Why in news
- The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced the 'Friends of MY Bharat' digital initiative during the BRICS Youth Summit 2026 in Gandhinagar.
Key points
- The 'Friends of MY Bharat' digital module expands the existing MY Bharat platform to diaspora youth and non-resident Indian students.
- The portal offers a channel for international youth of Indian origin to participate in domestic volunteering drives covering education, environment, health, and cultural preservation.
- It features a 'Know Your India' section delivering curated content on Indian history, heritage, and national development projects.
- The initiative was unveiled under India's 2026 Chairship of BRICS, which operates under the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability'.
Key terms
MY Bharat Platform
An autonomous institutional mechanism established by the Government of India as a digital platform for youth development and youth-led initiatives.
BRICS
An intergovernmental grouping comprising major emerging market economies focused on economic, political, and cultural cooperation.
Prelims facts
- **Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat)** was launched as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in 2023.
Mains discussion
- Discuss the role of digital platforms in leveraging Indian diaspora youth capital for domestic socio-economic development.
Source: PIB English
Same topic · past papers
UPSC has asked this before
These previous-year questions sit on the same topic. Open one to practise the earlier ask.
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2016 · Q10 · GS IV · 20 marks
Case study. Saraswati was a successful IT professional in USA. Moved by patriotic sense of doing something for the country she returned to India. Together with some other like-minded friends, she formed an NGO to build a school for a poor rural community. The objective of the school was to provide the best quality modern education at a nominal cost. She soon discovered that she has to seek permission from a number of Government agencies. The rules and procedures were quite confusing and cumbersome. What frustrated her most were delays, callous attitude of officials and constant demand for bribes. Her experience and the experience of many others like her have deterred people from taking up social service projects. A measure of Government control over voluntary social work is necessary. But it should not be exercised in a coercive a corrupt manner. What measures can you suggest to ensure that due control is exercised but well meaning, honest NGO efforts are not thwarted? -
2016 · Q11 · GS IV · 20 marks
Case study. A fresh engineering graduate gets a job in a prestigious chemical industry. She likes the work. The salary is also good. However, after a few months she accidentally discovers that a highly toxic waste is being secretly discharged into a river nearby. This is causing health problems to the villagers downstream who depend on the river for their water needs. She is perturbed and mentions her concern to her colleagues who have been with the company for longer periods. They advise her to keep quite as anyone who mentions the topic is summarily dismissed. She cannot risk losing her job as she is the sole beard-winner for her family and has to support her ailing parents and siblings. At first, she thinks that if her seniors are keeping quiet, why should she stick out her neck. But her conscience pricks her to do something to save the river and the people who depend upon it. At heart she feels that the advice of silence given by her friends is not correct though she cannot give reasons for it. She thinks you are a wise person and seeks your advice. (a) What arguments can you advance to show her that keeping quiet is not morally right? (b) What course of action would you advice her to adopt and why? -
2025 · Q95 · General Studies · 2 marks
Consider the following statements regarding Al Action Summit held in Grand Palais, Paris in February 2025: I. Co-chaired with India, the event builds on the advances made at the Bletchley Park Summit held in 2023 and the Seoul Summit held in 2024. II. Along with other countries US and UK also signed the declaration on inclusive and sustainable Al. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? -
2025 · Q97 · General Studies · 2 marks
Consider the following statements with regard to BRICS; I. 16th BRICS Summit was held under the Chairship of Russia in Kazan. II. Indonesia has become a full member of BRICS. III. The theme of the 16th BRICS Summit was Strengthening Multiculturalism for Just Global Development and Security. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? -
2024 · Q24 · General Studies · 2 marks
Consider the following statements regarding World Toilet Organization : 1. It is one of the agencies of the United Nations. 2. World Toilet Summit, World Toilet Day and World Toilet College are the initiatives of this organization, to inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis. 3. The main focus of its function is to grant funds to the least developed countries and developing countries to achieve the end of open defecation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?