In a move aimed at strengthening democratic engagement, Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Saturday launched a weekly Youth Outreach Programme, commencing with the visit of the first batch of 75 students from Maharishi Valmiki College of Education, Geeta Colony.
Under the initiative, students from universities and educational institutions will visit the Vidhan Sabha every Saturday to gain direct exposure to legislative functioning.
During the visit, students were introduced to the historical evolution of the Delhi Legislative Assembly, including the significance of the present building, constructed in 1912, which earlier housed the Central Legislative Assembly.
Reference was also made to the legacy of Vithalbhai Patel and the legislature’s continued role as a forum of democratic governance since its re-establishment in 1993.
The programme included a structured orientation on legislative procedures and institutional functioning. Students were presented with the commemorative coffee table publication Ek Shatabdi Yatra, and a documentary on the Assembly’s institutional history was also screened.
The visit featured a guided tour of the House, providing students with first-hand exposure to its functioning.
Announcing the initiative, the Speaker said the programme is intended to bridge the gap between citizens and institutions by enabling the country’s youth to engage directly with legislative processes, understand how laws are made, and appreciate the principles that sustain public life and democratic governance.
Gupta further emphasised that the vitality of democracy rests on informed, aware, and responsible citizens, adding that sustained engagement with institutions is essential to fostering a culture of participation, accountability, and respect for democratic processes.
He noted that students and individuals have previously visited the Delhi Assembly to learn about its legislative history and functioning, and that such initiatives are being actively expanded under his guidance.