India extensively celebrated National Youth Day on January 12, 2026, commemorating the 163rd birth anniversary of spiritual leader Swami Vivekananda. The day, officially declared by the Government of India in 1985, aims to inspire young people with Vivekananda's teachings and encourage their active participation in nation-building. Across the country, schools, colleges, and youth groups organized debates, seminars, cultural programs, and community service activities to engage young minds. A significant event marking the occasion was the 'Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue', where Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with approximately 3,000 young leaders. This dialogue provided a platform for youth to share ideas on innovation, society, and national progress, aligning with the broader theme of youth empowerment. Politically, Swami Vivekananda's birth anniversary became an arena for a 'tug-of-war' between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal. Both parties sought to claim the monk's legacy, with leaders paying tributes at significant sites, including his ancestral home in Kolkata. CM Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee of TMC, along with BJP's Sukanta Majumdar and Suvendu Adhikari, issued statements and participated in events, often with underlying political messaging ahead of the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections. For UPSC civil services aspirants, January 12, 2026, current affairs compilations, such as the one by INSIGHTS IAS, covered a range of topics beyond National Youth Day. These included discussions on lowering the age of consent in the context of POCSO misuse, the launch of OrbitAid's AyulSAT by ISRO's PSLV-C62 mission for in-orbit propellant transfer, tightening of Crypto KYC regulations in India, and other diverse subjects like Operation Hawkeye, Bhairav Battalion, and Kathputli Puppetry. These updates are crucial for candidates preparing for competitive examinations. Overall, the day emphasized Swami Vivekananda's enduring relevance in inspiring India's youth towards self-belief, social responsibility, and nation-building, even as contemporary political dynamics played out.