Koppal prepares Youth Parliament at district level

Koppal Deputy Commissioner Dr. Suresh B. Itnal has directed officials to make arrangements for organising the Youth Parliament programme at the taluk and district levels. The initiative aims to create awareness among students about parliamentary proceedings, constitutional values and the functioning of legislative institutions. Addressing officials, lawyers and judges during a video conference held through Google Meet on Wednesday, the Deputy Commissioner said the programme should be conducted responsibly and with active participation from schools and colleges. For the taluk-level programme, 50 students will be selected from each of the district’s five Assembly constituencies. The student composition should include 8–10 per cent high school students, 10–15 per cent pre-university students, 50–60 per cent undergraduate students and 20–30 per cent postgraduate students. Government, aided and private institutions should be represented. Officials were also instructed to ensure equal representation of boys and girls. Students from different disciplines, including Arts, Commerce, Science, Law, Engineering, Medicine, Agriculture and Horticulture, should be included. If postgraduate courses are unavailable at a taluk headquarters, the allocated seats should be shifted to undergraduate students. The Youth Parliament should be conducted in community halls or convention centres arranged to resemble a legislative chamber, with a Speaker’s chair, Deputy Speaker’s seat and galleries for the public and media. Three local issues relevant to each taluk should be selected for discussion, while controversial subjects should be avoided. The taluk-level programme must be completed by October 10. The district-level Youth Parliament will be held between October 11 and 30, 2026, with students selected from the taluks. Five outstanding students, one from each Assembly constituency, will qualify for the state-level programme. Officials were asked to publicise the programme widely and provide students with training on constitutional matters and parliamentary procedures with assistance from Bar Associations and political science lecturers.