Shri B. K. Handique, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Chemicals & Fertilizers gave away prizes to the winners of the 40th Youth Parliament Competition, 2005-2006 for schools of Directorate of Education, Government of NCT of Delhi and New Delhi Municipal Council today. The students of Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Pandara Road, New Delhi bagged the first prize among 46 competitors. Besides, Merit Trophies were awarded to 12 schools for their meritorious performance in the competition.
In his remarks, Shri Handique said, the Youth Parliament Competitions held the student community of our country to inculcate the habits of disciplined social behaviour, qualities of leadership, awareness of social problems and the democratic means of solving them. The Youth Parliament Competitions have drawn praise from one and all who have witnessed them. The quality of the performances have only improved with each passing year, he added. The teachers and other functionaries who have been actively working for preparing the teams of these students deserve all appreciation and commendation for their efforts. He expressed the hope that their zeal and interest in making such efforts will take the competition to even greater heights in future.
Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs have been organizing Youth Parliament competitions in the schools under the Directorate of Education, Government of NCT of Delhi and NDMC, every year since 1966. in 1988, a separate National Youth Parliament Scheme for Kendriya Vidyalayas was introduced as a part of the celebrations of 40 years of India’s Independence and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s birth centenary. In 1997-98, two more national competitions, one for Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and other for universities and colleges were introduced as a part of the celebrations to commemorate 50 years of India’s Independence.
The Youth Parliament Scheme aims at inculcating among the younger generation the spirit of self-discipline, tolerance of diverse opinion, righteous expression of views and other virtues of democratic way of life. Besides, the scheme also acquaints the students with the practices and procedures of Parliament, techniques of discussion and debate and develops in them the quality of leadership. Teams of judges, which included MPs/Ex-MPs along with officers of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Directorate of Education, Government of NCT of Delhi evaluated these competitions.
Shri N. Gopalaswamy, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs in his opening remarks said the competition provide opportunity to the students to learn fundamentals of our democracy and functioning of legislature. It has been a successful experience on the part of Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
RS/AS
(Release ID :18874)