Sri Vijaya Puram, October 15: The deadline for 1,320 shortlisted participants from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to submit essays for the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (VBYLD)-2027 has been extended to October 22, 2026, following revised guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
The shortlisted candidates, who qualified through the quiz round, must submit a 500-word essay on “Blue Economy, Human Capital and Global Competitiveness”, the theme assigned to the islands under the Viksit Bharat Challenge Track.
The Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs has notified participants of the revised deadline and directed eligible candidates to submit their essays through the official MY Bharat portal at https://mybharat.gov.in/.
The extension gives the shortlisted participants additional time to prepare their essays before the revised cut-off date. Candidates must complete their submissions online by October 22, as prescribed under the updated guidelines.
The 1,320 candidates advanced to the essay stage after participating in the quiz round of VBYLD-2027. Their next task is to develop a 500-word submission addressing the assigned theme, which focuses on the blue economy, human capital and global competitiveness.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has appreciated the participation of young people from the islands. The Directorate has also acknowledged the contribution of principals, faculty members, MY Bharat representatives, National Service Scheme programme officers and other staff members who helped motivate students and facilitate their participation.
The Directorate has urged all shortlisted candidates to use the extended deadline to complete their essays and submit them within the prescribed period.
Participants can access the official MY Bharat portal at https://mybharat.gov.in/ to submit their entries. The revised October 22 deadline applies to the essay round of VBYLD-2027.
