Stresses And Distresses in The Youth

* Dr Ashok Sahni

Approximately 36 million (35% of the total population of 1025 million) in the country, consists of youth (between 15-24 years as per WHO definition). In 1981, the youth population was approximately 125 million and 171 million at the beginning of 1991. It was over 230 million at the beginning of 2001. Keeping in view the important role which the youth can play towards national development as well as the emerging health problems of the youth, WHO declared 1985 as the International Youth Year. In the last few years, due to socio-economic and political factors, there have been increasing health problems among the youth: unemployment, suicide, alcoholism, sex-related offences and general adjustment problems in the youth. Today, the youth in India form one of the most vulnerable groups, who on the one hand are expected to be the leaders to determine the destiny of India, and on the other hand, are an exploited and confused group.

This paper outlines the major stresses which the youth in India experience. It outlines some suggestions which the society and the youth could use towards better adjustment, productivity, and health of the youth. It also outlines some suggestions for schools and parents for creating an environment at home and schools for adjustment of the youth. * Professor and Hony Executive Director, ISHA, Bangalore

A. Role and Value Conflicts

India has moved from the traditional stable society, mostly agrarian, to a highly developed, industrial and space society. The traditional joint cohesive family has changed to a micro and incohesive family. There is a change from rural to urban living. In such a society, where the youth came from various strata of the society, with diverse cultures, religions, economic status, language and life styles, the youth experience difficulty in adaptation to the changing roles and value systems. This results in alienation, withdrawal, interpersonal relationship difficulties, depression and even suicidal behaviours. The problem gets aggra – vated when the parents come from different religions and cultures and expect their children to be mature and develop their own value systems and roles without appropriately guiding them. What are the core value systems of the Indian Culture? Who are the role models in India in different spheres of life?

B. Pressures for Performance in Schools and Colleges

With growth in the youth population and limited opportunities for admission in schools and colleges, and specifically in professional courses, the youth are under great pressure to perform. The previous academic standards of first class and second class are hardly adequate in modern India. The parents, right from the nursery level, make higher demands on their children to study hard and get good marks or ranks. The admission fees at various levels, both in public and private institutions have increased considerably which makes a heavy economic burden to the parents. Having made such payments, the parents create guilt feelings in the children as “bad boys”, “bad girls”, and, “irresponsible children”.

Such demands from the parents and the society serve as stresses upon the youth. India has maximum number of rich people in the world. Aspiration levels of the youth have increased. What is success? What is the process of achieving success? Health Administrator Vol: XVII, Numbser 1: 75-77, pg.

C. Career Decision and Unemployment

Unemployment in all sections in India is increasing, particularly in the higher educated groups. The inflation rate is also increasing. To cope up with the economic demands of life, the youth experience a conflict between economic survival in a competitive society vis-a-vise pursuit of inner human interests and services to the society. A high percentage of youth, after graduation at Bachelor’s level or at post- raduation levels in engineering, medicine, law, nursing, and other disciplines remain unemployed or are under-employed and under-paid. It has been observed that one year of unemployment reduces the life expectancy by five years. Hypertension, cardiac problems, psychoneurosis, depression, suicide are rising among youth as also other behaviours including joining anti-social groups such as terrorists, naxalites etc. Alcoholism, drug addiction, smoking, and rash driving behaviours have increased. These behaviours are to take revenge against the society which has made the youth develop low selfesteem due to unemployment or not being able to be a productive member of the society. The suicide rate in the high school going children has been increasing steadily. It is estimated that 67.2% of the youth are unemployed.

As compared with the general population, incidence of psychiatric problems is much higher among youth (12-15% as compared with 5% among general population): the youth are under great pressure to make a success in life, to prove themselves to their parents and the society, and yet the opportunities are limited.

D. Emotional and Sexual Adjustment

Youth is a period of life which is heightened in its emotional aspects. The sexual drive is highest at this time of life, which the youth need to be able to control and sublimate through socially approvable behaviours. This is a period where right interaction with the opposite sex is learned. It has been estimated that reproductive health problems are steeply rising – teenage marriage and pregnancy, teenage pregnancy outside marriage, sexually transmitted diseases (2/3rd of STD problem is estimated to be affecting the youth); AIDS is reported to be a critical problem among the youth in major metropolitan cities and drug addicts; high rates of anaemia in female adolescents after menarche. Accidents are also steeply rising – (about 15 to 20,000 accident deaths and 15-20,000 permanent handicaps in youth every year which is projected to increase to 30,000 deaths and an equal number of handicaps every year by 2000); suicide (15-20,000 suicidal deaths every year by youth and 15-20 lakh attempted suicides); smoking, alcohol and drug abuse (10% of male non-student youth were estimated to be smokers). The youth do not know where to go and seek medical and counselling help for their reproductive health problems.

E. Coping with Pressures of Living

The youth today is face with much greater pressures of coping with living as compared with their parents. In most cases they have to move away from their parents to urban cities, some of them even settling in foreign countries. Housing, transport, medical services, number of children, care of the children, education of the children are some of the issues facing the youth before marriage. Lack of social/

familial support and guidance lays great personal responsibility on the youth to evolve their own life styles to successfully adapt to the society, keeping in view the social and family norms and expectations. Many a youth do not wish to conform to the social and familial norms and they wish to live in the society with unconventional value systems such as remaining single; living with opposite sex without marriage; marrying someone of the different religious, cultural, and social background; deciding not to have any children or having one or two children; both the husband and the wife working outside the house and leaving the children with the ‘baby-sitters’; husband and wife working and living in different cities, etc.

F. Pressures of Dowry

Many young girls feel that they are an economic burden on parents and commit suicide. The girls are also exploited by the inlaws to ask for continuing favours from their parents. This results in emotional conflict and psychiatric problems in the female youth.

Suggestions for Coping with Stress

These suggestions are at two levels – – (a) at social and familial level, and (b) at individual level.

a. For adjustment and health of the youth, it is suggested that technical and skill oriented educational programmes be initiated by the public and private institutions in India.

A good pioneering work has been initiated by the Indira Gandhi National Open University which offers skill-oriented short term and long term programmes at very low fees. Similarly many schools in the private sector such as Pardada Pardadi Girls Vocational School at Anupshahar, a remote village in Uttar Pradesh are doing pioneering work. This would help minimize unemployment.

b. Both the society and the individuals should change their value systems towards nature of work, earnings, and productive employment. On the one hand in India, we compare ourselves with the Western countries, yet on the other hand we hardly adopt the good value systems of the Western countries which result in individuals and national productivity. In Western countries, there is dignity in work. Many senior officers, such as university heads, professors and managers drive taxies, work as salesmen, and perform

what we consider as low level manual jobs, as labourers to supplement their income. The youth rather than being unemployed, should be trained to develop an attitude to work on any odd job to gain experience or earn while learning. Most of the young people should be encouraged in India to do some part-time work whether manual or otherwise, while still being educated at schools and colleges.

c. The youth should be encouraged to pursue careers in line with their vocational interests rather than being attracted to those careers which give better status and income. The ultimate factor of job satisfaction, personal fulfillment and creative realization will depend on whether the person has chosen a career which is in line with one’s aptitudes, interests and capabilities.

d. The schools, colleges and other institutions should have facilities for vocational and emotional counselling, and voluntary organizations can play an important role in offering such counselling services.

e. The voluntary organizations can offer counseling services regarding marriage, family planning, drug addiction, alcoholism, STD, AIDS, etc…, Many voluntary and industrial organizations, such as Bharat Petroleum have taken the initiative by producing films regarding drug addiction and adverse effects of alcohol. Such films should be made available to all educational and welfare organizations to show to the youth for creating awareness.

The medical and health services for creating awareness. The medical and health services should be easily accessible to the youth through public and private hospitals, dispensaries, health posts, and sub-centres in villages.

f. The parents should find time to spend with the youth to understand the adjustment problems which the youth might be experiencing and be friends with them, in guiding them with regard to studies, friends, vocational choices, decisions regarding marriage and concerns regarding marital adjustment.

g. The youth, at all levels, should be involved in various kinds of programmes by the government and voluntary sectors. This will not only occupy them but will give them rich experience in planning and management of various aspects of life. The Government and the universities could take the lead by chalking out and planning socially  constructive mass programmes such as health education for rural health, literacy, etc. with the involvement of the youth.

h. Keeping in view the socio-economic conditions of the country, competitions and opportunities available, the youth should set up realistic goals and priorities. Greater stresses are experienced when the goals are unrealistic.

i. Both in the family and in the educational institutions, the youth should be trained in yoga, meditation, and other techniques to cope with the distress situations.

j. The parents should always accept their children, irrespective of the sex and love their children irrespective of their performance in the schools and colleges or in life. Acceptance and love should not be performance-oriented. This would help build self-esteem and feeling of worthwhileness

k. The youth should be engaged in social services and attempt to do some good to others without expecting any returns. Such an orientation will give feelings of usefulness and long term happiness.

l. The youth should also be encouraged to develop a feeling of pride in our country irrespective of the social and economic hardships rather than being encouraged or being attracted to greener pastures in foreign countries.

References:

1. Menon, Ramesh and Dhillon, Amrit: Suicide Fatal Attraction in India Today, February 28, 1991

2. Paxman, M John. Reproductive Health, Youth and the Law. WHO Chronicle, Vol.38, No.1, 1984

3. Ramnarayan. Gowri. Three As in Preventing Drug Abuse in Youth. The Hindu, April 29, 1991

4. Sahni Ashok (ed) Health of the Youth and the Female Child, Indian Society of Health Administrators. Bangalore – 1991

5. Sahni Ashok. Stress and Health of Managers, Professionals, and the Youth, Bangalore: Indian Society of Health Administrators, 2005

6. World Health Organization: Young People’s Health – A Challenge for Society, WHO Technical Report Series 731, Geneva, 1986.

National Youth Policy 2009-2014

Executive Summary

The National Youth Policy 2009–2014 is an essential planning tool guiding the country on its approach to youth development. In this policy document are inherent commitments by government; young South Africans; and society at large on interventions and services that would have to be rolled out to ensure effective and efficient mainstreaming of our youth development in the socio-economic mainstream. This Executive Summary provides a brief synopsis of the processes followed in formulation of this policy where key policy gaps and over-arching policy interventions were identified.
The drafting of the NYP entailed an extensive and rigorous process of ensuring collation of relevant and appropriate data on the status of youth, assessment of targeted youth interventions in post democratic South Africa, and analyzing the prevailing gaps in relation to new and persisting challenges that continue to plague some of our youth.
From the assessments made, the team that developed this policy identified the interventions that are necessary for development of youth. As with any public policy formulation process, there was extensive engagement with stakeholders such as government departments, youth organizations, broader civil society organizations, NEDLAC, and the broader public through advertisement and publication of the policy in the public domain. The issues raised from all these dialogues and consultation process were incorporated in the final draft. It is from all these processes, that Government is now able to present this policy for approval.
The context and rationale for the policy are informed by the fact that, like in many African countries, a significant component of the South African population is characterised by people under the age of 35. This presents ample opportunity for the youth to contribute towards the growth and development of the country.
In focusing on the needs of young South Africans, the policy highlights priority target groups that include young women, youth with disabilities, unemployed youth, school aged-out-of-school youth, youth in rural areas, and youth at risk. The policy further supports the key interventions that will provide for holistic development of youth. The four pillars upon which the policy proposes specific interventions are education, health and well being, economic participation and social cohesion. The recommendations that have resulted from each of these themes will feed into programme and project design. It is hoped that this will encourage the inclusion and active participation of young people in decision making processes, policy, programme and project implementation.
It is acknowledged that for the successful implementation of the policy, social partnerships will have to be strengthened. The best way to do so is to clearly define the roles and responsibilities of the key role players and to determine the basis for such partnerships. On the other hand, government will ensure the successful implementation of the policy through intergovernmental coordination. Given this objective, it would also be important that capacity within the youth sector is strengthened. It is hoped that recognition of youth work as a profession will strengthen capacity whilst promoting provision of quality services.
As part of the effort to promote policy implementation, an implementation plan will be developed thus specifying the responsibility of identified role players towards youth development.

National Youth Policy 2003

1. PREAMBLE
1.1. The National Youth Policy, 2003 reiterates the commitment of the entire nation to the composite and all-round development of the young sons and daughters of India and seeks to establish an All-India perspective to fulfill their legitimate aspirations so that they are all strong of heart and strong of body and mind in successfully accomplishing the challenging tasks of national reconstruction and social changes that lie ahead.
1.2. The earlier National Youth Policy was formulated in 1988. The socio-economic conditions in the country have since undergone a significant change and have been shaped by wide-ranging technological advancement. The National Youth Policy – 2003 is designed to galvanize the youth to rise up to the new challenges, keeping in view the global scenario, and aims at motivating them to be active and committed participants in the exciting task of National Development.
1.3. The Policy is based on recognition of the contribution that the youth can, and should, make to the growth and well-being of the community and endeavours to ensure effective co-ordination between the policies, programmes and delivery systems of the various Ministries, Departments and other Agencies. The thrust of the Policy centres around “Youth Empowerment” in different spheres of national life.
1.4. For India to occupy her rightful place in the Comity of Nations and to meaningfully discharge the manifold obligations thereto, it would be imperative to ensure the effective pursuit of youth development programmes which promote personality development and Qualities of Citizenship and enhance commitment to Community Service, Social Justice, Self-reliance, National Integration and Humanism, an inclusive view of the entire universe as enshrined in our ancient scriptures. The Policy, therefore, recognizes these inter-related values and principles as its basic premise.
2. RATIONALE
2.1 Since our national progress depends, crucially, on the ways and means through which the youth are encouraged and nurtured as a positive force for national progress and are enabled to contribute to socio-economic development, it is essential for an appropriate policy framework to be in place to harness the energies of the youth in this task.
2.2 Recognizing, further, that youth development is a multi-faceted concept, it is equally necessary that all the relevant agencies, including the Ministries and Departments of the Central and State Governments, and local self Government bodies and Panchayati Raj institutions devise their plans and programmes bearing these aspects and features in mind. The Policy will facilitate a multi-dimensional and integrated approach in this behalf, with the State Agencies striving to accelerate the formulation and implementation of programmes.
2.3 An important indicator of the success of such programmes being the stake of the beneficiaries in the results of the same, this Policy also stresses that the youth of the country should enjoy greater participation in the processes of decision-making and execution at local and higher levels. Such participation would be facilitated by identifiable structures, transparent procedures and wider representation of the youth in appropriate bodies, with the emphasis being more on working with the youth than for the youth.
3. THE DEFINITION OF YOUTH
3.1 This Policy will cover all the youth in the country in the age group of 13 to 35 years. It is acknowledged that since all the persons within this age group are unlikely to be one homogenous group, but rather a conglomeration of sub-groups with differing social roles and requirements, the age group may, therefore, be divided into two broad sub-groups viz. 13-19 years and 20-35 years. The youth belonging to the age group 13-19, which is a major part of the adolescent age group, will be regarded as a separate constituency.
3.2 The number of youth in the age group of 13-35 years, as per the 1991 Census, was estimated at about 34 crores, and about 38 crores in 1997, which is anticipated to increase to about 51 crores by the year 2016. The percentage of youth in the total population, which, according to the 1996 Census projections, is estimated to be about 37% in 1997, is also likely to increase to about 40% by the year 2016. The availability of a human resource of such magnitude for achieving socio-economic change and technological excellence needs commensurate infrastructure and suitable priorities to maximize its contribution to National Development.
4. OBJECTIVES OF THE NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY
The objectives of the National Youth Policy are:
4.1 to instil in the youth, at large, an abiding awareness of, and adherence to, the secular principles and values enshrined in the Constitution of India, with unswerving commitment to Patriotism, National Security, National Integration, Non-violence and Social Justice;
4.2 to develop Qualities of Citizenship and dedication to Community Service amongst all sections of the youth;
4.3 to promote awareness, amongst the youth, in the fields of Indian history and heritage, arts and culture;
4.4 to provide the youth with proper educational and training opportunities and to facilitate access to information in respect of employment opportunities and to other services, including entrepreneurial guidance and financial credit;
4.5 to facilitate access, for all sections of the youth, to health information and services and to promote a social environment which strongly inhibits the use of drugs and other forms of substance abuse, wards off disease (like HIV/AIDS), ensures measures for de-addiction and mainstreaming of the affected persons and enhances the availability of sports and recreational facilities as constructive outlets for the abundant energy of the youthl;
4.6 to sustain and reinforce the spirit of volunteerism amongst the youth in order to build up individual character and generate a sense of commitment to the goals of developmental programmes;
4.7 to create an international perspective in the youth and to involve them in promoting peace and understanding and the establishment of a just global economic order;
4.8 to develop youth leadership in various socio-economic and cultural spheres and to encourage the involvement of Non-Governmental Organizations, Co-operatives and Non-formal groups of young people; and
4.9. to promote a major participatory role for the youth in the protection and preservation of nature, including natural resources, to channelise their abundant energies in community service so as to improve the environment and foster a scientific, inquisitive reasoning and rational attitude in the younger generation and to encourage the youth to undertake such travel excursions as would better acquaint them with cultural harmony, amidst diversity, in India, and overseas.
5. THRUST AREAS OF THE POLICY
5.1 Youth empowerment: The Policy recognizes that in order for the youth to effectively participate in decision making processes, it is essential that they are better equipped with requisite knowledge, skills and capabilities. Towards this end, the Policy envisions the following:
Attainment of higher educational levels and expertise by the youth, in line with their abilities and aptitudes, and access to employment opportunities accordingly;
Adequate nutrition for the full development of physical and mental potential and the creation of an environment which promotes good health, and ensures protection from disease and unwholesome habits;
Development of youth leadership and its involvement in programmes and activities pertaining to National Development;
Equality of opportunity and respect for Human and Fundamental Rights without distinction of race, caste, creed, sex, language, religion or geographic location and access to facilities relating to Sports, Cultural, Recreational and Adventure activities.
5.2. Gender Justice: The Policy recognizes the prevailing gender bias to be the main factor responsible for the poor status of health and economic well-being of women in our society and that any discrimination on grounds of sex violates the basic rights of the individual concerned and it, therefore, stands for the elimination of gender discrimination in every sphere. The Policy enunciates that:
(a) Every girl child and young woman will have access to education and would also be a primary target of efforts to spread literacy.
(b) Women will have access to adequate health services (including reproductive health programmes) and will have full say in defining the size of the family.
(c) Domestic violence will be viewed not only as violation of women’s freedom but also as that of human rights.
(d) All necessary steps should be taken for women’s access to decision-making process, to professional positions and to productive resources and economic opportunities.
(e) Young men, particularly the male adolescents shall be properly oriented, through education and counseling to respect the status and rights of women.
5.2.1 The Policy further enunciates that
(a) Action would be pursued to eliminate all forms of discrimination in respect of the girl child, negative cultural attitudes and practices against women, discrimination against women in education, skill development and training, and the socio-economic exploitation of women, particularly young women;
(b) Concerted efforts will be made to promote a family value system that nurtures a closer bond between men and women, and ensures equality, mutual respect and sharing of responsibility between the sexes.
5.3 Inter-Sectoral Approach: The Policy recognizes that an inter-sectoral approach is a pre-requisite for dealing with youth-related issues. It, therefore, advocates the establishment of a coordinating mechanism among the various Central Government Ministries and Departments and between the Central and State Governments, and the community based organisations and youth bodies for facilitating convergence in youth related schemes, developing integrated policy initiatives for youth programmes and for reviewing on-going activities / schemes to fill in gaps and remove unnecessary duplication and overlap.
5.4 Information & Research Network: Youth development efforts in India have been hampered by lack of adequate information and research base. The Policy, therefore, suggests the establishment of a well organized Information & Research Network in regard to various areas of concern to the youth to facilitate the formulation of focused youth development schemes and programmes. The Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD) will serve as the apex Information and Research Centre on youth development issues. The National Youth Centre and the State Youth Centres will also serve as store houses of information for the youth. At the micro level, the Youth Development Centres under the NYKs will be equipped to serve as information centres for the local youth.
6. PRIVILEGES OF YOUTH
The Policy acknowledges that the youth of the country should be assured of the following:
6.1 Appropriate education and training which enables them to render themselves socially useful and economically productive;
6.2 Gainful employment and adequate opportunities for personal development and advancement for those not currently in employment;
6.3 Requisite shelter and a clean environment, as also basic health services of quality;
6.4 Social defence and protection from all manner of exploitation;
6.5 Suitable participation in decision-making bodies which are concerned with issues relating to the youth and with socio-economic and cultural matters;
6.6 Sufficient allocation of public funds for youth development;
6.7 Access to Sports, Physical Education, Adventure and Recreational opportunities.
7. RESPONSIBILITIES OF YOUTH
The Policy exhorts the youth to fulfill their responsibilities, as are enumerated below:
7.1 to contribute to sectoral, family and self development and to promote social and inter-generation understanding and gender equality;
7.2 to extend respect to teachers and elders, parents and the family, in consonance with our cultural norms and traditions;
7.3 to uphold the unity and integrity of the Nation, maintain peace and harmony, observe Fundamental Duties and respect the Fundamental Rights and Freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution to all sections of the people;
7.4 to respect others’ faiths and beliefs in the religious, cultural and social spheres and to different schools of thought and to neither exploit nor be instrumental in the exploitation of fellow citizens and other persons, especially women;
7.5 to promote appropriate standards of ethical conduct in individual and social life, to maintain honesty and integrity of character and be committed to fight against all forms of corruption, social evils and practices.
7.6 to preserve and protect the Environment; and
7.7 to commit themselves to create a discrimination and exploitation free environment and to devote their time and energy in nation building activities.
8. KEY SECTORS OF YOUTH CONCERN
The Policy recognizes the following areas as key sectors of concern for the youth:
i. Education;
ii. Training and Employment;
iii. Health and Family welfare;
iv. Preservation of Environment, Ecology and Wild life;
v. Recreation and Sports;
vi. Arts and Culture;
vii. Science and Technology; and
viii. Civics and good Citizenship.
8.1 Education
8.1.1. The Policy acknowledges that the objective of providing appropriate education, which enables the youth to develop into good citizens of the country, should also suitably influence relevant actions of the Government and public behaviour.
8.1.2 It is recognized that the need of the educational system to instill, in the youth, an abiding sense of patriotism and in values oriented towards the unity and integrity of the country, equally calls for the elimination of violence in all forms, adherence to good moral and ethical values and respect and reverence for India’s composite culture and national heritage.
8.1.3 This Policy emphasizes that the learning process should minimise the stress and strain, which the system may exert on students, especially in the early years. The thrust of the educational system, particularly in the early years, ought to be on learning, rather than on merely qualifying in examinations and memory-based tests. The Policy lays emphasis on outdoor learning as an integral part of the educational process and on Physical Education, Sports, Games and Adventure activities.
8.1.4 Academic institutions should be equipped with adequate sports and recreational facilities.
8.1.5 Education, above the secondary level, should have a high degree of vocationalisation so as to enable the youth to acquire such requisite skills as would augment avenues of employment
for them; technical institutions need to be strengthened and their number increased keeping an eye on our country’s emergence as a major force in information technology.
8.1.6 There needs to be greater uniformity in the educational system and standards in various parts of the country.
8.1.7 Closer links should be developed between the educational system and prospective employers, on an institutional basis and career counselling should be a part of the educational system, from the secondary level onwards. Programmes need to be undertaken for proper dissemination of information, amongst young men and women, in respect of career options.
8.1.8 Programmes should be undertaken to upgrade the existing skills of young artisans of traditional handicrafts and other products and for those who may wish to take up the same as a vocation. Education system should also have a rural orientation to address the varied needs of agriculture, agro – processing and other areas of rural economy.
8.1.9 Educational curriculum in schools should include information on health issues, including reproductive health, HIV-AIDS and also on population issues.
8.1.10 Youth clubs and Mahila Mandals should be encouraged to involve their members in programmes like “Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan” and Total Literacy Campaign for universalisation of primary education, and spread of literacy and to organize activities to promote book reading habits among the youth.
8.2 Training and employment
8.2.1. This Policy recognizes that the question of employment is, at present, of very serious concern for the Indian youth and that several social issues arise out of widespread unemployment and under-employment of the youth.
8.2.2. This Policy further acknowledges that the incidence of unemployment is more pronounced in the rural areas and in urban slums and calls for appropriate strategies and commensurate efforts to deal with it.
8.2.3. The current trends suggest that the growth rate of the labour force has been higher than the growth rate of population and that the growth rate of employment has not been in proportion to GDP growth.
8.2.4. The critical issues in this area include a mis-match between skills-requirement and employment opportunities, low technology levels, low wages and low productivity, occupational shifts in employment, under-employment owing to seasonal factors, excess labour supply in relation to demand, migration of the labour force from the rural to urban areas and limited participation of women in the work force, especially in the organized sector.
8.2.5. The incidence of unemployment has been accentuated by advances in technology and communications, to tackle which, opportunities for self-employment need to be created. Schemes to provide ”seed money” to assist viable enterprises initiated by the youth need to be drawn up. A network of youth skill training centres would need to be established to build up the capacities of the young people for income generation activities.
8.2.6. Adequate funding for both pre-job and on-the-job training for youth by government as well as other stake holders should be ensured. For proper vocational guidance and career
counselling, schools and colleges should pay adequate attention to this aspect as part of their co-curricular activities.
8.2.7. Government, in conjunction with youth organisations, will develop training programmes for young people in the rural areas, based on their needs. Special schemes would also be developed for young women, youth with disabilities and for young people returning from the urban to the rural areas, alongside flexibility in training systems and collaboration between training institutions and potential employers.
8.2.8. Co-operative schemes involving Self Help Groups of young people in the production and marketing of goods and services would be encouraged and strengthened, with government support. Banks and Co-operatives would be advised to make identifiable allocations of soft credit to young people and their Self Help Groups and micro-credit adopted as a strategy to enable young women and men, in the rural areas, to undertake fruitful economic ventures.
8.2.9. A Data Bank will be created to keep abreast of the employment opportunities being generated, as also the availability of young people, with the requisite skills, for the same;
8.3 Health
8.3.1 The policy recognises that a holistic approach towards health, mental, physical and spiritual, needs to be adopted after careful assessment of the health needs of the youth.
8.3.2 As per the youth population projections (based on the 1991 Census), about 21.4% of the total population in 1996 was estimated to be in the age group of 10-19 years; of these, about 78.4% lived in the rural and the remaining ( 21.6% ) in the urban areas. The mean age of marriage in the rural areas was 21.56 years for males and 16.67 years for females. In the urban areas, the mean age for marriage was 24.32 years for males and 19.92 years for females. In other words, most women in India are married during the age of adolescence.
8.3.3 The areas of focus of this Policy, in so far as health of the youth is concerned, are:
a. General Health;
b. Mental Health;
c. Spiritual Health;
d. AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Substance Abuse; and
e. Population Education.
(a) General Health
8.3.4 Nutrition : The policy recognises an urgent need for greater concentration on nutritional studies on the youth – particularly the young women and the adolescents and advocates all measures to lessen the differences between their daily average intake of energy and proteins and the recommended daily intake allowances ( RDA). The Policy particularly emphasises on reduction of this gap, which is wider among the children of growing age as per Indian National Nutritional Profile, 1998.
8.3.5 The growth rate standard of Indian adolescents, measured in terms of Body Mass Index ( BMI ) viz. ratio between weight and height, is lower in India than in most of the industrialised nations. Iron deficiency and anemia are common, especially in girls. The growth-related requirements of adolescents often continue beyond the teenage years and overlap with the nutritional needs of early pregnancy, which has an impact on the health of new-born children, in addition to the mothers. Discriminatory practices in respect of girls also lead to lack of adequate
nutritional intake, which results in malnutrition, anaemia and other micro-nutrient deficiencies in young girls which are more noticeable in the rural areas. These concerns need to be effectively tackled through appropriate measures, including awareness-generation programmes.
8.3.6 The Policy lays emphasis on the importance of hygiene and sanitation in promoting a healthy society. All efforts should be made to inculcate in the youth a sense of hygiene and sanitation right from early education. The youth on their part should be encouraged to organise mass awareness campaigns in their neighbourhood to promote better hygiene and sanitation. Their services should also be utilised in creating better sanitation facilities for the community, both in rural areas and urban slums.
8.3.7 Health education and health consciousness: This Policy strongly recommends introduction of health education in the curricula of regular / formal education in higher classes of schools and colleges, in non-formal education centres and in every other organised interaction with the youth. The policy advocates that every youth of India should clearly understand the what, why and how of good health within his or her socio – economic parameters. A policy of minimum physical exercise for all should be propagated.
(b) Mental Health
8.3.8 Lack of proper education often leads to mental depression. In an environment that is becoming complex and competitive by the day, the chances of young minds being afflicted with depression are ever rising. This is particularly so, among adolescents who are showing higher incidence of suicidal traits than even before. Against this background, this Policy advocates a system of education which teaches the youth to fight back rather than give in. It also recommends establishment of state–sponsored and free counseling services for the youth, particularly the adolescents.
8.3.9 Adolescence is a period of change and, consequently, one of stress, characterized by uncertainties in regard to identity and position in the peer group, in society at large and in the context of one’s own responsibilities as an adult. The compulsions of parental approval often encounter the emerging aspirations of independence. Adolescents exhibit mood-swings and might even indulge in self-destructive activities, such as use of alcohol, drugs and violence; they need, therefore, to be treated with openness, understanding and sympathy and offered creative channels to harness their energies. This would necessitate training and capacity building of all professional groups including NGOs working with the youth belonging to this age group.
(c) Spiritual Health
8.3.10. Health of the mind should be coupled with the health of the spirit. Towards this, yoga and meditation should be propagated widely among the youth. Yoga, in particular, should be taught in the schools.
(d) HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Substance Abuse
8.3.11 The Policy recognizes that the percentage of young people falling prey to substance abuse, STDs and HIV / AIDS being relatively higher, these issues need be tackled as, primarily, confronting the younger generation, particularly the adolescents who are most affected. Being highly impressionable, and, therefore, prone to high risk behaviour, they require proper education and awareness about reproductive health issues, including safe sexual behaviour. The Policy, therefore, advocates a two-pronged approach of education and awareness for prevention and proper treatment and counselling for cure and rehabilitation. It further enjoins that information in respect of the reproductive health system should form part of the educational curriculum. The
Policy also stresses the need for establishment of adolescent clinics in large hospitals and similar projects in rural areas to address the health needs of the young adults.
(e) Population Education
8.3.12 The Policy recognises that a growing population is a serious national problem that has negated many of our achievements in the field of development. The youth have an important role to play in this sphere and can create greater awareness in this regard through community programmes.
8.3.13 Responsible sexual behaviour can be promoted through education in family-life issues and control of population. Pregnancy and childbirth, in the adolescent period, particularly for young women below 17 years of age who are living in unhealthy conditions and without adequate access to health services, has been a serious bio-medical hazard. The adolescent age-group has to be sensitised in regard to the correct age for marriage and for the first pregnancy, sufficient spacing between births and limiting the size of the family. It is conceded that in spite of several initiatives taken by the Government, the social climate enjoins the young couple to produce their first child soon after marriage. This scenario is unlikely to change in the near or medium term. Entering into matrimony at the right age assumes critical importance in this context, apart from its healthy impact in checking the high rate of population growth. It is equally imperative that young adults be sensitised to their role and responsibilities as responsible parents. Ante-natal, natal and post-natal services of quality are also necessary for young women.
8.3.14 The following strategies should be adopted to provide better health services to the youth :
a. Government , in co-operation with the Youth Organisations and NGOs, would promote the establishment of Youth Health Associations, at the grass-root level, to ensure proper sanitation, health and hygiene and would, in cooperation with Youth Organisations, develop Family Welfare Services for young people and provide counselling services;
b. Programmes would be instituted, with the support of Youth Organisations and NGOs, to sensitise medical and para-medic students on the issues of health and hygiene and also in the IEC component of various disease control programmes; and
c. Young people will be recognised as “Health Promoters”.
8.3.15 The youth will also be involved in a structured manner in the following health-related activities:
a. Construction of lavatories, water points, dispensaries and wells; cleaning of public places and related environment protection activities; community surveys and research on health-related matters;
b. Safe blood donation, nutrition and food production projects;
c. Information, education and prevention campaigns in respect of health concerns, such as malaria, malnutrition, STD (including HIV / AIDS), teenage pregnancy and abuse of alcohol and other harmful substances;
d. “Peer Education” will be an important element in promoting health services.
8.3.16 This Policy urges upon universal accessibility of an acceptable, affordable and quality health care service to the youth throughout the length and breadth of this country to be made available in close proximity to their places of residence. The youth should have this accessibility for themselves as well as for other vulnerable age groups whom they could help out.
8.4 ENVIRONMENT
8.4.1 The Policy recognises that children and young people are particularly vulnerable to the ill effects of environmental degradation. Unplanned industrialisation, which leads to pollution and to degradation of rivers, forests and land, adversely affects the young who have a vital stake in a healthy environment.
8.4.2 Considering the importance of community involvement in preservation of the environment, the Policy exhorts young people to play an increasingly significant role in mobilising the public, at large, in this national endeavour. The Policy also advocates motivating the youth to develop respect for Nature and to lead lifestyle which are less resource consumptive and more source conservationist.
8.4.3 The Policy recognises that women are seriously affected by environmental degradation resulting, inter-alia, in lack of potable water and scarcity of fuel wood. The migration of men to cities to seek employment often isolates the womenfolk who are left to fend for themselves.
8.4.4 Having regard to the above, the Policy highlights the following lines of concrete action:
a. Greater emphasis should be placed on environmental education in school curricula and training programmes should be arranged to inform teachers on environmental issues so as to enable them to instruct the youth suitably. Environmental education should also be a part of the outdoor learning process;
b. The participation of Youth Organisations in gathering environmental data and in understanding environmental issues would be encouraged as a means of improving their knowledge of immediate surroundings and accentuating personal concern towards proper environmental management;
c. Motivating the youth to establish nature and adventure clubs in villages and towns with a view to creating mass awareness towards protection of the country’s bio – diversity, and to work with local bodies and NGOs in planning and management of our forests, rural water bodies, common land and natural resources through active local participation.
d. Vocational training, in recycling of materials and managing waste materials, would be promoted so as to ensure that more young people may find a local source of livelihood and, at the same time, arrest degradation of the environment; and
e. Youth Organisations, at the grass root level, would be assisted in provision of training in agro-forestry, agriculture and traditional agricultural practices.
f. Promotion of both traditional and alternative technologies for water conservation and water harvesting through Youth organisations.
8.5 Sports and Recreation
8.5.1 Having recognised that the overall objective of the Policy is the all-round development of personality of the youth and noting that Sports, Physical Education, Adventure, Recreation and related activities might often be overlooked, this Policy strongly supports these activities as important areas of human resource development. No system of education could be considered successful, unless it addresses the urges and aspirations of the youth to be creative and appreciative of the manifold facets of nature and of social life.
8.5.2 The Policy, accordingly, enunciates that:
a. Sports and games be promoted as a mass movement by making it a way of life;
b. Sports, Games and Physical Education including Yoga, should be compulsory in all Educational Institutions;
c. Every educational institution should have adequate facilities for recreation, adventure and sports activities, including playgrounds;
d. Provision be made for common play grounds in the master plans of all civic and municipal areas;
e. At least one-fifth of the time spent by a student in an educational institution should be earmarked for outdoor activities;
f. Geographically disadvantaged areas would be extended additional support for the promotion of Sports and Games;
g. Rural, traditional and indigenous sports would be accorded special attention and it would be the responsibility of the Panchayat Institutions with the help of local youth organisations to develop and maintain infrastructure for this purpose. The involvement of organised youth bodies such as youth clubs under the NYKS, the volunteers of the NSS and the Scouts & Guides in the creation and maintenance of sports infrastructure will go a long way in reducing the high cost of such infrastructure;
h. A National Youth Festival will be held each year, starting at the Block level and culminating at the National Level;
i. Youth Hostels would be constructed in as many places of historical and cultural interest as possible, to promote youth tourism;
j. Youth Organizations devoted to such activities will be encouraged; and
k. Adventure activities among the youth be promoted to inculcate qualities of leadership, resilience, courage, discipline and love for nature and the environment.
8.6 Arts and Culture
8.6.1 Activities connected with Arts and Culture provide recreation to individuals, sharpen their sensitivities and afford a vehicle to inculcate desirable ideals and values. The Policy recognizes the importance of Arts and Culture in a holistic approach to youth development and that Young People need to be sensitised to the great heritage of our country and provided with opportunities to understand and follow pluralistic forms of culture.
8.6.2 This Policy, therefore, enunciates the following:
a. The youth should be better enabled to imbibe the rich traditions and culture of India and sensitised to the need to preserve and enrich this extraordinary heritage. This will be sought to be achieved inter-alia through
i. inclusion of learning and appreciation of the country’s rich heritage in art, architecture, music and dance etc. in the educational curricula at the school level;
ii. encouraging and facilitating through financial assistance in association with concerned State Govt./PRIs etc., visits to ancient monuments/heritage sites during which attempt would be made to impress upon the young people the need for preservation of our ancient heritage by involving them in voluntary work for cleaning up the sites and surroundings and educating and motivating the local youth to protect such monuments against vandalism etc. The Ministry of Railways and State STUs will be persuded to offer concessional fares for such organised educational trips and for organising special services to such places, particularly during holidays;
iii. Encouraging and facilitating the visits of well known artists to educational institutions to impart lessons in appreciation through demonstrations/workshops/performances;
iv. Encouraging and facilitating in association with State Govts./PRIs/NGOs attendance of young persons at performances by well known artistes in their respective areas.
b. A National Youth Centre would be established to provide young people with a common platform where they can express their opinions and views on various issues concerning them. Such a Youth Centre will also provide them with ample scope to give exposure to
their creative genius and abilities in the fields of various cultural expressions like fine arts, music, theatre, film etc. State Youth Centres would be established, on similar lines, in the various States.
8.7 Science and Technology
8.7.1 As the adaptation of scientific and technological principles and developments, to maximise the use of local resources, are central to empowerment in the quality of life, the Policy recognises the importance of emerging, modern technologies, particularly in the field of information technology and electronic media, in enabling the youth to perform and achieve in all sectors of their interest.
8.7.2 The Policy also recognises that young scientists and technologists should be extended adequate facilities for research and that the contribution of the private sector in this field should be encouraged.
8.7.3 The National Youth Policy, therefore, provides for:
a. Review of policies in respect of the School Curriculum and the non-formal education sector so that Science may be popularised amongst all sections of the youth;
b. Support to providing exposure to the youth to the scientific temper and way of life;
c. Development of mechanisms within the system to identify and train gifted youth, as early as possible, in the fields of science and technology;
d. The best and the most positive use of information and communications technology, as well as all forms of media, including the electronic media, for youth development as well as for promoting and protecting the richness of our culture;
e. Promoting a multi-sectoral approach involving, inter-alia, the private sector and NGOs, to orient the youth towards scientific and technological studies and research;
f. Ensuring co-ordination between the various Government Ministries/Departments and Scientific Organisations/Institutions dealing with youth development programmes;
g. Upgrading science curricula in institutions of learning to inculcate the scientific approach amongst all sections of the younger generation;
h. Linking the projects of the young scientists to the problems of the people and ensuring better interaction between labs and the industry;
i. Documentation of the large repository of physical and knowledge based resources within the country to prevent their piracy by vested interests.
8.8 Civics and Citizenship
8.8.1 Human behaviour is significantly shaped by norms and values, which are a basis for attitudinal growth. The dominant features in the Indian Society, which impinge on the cultural and other values of young people, include areas such as family life, education, work and occupational activities, gender, class and ethnic relations, religion, mass communication, artistic and creative expression, sports, recreation, politics and the economic environment.
8.8.2 Anti-social behaviour is a manifestation of the absence of well-accepted values, attitudes and norms in the individual and in society which can reflect itself in crime, violent action, breakdown of parental authority in family life, corruption in public life, obscenity in the media, indiscipline in schools and in sporting activities and low productivity at the workplace.
8.8.3 The Policy, therefore, envisages the following strategies:
a. Embodying instruction in the values like respect for teachers and parents, adolescent and the aged besides religious tolerance, and compassion towards the poor and the needy. The concept of family as the basic and most important asset of Indian Society will be strengthened.
b. To motivate the youth to resist fragmentation of society on the basis of caste, religion, language and ethnicity and for promotion of democratic values enshrined in our constitution.
c. To mobilise the youth to create local pressure groups within the community to fight corruption at all levels and to ensure that the benefits of development reach those for whom they are intended and are not siphoned of by middlemen and the powerful.
d. Laying emphasis on the economic and social security of the youth belonging to underprivileged sections of our society and those who are mentally and physically challenged.
9. PRIORITY TARGET GROUPS
This Policy will accord priority to the following groups of young people:
a. Rural and Tribal Youth;
b. Out-of-school Youth;
c. Adolescents particularly female adolescents;
d. Youth with disabilities;
e. Youth under specially difficult circumstances like victims of trafficking; orphans and street children.
10. IMPLEMENTATION MECHANISM
The Policy envisions the following implementation mechanism:
a. All Ministries/Departments of the Union Government and the State Governments, particularly in the social sector will strive to make identifiable allocations in their budgets for youth development programmes;
b. A broad based National Committee on Youth Policy and Programmes is contemplated to review and assess various programmes and schemes focusing on youth. It will also advise the Government on measures for implementation of the Plan of Action of the National Youth Policy;
c. The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (with the guidance of this Committee) will be the Nodal Ministry for all such programmes and schemes and will oversee the implementation of the provisions of this Policy;
d. An effective mechanism to coordinate the activities of the Central Ministries/Departments, the State Governments and Community and Youth Organisations, would be evolved in order to facilitate timely execution of youth development programmes; and
e. A National Youth Development Fund will be created through contributions, including from Non-Governmental Organisations, which would be utilised for youth development activities. Income Tax exemption would be sought for contribution to the Fund.
11. REVIEW
The National Youth Policy, 2003 would be reviewed after 5 years from the date of commencement of implementation.