Gen Zs want to be treated as partners, not as vote banks

India’s Gen Z—broadly those born after the mid-1990s—is often described as politically disengaged or impatient with institutions. That assessment is inaccurate. Urban Gen Z is not disengaged from politics; it is disengaged from how politics has traditionally been practiced.

This generation has grown up on-line. Their first interaction with public life is not through party offices or rallies, but through smartphones, social media, podcasts, memes, and peer networks.

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According to a 2023 Lokniti-CSDS study, over 70% of urban Gen Z respondents get political information primarily through digital platforms, not newspapers or television. They may not attend meetings, but they debate issues
intensely—climate change, jobs, mental health, gender equality, privacy, and corruption.

Their concerns are practical and immediate. Employment anxiety tops the list. Despite higher education levels, many urban Gen Z Indians fear underemployment rather than unemployment. Climate change is another defining issue.

A UNICEF survey found that over 80% of Indian youth believe climate change will directly affect their future, influencing
where they live and work. Mental health, long a taboo topic, is openly discussed by Gen Z—and they expect governments to respond with policy, not platitudes.

Gen Z’s political engagement looks different. They are more likely to sign digital petitions, amplify causes online, boycott
brands, volunteer locally, or crowdsource funds than join formal party structures.

Voting remains important to them, but only when they feel their vote leads to real accountability. Turnout data from recent urban elections shows younger voters participate selectively—they vote when the stakes are clear and the
choices credible.

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This generation is also deeply sceptical of hierarchy. Dynastic politics, opaque decision-making, and personality cults turn them away. They expect transparency, internal democracy, and merit—values they experience daily in digital ecosystems where feedback is instant and authority is questioned.

For politics to reconnect with Gen Z, institutions must adapt. First, communication must move beyond slogans to data, evidence, and outcomes. Gen Z fact-checks in real time. Second, civic education needs reinvention—teaching not
just how governments work, but how citizens can influence policy between elections. Third, political parties must open up—youth wings should be empowered, not ornamental.

Most importantly, Gen Z wants to be treated as partners, not vote banks. They are willing to engage when invited meaningfully—through town halls, issue-based consultations, participatory budgeting, and digital feedback loops.

India’s demographic advantage will mean little if its youngest citizens feel unheard. Gen Z is not anti-politics; it is demanding better politics—more honest, more inclusive, and more responsive. If our democracy learns to listen,
this generation can become its strongest civic force.

(The author is Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha)