Over 12,000 youth sign up to mentor kids studying in Delhi govt schools in one week

New Delhi: Within a week of the Delhi government launching its 'Desh Ke Mentor' programme, over 12,000 youth have now joined the platform to mentor children from Delhi government schools in their career choices and help them make informed decisions, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia announced on Friday.

Through the programme each mentor is expected to take up one to 10 children under their wing to guide and mentor them with some mentors stepping in from private colleges as well, a senior official aware of the development said.

The Delhi government initiated the Desh ke Mentor program through which it has been urging the youth studying in colleges to fulfill their responsibility towards the nation by becoming a mentor to those still in school.

The young mentors have been guiding the children studying in government schools as elder brothers and sisters with some of them not only giving career advice but also emotional support, the official said. "A lot of the young children are grappling with situations at home along with a sense of being lost in what to study further," the official added.

Sisodia was on Friday inaugurating the World Class Skill Center and High Performing Computer Center equipped with 400 high-end computers, World-Class Art Studio and Shaheed Asfaqullah Fitness Center at Netaji Subhash University of Technology (NSUT) on the occasion of Shaheed Ashfaqulla Khan's 121st birth anniversary, when he encouraged the youth of the varsity to take up important challenges of the country.

Sisodia said that fighting problems such as lack of education, unemployment and slow economic progress are the only way for the youth of this country to be truly patriotic in these times - also encouraging them to mentor younger students through the Desh Ke Mentor programme.

Under the 'Desh ke Mentor' program, every mentor is expected to spare 10 minutes every week during which they will give guidance to students via a phone call and answer their questions on career-related issues and personal issues they might be facing.

"The initiative has helped students on a real-time basis as the mentors are a call away and closer to their age hence the communication has been better," the official added.

To encourage students to be a part of the, the Delhi Government has appointed actor Sonu Sood as the brand ambassador of the programme.

While speaking at the event, Sisodia also said that their government has been actively fostering patriotism among students so that they can become contribute to building the nation by thinking about its issues and asking themselves what they can do to solve them.