution Function of the 29th National Youth Parliament Competition 2016-17, for Kendriya Vidyalayas and 51st Youth Parliament Competition, 2016-17 for Delhi Schools, held here today. Students, Principals and teachers in charge of 25 Kendriya Vidyalayas and 33 Delhi Schools received Trophies and Prizes from the Minister. The Youth Parliament Scheme aims at inculcating among the younger generations the spirit of self-discipline, tolerance of diverse opinion, righteous expression of views and other virtues of a democratic way of life. Besides, the scheme also acquaints the students with the practices and procedures of Parliament, techniques of discussion and debate and develops in them self-confidence, quality of leadership and the art and skill of effective oratory – the hallmarks of democracy. Shri Ahluwalia congratulated the winners and participating schools, students and teachers for their immaculate performances.
He said that these children are very lucky to have a close experience about the conduct of business in the Parliament in their student life because of the National Youth Parliament Scheme run by the Government. "I was not this lucky to gain this experience in my student life", the Minister added. Shri Ahluwalia gave his valuable inputs to the students about the important nuances of conduct of business in the Parliament and encouraged them to focus on developmental issues of social importance in their future performances. He also suggested the audience to refer the website of both Houses of Parliament and become aware about their functioning in detail. Further, Shri Ahluwalia encouraged students and schools to move towards a digital and paper less learning ecosystem. The Minister also directed officials of the Ministry to find out whether any student who is a product of Youth Parliament Scheme has actually become an MP in the present times. This would be a parameter for the success of the scheme in true sense, he added.
Shri Ahluwalia distributed the prizes to students and Vidyalayas for their meritorious performance in the competition which was held during the academic year. On this occasion, the students of Kendriya Vidyalaya No.1, GCF, Jabalpur which was declared first in the 29th National Youth Parliament Competition 2016-17, for Kendriya Vidyalayas, presented a short sitting of “Youth Parliament”. Winner of the 51st Youth Parliament Competition, 2016-17 among Delhi Schools was Rukmini Devi Public School, CD Block, Pitampura, Delhi-34. From a modest beginning in 1966 when the first Competition was organized by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs in 16 schools of the Delhi Administration, the Youth Parliament Scheme now covers 1200 schools in NCT of Delhi, 1200 Kendriya Vidyalayas, 600 Jawahar Navodaya Vidayalayas and 300 Universities/Colleges all over country. Other dignitaries present on the occasion were Shri Rajiv Yadav, Secretary Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. Satya Prakash, Joint Secretary Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Santosh Kumar Mall, Commissioner of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan and other senior officers from the Ministry, Principals, teachers, students and their parents.