Frequently asked questions

Question 1

What is Jago Yuva, Jago Bharat?

Accepted Answer

A nationwide youth initiative for school students, conceived and organized by Advaita Ashrama in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and inspired by the life and teachings of Swami Vivekananda. It is implemented in line with the national vision of Viksit Bharat @2047, and seeks to nurture confident, value-based and socially conscious young citizens through creative and intellectual expression.

Question 2

Who is organizing this, and in partnership with whom?

Accepted Answer

It is an initiative of Advaita Ashrama, organized with the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT). For the school programme, CCRT — an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture — serves as the National Coordinating Agency, working alongside Advaita Ashrama and the Ministry across 13 participating States and 3 Union Territories, in coordination with State Education Departments, District Education Officers and CCRT District Resource Persons.

Question 3

Who can participate?

Accepted Answer

Students in Classes 9–12. Participating schools include Government Schools, Government-aided Schools, recognised Private Schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, and schools affiliated to recognised Education Boards. For now the programme’s focus is Classes 9–12 only.

Question 4

Who runs the programme on the ground?

Accepted Answer

A five-level structure. At the national level: Advaita Ashrama, the Ministry of Culture and CCRT, with national coordination led by the Director, CCRT. Below that are CCRT’s Regional Centres; then each State (a State Nodal Officer from the School Education Department, a CCRT State In-charge Officer and an Advaita Ashrama State Volunteer); and each District (District Education Officers with CCRT District Resource Persons and Advaita Ashrama volunteers). Your first point of contact is your School Nodal Teacher.

Question 5

Will this continue in future years, or is it one-time?

Accepted Answer

It is designed to run annually. If the response is encouraging, the programme will continue in the years ahead.

Question 6

Is this programme religious or political in nature?

Accepted Answer

No. It is a nationalistic initiative, rooted in India’s culture and civilization, and aligned with the national vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.

Question 7

What are the mandatory reading materials?

Accepted Answer

‘Vivekananda – His Call to the Nation’ and ‘A Short Life of Swami Vivekananda’, in English and Hindi. If a school needs the material in another regional language, Advaita Ashrama can make it available on request.

Question 8

Are there any additional recommended readings?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Students are encouraged to explore further titles such as ‘Personality Development’ and ‘Thoughts of Power’, available in English and Hindi, with other regional-language versions on request.

Question 9

How do students get the reading material?

Accepted Answer

The mandatory titles are free and open to everyone on the Bookshelf — no registration, no password and no charge, whether or not you are a registered participant. Read them now at www.jyjb.in/bookshelf.

Question 10

How do students register?

Accepted Answer

The school registers on their behalf. Schools compile the details of participating students and upload them in bulk to the Jago Yuva, Jago Bharat portal — students do not register individually or access the portal directly. All data uploaded to the portal is held on a secure server and, as set out in our Privacy Policy, is not shared for any purpose beyond the programme without the prior approval of the student’s parents. What a school attests to when adding students is described in Consent details.

Question 11

Is there a registration fee?

Accepted Answer

No. Every school taking part — Government Schools, Government-aided Schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, and recognised Private Schools — participates free of charge. Amended September 2026: the ₹100 per-student registration fee that previously applied to private schools is no longer collected.

Question 12

Can a student take part in more than one activity?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Students may take part in one or more of the listed creative-expression activities.

Question 13

Is there a cut-off date after which registration will not be accepted?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A single cut-off date applies uniformly across all states, as specified in the communication docket sent to each school.

Question 14

What activities can school students (Classes 9–12) take part in?

Accepted Answer

Short Videos/Reels, Drawing/Painting (Live Expression), Essay Writing, Idea Pitch for India (Oratory) and Group Skit/Role Play.

Question 15

Which activities progress beyond the school level?

Accepted Answer

Short Videos/Reels and Drawing/Painting are the flagship categories that progress to the State and then the National level. Essay Writing, Idea Pitch for India and Group Skit/Role Play are judged and recognized at the school level, with top entries shared with Advaita Ashrama for records and prizes.

Question 16

What languages can students use?

Accepted Answer

This varies by activity — most activities allow English or a regional language. Short Videos/Reels require English subtitles regardless of the spoken language.

Question 17

Can students post their entries on social media?

Accepted Answer

Not before the final results are announced. Any violation of the social media policy published on the portal may result in disqualification; our Terms of Service set out acceptable use in full.

Question 18

Is participation mandatory for every student in a registered school?

Accepted Answer

Schools are encouraged to enable maximum participation and are checklisted to ensure equal opportunity and transparent participation for all students. The school with the highest number of student registrations is recognized on the portal.

Question 19

Where should schools submit shortlisted entries?

Accepted Answer

Through the Jago Yuva, Jago Bharat portal, as specified in the communication docket.

Question 20

How are entries evaluated?

Accepted Answer

A recommended standardized rubric is provided, covering Clarity of Message/Idea, Creativity & Originality, Relevance to Theme, Craft & Execution, Engagement & Impact, and Overall Presentation. Schools may use their own rubric if they prefer.

Question 21

Who judges the school-level entries?

Accepted Answer

Each school evaluates its own participants. As set out in our Terms of Service, the school’s decision is final and non-contestable.

Question 22

Is there a fixed timeline within which schools must declare results?

Accepted Answer

Schools are given a programme window — for example, five or six weeks — within which the activity must be conducted, as specified in the communication docket. A school may begin at any point in that window that suits its schedule; once it begins, results should be declared within one week of starting.

Question 23

Will every student who participates receive a certificate?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every participant receives a Joint Participation e-Certificate from Advaita Ashrama, CCRT and the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, subject to meeting the programme’s participation requirements, which are set out in our Terms of Service.

Question 24

Are there certificates or prizes for winners at the State and National level?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Certificates and prizes are given at the School, State and National levels, wherever applicable. School-level certificates are issued digitally; State-level certificates may be physical or digital; National-level certificates are physical, sent to the school for distribution or presented during the national ceremony. Winners from every state are also recognized nationally.

Question 25

Is there recognition beyond individual students?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Recognition also extends to schools (Certificate of Active Participation, Outstanding School Award, Best Coordinated School), districts (Best Performing, Highest Registration, Best Coordinated), and States/UTs (Best Performing, Highest Student Participation, Excellence in Programme Implementation), along with certificates of appreciation for the CCRT and Advaita Ashrama functionaries who run the programme.

Question 26

Will students’ videos, drawings, essays or personal details be used or shared beyond judging?

Accepted Answer

Submitted entries — videos, photographs, documents, essays and write-ups — may be used, reproduced, published, adapted, archived and shared by Advaita Ashrama, the Ministry of Culture and CCRT for educational, promotional, publication and documentation purposes, with due acknowledgement where appropriate; our Terms of Service set out these entry-usage rights in full. All student data uploaded to the portal is held on a secure server and, as described in our Privacy Policy, is not shared for any purpose beyond the programme without the prior approval of the student’s parents.

Question 27

Is parental or school consent required before a student’s work is judged or shared?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Institutional or parental consent is mandatory for participation. The school is responsible for obtaining parental consent, through a digital consent process, before a student’s work is judged or shared. See Consent details for exactly what is collected and our Privacy Policy for how it is handled; institutions can also review the Data Processing Agreement. No personal details of a child are shared publicly without consent.

Question 28

Who should a school or student contact with questions?

Accepted Answer

Write to Advaita Ashrama at jagoyuva@advaitaashrama.org. State-wise contact details of Nodal Officers, SPOCs and Advaita Ashrama volunteers are listed on the portal, so schools can reach their local point of contact directly.

Question 29

How does a school register?

Accepted Answer

A school registers itself on the Register your school page, or through the direct link shared by its State Nodal Officer or SPOC. New self-registrations are reviewed by the JYJB team before the school console opens.