THE INDIA POLICY FORUM
Let's Talk Bharat
The India Policy Forum at JGU hosted its first-ever Yuva Sansad (Youth Parliament) on 27th–28th April 2025, transforming the campus into a miniature Parliament of India. For two days, students became lawmakers, ministers, and policy advisors, experiencing the intensity and responsibility of parliamentary life.
The proceedings simulated three core bodies:
• Lok Sabha, where students debated questions of governance, economy, and representation.
• The Constituent Assembly, re-imagined to re-examine India’s constitutional ideals in a contemporary context.
• The Cabinet Committee on Security and the National Security Council, where students handled defence and foreign policy scenarios under pressure.
The debates were passionate, procedural, and sometimes chaotic much like the real Parliament. Students drafted resolutions, raised points of order, and engaged in cross-ideological exchanges. For many, it was their first taste of how ideas turn into arguments and arguments into policy.
The Yuva Sansad also welcomed distinguished guests such as Shri Kartikeya Sharma, Member of Parliament, and Dr. K.C. Bangar, former HPSC Chairman, who enriched the discussions with their own political and administrative experiences, bridging the gap between simulation and reality.
The event concluded with a valedictory session led by Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, Former Union Minister. Choosing not to give a formal speech, she instead sat with students in an open dialogue, answering sharp and sometimes critical questions. She spoke of the importance of constructive criticism in a democracy and reminded students that politics, at its heart, is a conversation with citizens. Prof. (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Vice Chancellor of JGU, welcomed her and highlighted her contributions in education, women’s empowerment, and child protection, including initiatives such as the National Institutional Ranking Framework, SWAYAM, Pragati, and Udaan, and reforms to the POCSO Act.
For students, the two-day Yuva Sansad was not just a simulation but an immersion into the spirit of democracy. It blurred the lines between classroom learning and real-world politics leaving them with the exhilaration of parliamentary debate, the humility of compromise, and the conviction that youth must play an active role in shaping India’s future.