The central government has launched a major initiative to directly connect the country’s youth with the Union Budget and familiarise them with economic policies. Launching the ‘MY Bharat Budget Quest 2026’, Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Dr Mansukh Mandaviya said the initiative aims to help young people understand the intricacies of the Union Budget and encourage them to become active participants in the nation’s development.
He said today’s youth are not limited to jobs and studies alone, but are keen to play a meaningful role in shaping the country’s future. The competition has been designed with this vision, enabling young people to view the budget not merely as a document of numbers, but as something closely linked to their everyday lives.
The competition will begin on February 3, 2026, on the MY Bharat portal (mybharat.gov.in). Registration on the portal is mandatory. The first phase will be a national-level online quiz featuring questions related to Budget 2026. The deadline to participate in this phase is February 17.
Participants who perform well in the first phase will qualify for the second phase, with top performers from all states and Union Territories advancing further. The second phase will run from February 17 to March 3 and will be based on essay writing. Participants will be given eight budget-related topics linked to the vision of a ‘Developed India’, allowing them to articulate their ideas, suggestions and aspirations.
The essays will be evaluated between March 3 and March 10, following which state- and UT-level merit lists will be released on March 10. Winners will get the opportunity to interact virtually with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during which they will be able to directly discuss the ‘Viksit Bharat Budget’ with him.
Dr Mandaviya also noted that during this year’s budget speech, the Finance Minister had praised the innovative thinking of young people, adding that several suggestions received during the ‘Viksit Bharat Youth Leadership Dialogue’ were incorporated into the budget.
The ‘MY Bharat Budget Quest’ continues this tradition by enabling youth participation in policy-making.
The government believes that when young people understand the budget critically, question it and offer constructive suggestions, the country’s economic policies become stronger and more grounded. The ‘MY Bharat Budget Quest 2026’ is seen as a concrete step in that direction.
