The government has discussed a proposal regarding a military training programme for 10 lakh young men and women every year in order to have a disciplined and nationalist “force of youth”, reported The Indian Express.

The National Youth Empowerment Scheme or N-YES is aimed at “optimising the Indian demographic advantage” and proposes incentives for students of Class 10 and 12 and those enrolled in college, the report said. It has been proposed to make the scheme a mandatory qualification for jobs in defence, paramilitary forces and police. A fixed stipend for the 12-month training period will be provided to those who have enrolled in the scheme.

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According to the proposal, the programme will instil values of nationalism, discipline and self-esteem in the youth, which will help make India a vishwaguru (a universal leader) and achieve Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of New India 2022. Those enrolled will also be taught vocational and Information Technology skills, disaster management and Indian values through yoga, Ayurveda and ancient Indian philosophy, the proposal reportedly says.

It has been suggested that the government could use the existing budget meant for National Cadet Corps and National Service Scheme, funds available with the Skill Development Ministry and funds under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme to finance the programme.

The Prime Minister’s Office called a meeting to discuss the proposal in the last week of June and was attended by representatives of the Defence Ministry, Department of Youth Affairs and Human Resource Development Ministry, an unidentified official told The Indian Express.

In 2017, the Prime Minister’s Office had advised the Ministry of Human Resource Development to include elements of military schools in regular schools to promote discipline, physical fitness and a patriotic outlook.