On March 21, 2026, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya briefed the Rajya Sabha on the framework of the Proposed National Youth Policy 2026, marking a comprehensive overhaul of India's approach to youth development. The policy defines 'youth' as persons aged 15–29 years, aligning with the UN definition, and identifies six core focus areas: youth leadership and volunteerism; education, skilling, and employment readiness; entrepreneurship and innovation; health and well-being; sports and recreation; and environment and climate action.

A distinctive feature of the new policy is its integration with the MY Bharat (Mera Yuva Bharat) platform — a 'phygital' (physical + digital) ecosystem — and real-time dashboards for transparent monitoring of youth engagement. The policy also proposes a Youth Development Index (YDI) to be prepared by the Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD), providing comparative insights on education, health, and skill indicators benchmarked globally. India's demographic dividend — with 65% of the population under 35 years — makes this policy particularly significant for states like Rajasthan, which has a large youth population and high youth unemployment in rural districts including Barmer, Jalore, and Nagaur.