It was influenced by the Indian Independence Movement, was secular and committed to Poorana Swaraj (Complete Self-Rule), national unity and the eradication of inequalities imposed by caste.
In 1927, the JYC invited Indian independence movement leader Mahatma Gandhi to visit Jaffna.
In 1931 Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay addressed the opening session of the All-Ceylon Youth Congress, and was said to have taken Jaffna by storm.
Bandaranaike addressed the Youth Congress sessions, advocating, for the first time, a federal constitution for Ceylon.
The JYC led a successful boycott of the first State Council elections in Jaffna in 1931, arguing that the Donoughmore reforms did not concede enough self-government.