The registration process is now open on the official MY Bharat portal.
Hyderabad:Just days after a civil defence exercise against the backdrop of Operation Sindoor, the ministry of youth affairs and sports has called upon young citizens to enrol as MY Bharat civil defence volunteers to support the country during emergencies and disasters.
The call, led by MY Bharat, aims to create a strong group of trained youth who can assist civil administration during crises like natural disasters, public emergencies, and accidents.
"Youth, who are interested in serving the nation can register themselves. There’s no eligibility criterion except for age, they must be between 15 and 29 years old. Regardless of their educational background, we’ll enrol the youth," said Ganta Rajesh, assistant director, MY Bharat, Telangana state.
“It’s a first-time initiative. We received instructions from the ministry of youth affairs and sports to enrol volunteers. A webinar was held on Sunday where the ministry gave directions to all states,” he said.
The registration process is now open on the official MY Bharat portal. Both existing MY Bharat volunteers and new applicants are encouraged to register. The focus is on building a community-based emergency response team that is responsive and ready.
“These civil defence volunteers will help in times of emergencies, ensuring health safety, property safety, helping in evacuation, giving first aid, and managing traffic or crowds,” said Y. Nagi Reddy, Director-General of Fire Services. He added that registered volunteers will be given a 5-day training in batches.
“They’ll be trained in basic safety, firefighting, and emergency skills. In the past, around 2,000 volunteers were trained in disaster response, but they remained inactive due to the lack of immediate need. Through this initiative, the same volunteers will be brought back as civil defence volunteers along with the new youth volunteers,” he said.
According to officials, the initiative is still in the early stage, and training dates and deadlines will be announced soon. “We’re in the first phase, that is, registration. Details about training and deadlines are yet to be provided,” said Khushbu Gupta, District Youth Officer, MY Bharat Hyderabad. She said that the training will be conducted in coordination with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local district administration.
Volunteers who enrol in this programme will learn useful skills and help the nation.
Reacting to the initiative, V. Sindhu Reddy, a first-year postgraduate student, shared her thoughts on the MY Bharat programme. “Yes, I will be interested in volunteering in this programme. As an NCC cadet, I’ve already been trained to help during emergencies and disasters, and I believe this kind of work can make a real difference,” she said.
She added “Today’s youth are well-informed about crisis management and first aid, so I’m confident we can handle any such situations effectively. Volunteering through national service will help build skills, character, and a strong sense of social responsibility. What motivates me most is the chance to help those in need, and I would encourage my friends to join this programme. When more people come together, we can truly create change in society.”
Ch. Akshitha, a 25-year-old business analyst, shared her thoughts: “If my parents agree heartfully, I would be the happiest person to serve for the nation and would suggest my friend's circle to take up too. Knowing our roots and fighting for it, it will give one more subject a part of the meme knowledge half the youth have,” she said.
“We are only aware of the textbook history, meaning we do not know maybe more than half the history within the nation, and I wonder what international affairs are for us. Additionally, one is talking about the youngsters' preparation towards situations like natural disasters, overflooding, the only thing we have seen, but something like a national emergency; this would be the first for our generation. This will also help us shape our minds in the understanding of various political activities and decisions. And all the support we need is defensive physical skills and confidence to stand,” she said.
