Overview
- The Department of School Education and Literacy instructed all states and union territories to hold Veer Bal Diwas activities in schools on Friday.
- The ministry said in a December 22 communication that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the main event at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
- The directive specifies competitions including drawing, storytelling, essay writing, poem recitation, debates, and digital presentations across all schools, including Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas.
- Age‑wise formats and topics were recommended, from creative activities for ages 3–6 to essays, poems, debates, and digital presentations for ages 11–18 on themes such as nation building and Digital India.
- Calls to rename the observance to Sahibzadey Shahadat Diwas were renewed by the Akal Takht’s acting jathedar and MPs such as Malvinder Singh Kang, while BJP spokespersons rejected the change and cited past Akali Dal support for the earlier terminology.