Table 1.
Summary of the reviewed policies and programs
| Policy and program | Description | Need and rationale | Process of development | Goal/s | Youth engagement in policy development |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)—2011 | National Elementary Education Program | To provide basic education to children despite their socio-economic backgrounds and physical status, and constitute a sound school environment for their overall development of the child | Consultations with State Education Secretaries, educationists, representatives of teacher unions, voluntary organizations and civil society organizations, led by the Ministry of Education | To achieve universal access to education and retention of students; bridging gender and social class gaps in education; and enhancement of learning levels of children | No specified role of youth in policy development |
| National Youth Policy (NYP)—2014 | National Youth Development Policy | To generate awareness among youth and various stakeholders in India about the overall development of youth and their contribution to nation building | Multiple rounds of consultations across the country were organized, led by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports; no details available about these consultations | To empower youth to achieve their full potential and through them enable India to find its rightful place in the community of nations | No specified role of youth in policy development |
| National Mental Health Policy (NMHP)—2014 | National Mental Health policy | To draft a set of guidelines for mental healthcare in India with focus on disease burden, treatment, management and provision of services | A policy group of experts constituted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and comprising mental health professionals and persons representing the lived experience and families synthesize evidence and conducted five regional consultations with diverse stakeholders | To decrease the treatment gap, disease burden and extent of disability due to mental illness, taking in to account the Indian sociocultural realities, promoting integrated, evidence-based care and effective provision of quality services | No specified role of youth engagement in policy development |
| Rashtriya Kishor SwasthyaKaryakram (RKSK)—2014 | National Adolescent Health Program | To create a holistic approach for adolescent healthcare with a special focus on nutrition, sexual and reproductive health care, non-communicable diseases, substance misuse, injuries and violence in India | Extensive consultative process with many organizations and experts led by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with support from UNFPA | To envisage adolescents in India to be able to realize their full potential by making informed and responsible decisions related to their health and well-being | No specified role of youth engagement in policy development |
| Yuva Spandana (YS)—2015 | State (Karnataka) Youth Program | To ensure that the state government works collaboratively with the recommendations mentioned in the national youth policy of India and implements it for the well-being of youth of the State | Desk review and stakeholder and expert consultations led by the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports, Government of Karnataka, in collaboration with the Centre for Public Health, NIMHANS | To reach, engage and empower youth of Karnataka to facilitate their overall development | Youth from schools and colleges were invited to share their views on their needs |
| Mental Healthcare Act (MHA)—2017 | National Legislation on Mental health care | To formulate laws and legislation with correspondence to mental health care practices in India and ensure that they are implemented across various sectors, stakeholders, and institutions | Extensive engagement of diverse mental health stakeholders, including mental health professionals, persons with lived experience, families and policy makers, led by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare | To entitle the rights of people with mental illness to health and social care and a life with dignity, and to ensure that the law is aligned with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) | No specified role of youth engagement in policy development |