YUVA Scheme for Young Authors

Do you think you are a good writer Join PM’s Mentoring YUVA Scheme, you could get a platform. Mentorship Rs. 50000/- per month. In June 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the launch of the YUVA Scheme, a scheme to mentor young Indian authors. 

Young, Upcoming and Versatile Authors’ (YUVA) Scheme

The YUVA scheme is basically a mentorship program to train young authors. It is aimed at mentoring 75 writers under the age of 30.

• It targets young authors who are ready to express themselves and portray Indian culture and literature in a global arena.
• Under the scheme, each author will get a consolidated scholarship of Rs 50,000 per month for a period of six months.
• The idea behind this program is to push reading and authorship as a profession on par with other professions.
• Another motive behind the initiative is to provide a positive psychological push to young minds in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The scheme envisions cultivating modern ambassadors of Indian literature as the country heads towards 75 years of independence.
• The scheme is expected to generate a stream of writers who would be able to write on a variety of topics promoting Indian heritage, culture and knowledge.
• This will also give a window to aspiring writers to express themselves in their mother tongues and represent their country at the international level.
• The scheme will cover various genres such as fiction, non-fiction, drama, poetry, memoirs, travelogues and so on.

Implementation & Execution

The YUVA Scheme is implemented and executed by the National Book Trust (NBT) under the Ministry of Education, Government of India.

National Book Trust (NBT)

• The NBT is an apex body established by the GOI under the Department of Higher Education in 1957.
• The objectives of the NBT are to produce and encourage the production of good literature in English, Hindi and other Indian languages and to make such literature available at moderate prices to the public.
• It also aims to bring out book catalogues, arrange book fairs/exhibitions and seminars and take all necessary steps to make the people book minded.
• The NBT organizes the annual New Delhi World Book Fair, which is the largest book event in the Afro-Asian region. 
• It is mandate to publish:
  • India’s classical literature
  • Works of Indian authors in Indian languages and their translations into other Indian languages
  • Translation of foreign works into Indian languages
  • Books of modern knowledge for popular diffusion
• It also engages in other activities such as the promotion of reading and books, conducting mobile book exhibitions, promotion of children’s literature, promotion of Indian books overseas, providing assistance for translations, and assisting authors and publishers, among others.

YUVA Scheme for Young Authors How to Apply

The application and selection process for YUVA scheme is given under this section.

• All India Contest at MyGov portal will select 75 authors. (https://innovateindia.mygov.in/yuva/)
• The NBT will constitute a committee which will select the authors based on their submission of a 5000-word manuscript.
• The committee will assess the submission’s suitability to be adapted as a book.
• The contest will run from 4th June to 31st July 2021.
• The selected authors’ names will be announced on 15th August 2021.
• The selected authors will then have to prepare a manuscript for final selection under the guidance of mentors.
• By 15th December 2021, the entries will be ready for publication and could be launched tentatively on the National Youth Day (12 January 2022).

Training & Promotion for Selected Writers

Phase 1 (Training – 3 months)

• The National Book Trust, India will organise a Two-Week Writers’ Online Programme for the selected candidates.
• During which 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 two-week writers’ Online Programme, the authors will be trained for 2-Weeks at various On-line/On-site National Camps organised by NBT.

Phase 2 (Promotion – 3 months)

• The young authors will get to expand their understanding and hone their skills through interaction at various international events such as Literary Festivals, Book Fairs, Virtual Book Fair, Cultural Exchange Programmes, etc.
• At the end of mentorship a consolidated scholarship of ₹50,000 per month for a period of 6 months (50,000 x 6 = ₹3 Lakh) per author will be paid under the Mentorship Scheme.
• A book or a series of books written by the young authors will be published by NBT, India as the outcome of the mentorship programme.
• A royalty of 10% will be payable to the authors on successful publications of their books at the end of the Mentorship Program.
• Their published books will be translated into other Indian languages ensuring the exchange of culture & literature between different states & thereby promoting Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.

Important Links

Frequently Asked Questions

• What are the ‘Themes’ that one can send one’s entry about?
  • Answer: The major themes are: Unsung Heroes; Little known facts about the National Movement; Role of various places in National Movement; Entries bringing out new perspectives related to political, cultural, economic, or science related aspects of national movement etc.
• What is the duration of the contest?
  • Answer: The duration of the contest is 4th June 2021 to 31st July 2021 (11.59 PM)
• Till what time the submissions will be accepted?
  • Answer: The submissions will be accepted till 11:59 PM on 31 July 2021 on MyGov.
• Can I write in any Indian language?
  • Answer: Yes, you can write in Englishor also in any of the following languages as listed in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India:
    (1) Asamiya, (2) Bangla, (3) Gujarati, (4) Hindi, (5) Kannada, (6) Kashmiri, (7) Konkani, (8) Malayalam, (9) Manipuri, (10) Marathi, (11) Nepali, (12) Odia, (13) Punjabi, (14) Sanskrit, (15) Sindhi, (16) Tamil, (17) Telugu, (18) Urdu, (19) Bodo, (20) Santhali, (21) Maithili and (22) Dogri
• How will the maximum age of 30 years be decided?
  • Answer: You should be exactly 30 years or below as on 1st June 2021.
• Who can participate in the contest?
  • Answer – Citizens of India aged 30 years or below as on 1st June 2021.
• Can foreign nationals also participate in the contest?
  • Answer: Only Indian nationals including those holding PIOs or NRIs holding Indian passports can participate in the contest.
• I am a PIO/NRI holding Indian Passport, do I have to attach the documents?
  • Answer: Yes, kindly attach a copy of your passport/PIO card with your entry.
• Can I submit more than one entry?
  • Answer: Only one entry per contestant is allowed.
• What should be the structure of the entry?
  • Answer: It should have a chapter plan, synopsis and two-three chapters (if the entry has chapters) within a maximum word limit of 5000 words.
• Can I submit more than 5000 words?
  • Answer: Maximum word limit of 5000 should be adhered to.
• How will I know that my entry has been registered?
  • Answer: You will receive an acknowledgment email from MyGov. Don’t forget to download your certificate of participation after final submission.
• I will be submitting my entry in an Indian language, should I attach its English translation?
  • Answer: No. Kindly mention in 100-150 words gist of your entry in either English or Hindi.
• Is there any minimum age for entry?
  • Answer: No minimum age has been prescribed.
• Can I send the handwritten manuscript?
  • Answer: No. It should be neatly typed.
• What is the genre of entry?
  • Answer: You can submit both fiction and non-fiction.
• What are the sub-genres that one can submit as one’s entry under ‘Fiction’?
  • Answer: You can send collections of short stories, novellas, historical fiction, inspirational, romance fiction, fiction for children, fiction for young adults etc. The background of the fiction genre of manuscripts should be pertaining to the period of national movement.
• What are the sub-genres that one can submit as one’s entry under ‘Non- Fiction’?
  • Answer: You can send travelogues, memoirs, or informative/research-based manuscripts dealing with various political, social, cultural, economic or science- related aspects of national movement etc.
• Will poetry be accepted?
  • Answer: No, poetry will not be accepted.
• If the manuscript has information that is quoted from an external source, how and where does it need to be mentioned/how do I quote the source of reference?
  • Answer: On the inclusion of information from an external source in a non-fiction manuscript, the source needs to be mentioned as footnotes/endnotes or in a consolidated ‘Works Cited’ section if required.
• Can I submit my Indian language entry in Unicode?
  • Answer: Yes, it can be submitted in Unicode.
• What should be the format of submission?
  • Answer: For English, the format should have font style as Times New Roman and font size should be 14. For other languages, equivalent font style/size should be employed.
• Are simultaneous submissions allowed/can I submit a story that has been submitted to another competition/journal/magazine etc.?
  • Answer: No, simultaneous submissions are not allowed.
• What is the procedure to edit/exchange an entry/manuscript that has already been submitted?
  • Answer: Once an entry has been submitted, it cannot be edited or withdrawn. ‘Save as draft’ option may be selected by a participant who wishes to further edit his/her entry, but such entries must be submitted before the last date of contest. An entry saved in draft after last date of submission, shall not be considered.
• Can the submissions also have pictures / illustrations to support the text?
  • Answer: Yes, the text can be supported with pictures or illustrations if you hold copyright for the same.