PM Modi unveils YUVA scheme for young writers, offers stipend of Rs 50,000; details here

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday announced the ‘Young, Upcoming and Versatile Authors’ (YUVA) scheme, a mentorship programme to train young authors.

The scheme is aimed at training 75 aspiring writers below 30 years, who are ready to express themselves and project India and its culture and literature globally. A consolidated scholarship of Rs 50,000 per month for a period of six months per author will be paid under the mentorship scheme.

Sharing the link to the official webpage of the programme, PM Modi tweeted, “Here is an interesting opportunity for youngsters to harness their writing skills and also contribute to India’s intellectual discourse,”

Here is an interesting opportunity for youngsters to harness their writing skills and also contribute to India’s intellectual discourse. Know more… https://t.co/SNfJr7FJ0V pic.twitter.com/rKlGDeU39U

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 8, 2021

Through this scheme, the government aims to bring reading and authorship as a preferred profession at par with other job options. It is also expected to impart a positive psychological push to the young minds amidst the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the mental health of children.

The procedure for selection to the programme is as follows:

• A total of 75 authors will be selected through an All India Contest at MyGov.
• The selection will be made by a Committee to be constituted by NBT.
• The contest will run from 4th June to 31st July 2021.
• The contestants will be asked to submit a manuscript of 5,000 words to judge its suitability to develop as a proper book under the Mentorship Scheme.
• The names of selected authors will be announced on the occasion of Independence Day on 15th August 2021.
• Based on mentorship, the selected authors will prepare manuscripts for final selection under the guidance of the nominated mentors.
• The entries of the winners will be readied for publication by 15th December 2021.
• The published books may be launched on 12th January 2022 on YUVA DIVAS or the National Youth Day.

During the phase I training of three months, the National Book Trust (NBT) will organise a two weeks’ writers’ online programme for the selected candidates. The young authors will be trained by two eminent authors/mentors from NBT’s panel of accomplished authors and writers. After the completion of the online programme, the authors will be trained for two weeks at various online/on-site national camps organised by NBT.

And in the next three months of phase II training, the selected candidates will get to expand their understanding and hone their skills through interaction at various international events such as literary festivals, book fairs, virtual book fairs, cultural exchange programmes, etc.

Also, a book or a series of books written by these young authors will be published by NBT and a royalty of 10 per cent will be paid to the authors.

Their published books will also be translated into other Indian languages to ensure the exchange of culture and literature between different states.