PM-YUVA 3.0 Launched on March 11, 2025, as the third edition of this transformative initiative by the National Book Trust (NBT), India, under the Ministry of Education, PM-YUVA 3.0 continues to empower emerging writers under 30 years old. Aligned with the National Education Policy 2020, it fosters multilingualism, inclusivity, and nation-building through literature. The All-India contest, hosted on the MyGov Innovate India platform, ran from March 11 to April 10, 2025, drawing thousands of proposals (up to 10,000 words each) in 22 scheduled Indian languages plus English.
A multi-stage evaluation by a National Jury—focusing on originality, relevance to themes, and linguistic diversity—culminated in the announcement of 43 young authors on December 23, 2025 (slightly below the target of 50 to uphold quality standards). This cohort includes 19 women and 24 men, with strong representation from underrepresented languages like Bodo, Santali, Maithili, and Kashmiri, promoting equitable literary growth across India.
The edition spotlights contributions to India’s progress with three core themes:
- Indian Diaspora in Nation-Building: Exploring the global Indian community’s role in cultural, economic, and social advancement.
- Indian Knowledge Systems: Highlighting ancient and contemporary wisdom in science, philosophy, arts, and sustainability.
- Makers of Modern India (1950-2025): Celebrating visionaries, leaders, and innovators who shaped post-independence India.
PM-YUVA 3.0 – Benefits and Mentorship Timeline
- Scholarship: ₹50,000 per month for six months (July to December 2025) to enable dedicated writing.
- Mentorship: Personalized guidance from eminent scholars and authors to develop proposals into publishable books.
- Publication and Royalties: NBT will publish the books, with authors earning a 10% lifetime royalty on sales.
- Timeline: Mentorship wrapped up on December 30, 2025; the first books are slated for release in 2026, strengthening India’s vibrant literary ecosystem.
A highlight is the upcoming national camp for selected authors at the New Delhi World Book Fair (January 10-18, 2026), offering networking, workshops, and launch previews.
PM-YUVA 3.0 Full List of Selected Authors
| S.No. | Name | Language | Gender |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHIROJYOTI PAMEGAM | ASAMIYA | Male |
| 2 | KRISHNA SHINJINEE DEB | BANGLA | Female |
| 3 | NISHA DAIMARY | BODO | Female |
| 4 | PANKAJ SHARMA | DOGRI | Male |
| 5 | MITRAVINDA VENKATA MANISAI JAVVADI | ENGLISH | Female |
| 6 | SANDEEP | ENGLISH | Male |
| 7 | SOUNDRRAYAJOTHI TN | ENGLISH | Female |
| 8 | SRISHTI SHARMA | ENGLISH | Female |
| 9 | PRITHVI NARESH RATHOD | ENGLISH | Male |
| 10 | BIDISHA P KASHYAP | ENGLISH | Female |
| 11 | ADRIJA DAS | ENGLISH | Female |
| 12 | DR RUTAM BISWAL | ENGLISH | Female |
| 13 | NABHYA BHARDWAJ | ENGLISH | Male |
| 14 | ISHANA SHARMA | ENGLISH | Female |
| 15 | PALLAVI RAUT | ENGLISH | Female |
| 16 | YOGIRAJ BRAHMBHATT | GUJARATI | Male |
| 17 | SAREEKA SINGH | HINDI | Female |
| 18 | MAHESH CHOUHAN | HINDI | Male |
| 19 | AAYUSH SHARMA | HINDI | Male |
| 20 | DEVENDRA KUMAWAT | HINDI | Male |
| 21 | SHIVAM SINGH | HINDI | Male |
| 22 | ANURAG JAISWAL | HINDI | Male |
| 23 | SHREYAS NAIK | KANNADA | Male |
| 24 | DR. SUSHMITHA Y | KANNADA | Female |
| 25 | SAIQA JAN | KASHMIRI | Female |
| 26 | RESHMA M S | MALAYALAM | Female |
| 27 | GURUMAYUM SHIVA CHANDRA SHARMA | MANIPURI | Male |
| 28 | DIVYANSHU RAJESH SINGH | MARATHI | Male |
| 29 | AMBADAS GAJANAN MEVHANKAR | MARATHI | Male |
| 30 | PRASAD JADHAV | MARATHI | Male |
| 31 | SWATI JHA | MAITHILI | Female |
| 32 | INDRAMAN SUBBA | NEPALI | Male |
| 33 | SOUMYAJIT PANDA | ODIA | Male |
| 34 | LOVEPREET SINGH | PUNJABI | Male |
| 35 | NARENDRA PRATAP SINGH | SANSKRIT | Male |
| 36 | SANDHYA MANDI | SANTALI | Female |
| 37 | AKSHAR TEKCHANDANI | SINDHI | Male |
| 38 | NIKASH V | TAMIL | Male |
| 39 | AADHI UBANAYA | TAMIL | Female |
| 40 | SAGI TEJASREE | TELUGU | Female |
| 41 | KANUKURTHI SAIKIRAN | TELUGU | Male |
| 42 | MD YOUSUF KAMAL | URDU | Male |
| 43 | STUTI AGARWAL | URDU | Female |
This edition builds on YUVA 2.0’s success (41 authors on democracy themes) by amplifying diverse voices just in time for the new year. If you’d like specifics on an author’s theme, book previews once published, or application tips for YUVA 4.0, hit me up!