Origin Nehru Yuva Kendras were established in the year 1972 with the objective of providing rural youth avenues to take part in the process of nation building as well providing opportunities for the development of their personality and skills. In the year 1987-88, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) was set up as an autonomous organization under the Government of India, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, to oversee working of these Kendras. NYKS is the largest grassroots level youth organization; one of its kind in the world. It channelizes the power of youth on the principles of voluntarism, self-help and community participation. NYKS currently has about 8.5 million youth enrolled through 3.01 lakh Youth Clubs/Mahila Mandals. Nehru Yuva Kendras functions in as many as 623 districts of the country. Further, in order to manage, administer and run the 623 district based Nehru Yuva Kendras, Zonal Offices in 29 States of India have been established by NYKS. The NYKS has its head office in New Delhi. Objectives Objectives of NYKS are two fold :- To involve the rural youth in nation building activities. To develop such skills and values in them with which they become responsible and productive citizens of a modern, secular and technological nation. Programmes and schemes of NYKS Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan has been working in various fronts of youth development with a variety of youth programmes of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and certain special programmes in coordination and cooperation of other ministries. Main focus has been on developing values of good citizenship, thinking and behaving in secular ways, skill development and helping youth to adopt a productive and organized behaviour. Core Programmes National Youth Parliament Festival - 2024- Theme - Young Voices: Engage and Empower for Nation's Transformation Inter State Youth Exchange Programme (Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat )- It is to strengthen existing network of Youth Clubs with representation from all sections of society. National Youth Festival - National Youth Festival, India's annual vibrant gathering, ignites the spirit of youth across 28 states and 8 UTs. Prime Minister's Scheme For Mentoring Young Authors Schemes National Programme for Youth Adolescent Development (NPYAD) The scheme of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports contains programmes implemented among youth such as Promotion of Youth Activities & Training, Promotion of National Integration Promotion of Adventure, and Development and Empowerment of Adolescents. To know more information, click here. Source : Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan