Yuva
YUVA is more than a university outreach programme. It is a platform for greater youth participation in policymaking. It is a mentorship programme for the leaders of tomorrow.
India's aspiration to become a developed nation by 2047 will depend not only on economic growth and institutional reforms but also on the quality of its future leadership. Recognising this, SKOCH Development Foundation launched YUVA in 2018 as a national initiative to bring public policy to university campuses and engage young people with the ideas, institutions and processes which shape the nation's future.
YUVA is founded on a simple yet powerful belief: public policy is too important to remain confined to governments and experts alone. Students, researchers and young professionals are principal stakeholders in India's future and need to be prepared to understand, question and contribute to the policymaking process. The programme seeks to cultivate knowledgeable citizenship, analytical thinking and ethical leadership among the country's youth and encourage greater participation in public life.
At its core, YUVA is a Public Policy Leadership and Mentorship Programme. It connects students with policymakers, civil servants, economists, regulators, business leaders, academics and development practitioners through a series of Public Policy Forums, Leadership Dialogues, Workshops, Interactive Sessions and Knowledge Exchanges. These engagements provide participants with first-hand exposure to contemporary governance challenges while encouraging evidence-based thinking and informed public discourse.
Unlike conventional campus initiatives, YUVA bridges academic learning and applied governance. Participants acquire insights into how public policy is conceived, debated, implemented and evaluated. They are introduced to governance, economic reforms, financial inclusion, digital transformation, sustainability, innovation, institutional design and encompassing development, helping them understand the difficulties of policymaking in a large and diverse democracy.
The programme also functions as a platform for mentorship, helping students to interact closely with experienced practitioners who have formed policy and institutional reforms in India. By encouraging dialogue among generations, YUVA helps young participants develop leadership capabilities, policy perspectives and an enhanced understanding of public institutions.
Drawing upon SKOCH's extensive work in governance assessment, action research and development studies, YUVA familiarises participants with evidence-based policymaking. Students engage with field experiences, governance case studies, impact assessments and research methodologies, showing how rigorous analysis can improve public policy and strengthen institutions and higher educational institutions across the country, creating an interdisciplinary platform where academia, government, industry and civil society converge. Through policy talks, workshops and collaborative learning, the programme encourages young people to examine national challenges from multiple perspectives and contribute to practical solutions.
Beyond developing knowledge, YUVA nurtures public service. It encourages participants to think beyond individual careers and recognise their part in strengthening democratic institutions, improving governance and advancing inclusive development.
As India moves towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, the need for knowledgeable, ethical and forward-looking leadership has never been greater. YUVA seeks to build that leadership by investing in India's youth. Through dialogue, mentorship and experiential learning, the programme is creating a new generation of citizens equipped not merely to understand public policy, but to shape it.
Programme Components
- Public Policy Forums - Bringing policymakers, regulators, administrators, academics and industry leaders into direct conversation with students.
- Leadership Dialogues - Facilitating discussions on governance, reforms, innovation, sustainability and India's long-term development priorities.
- Workshops and Masterclasses - Building knowledge in public policy analysis, governance frameworks, institutional design and evidence-based decision-making.
- Mentorship - Connecting students with experienced leaders from government, academia, business and development institutions to develop future public leaders.
- Research and Knowledge Engagement - Motivating participants to engage with governance case studies, field research, impact assessments and interdisciplinary policy inquiry.