Gen Z and Political Participation in India

Context

1. The 2026 Jantar Mantar protests over alleged NEET-UG irregularities showed that Gen Z can actively engage in political issues. Protesters used digital networks during internet restrictions and organised a mobile library, showing new forms of youth mobilisation.
2. The protests raised questions about whether youth disengagement reflects apathy or a lack of democratic institutions for participation.

Understanding Youth Political Disengagement

1. Gen Z often prefers issue-based and social-media-driven participation over traditional political institutions.
2. However, political interest and institutional participation are different. Young people may care strongly about education, jobs, inequality or governance without joining political parties or student organisations.
3. Thus, youth disengagement may reflect a lack of democratic spaces for discussion and participation, rather than political apathy.

Factors Behind Depoliticisation

1. Neoliberalism: Since the 1990s, social problems are increasingly seen as individual responsibilities rather than collective concerns.
2. Short-Term Digital Engagement: Social media promotes quick reactions and short-lived activism instead of sustained political participation.
3. Emotional Politics: Rapid digital communication can increase the influence of personality-based politics, emotional narratives and misinformation.

Role of Campus Democracy

1. Democratic Training: Universities help students develop skills in public debate, representation, negotiation and collective decision-making through student elections.
2. Collective Action: Student organisations turn individual concerns into collective demands on education, employment, accountability and social justice.
3. Democratic Participation: Student elections provide early experience of campaigning, leadership and accepting electoral outcomes.
4. Kerala Example: Regular student-union and college-union elections in Kerala show how institutionalised campus participation can sustain youth engagement.

Significance of Student Politics

1. Political Socialisation: Introduces young people to democratic values, institutions and public issues at an early stage.
2. Accountability: Gives students a platform to question decisions and demand transparency from institutions.
3. Social Integration: Creates opportunities for students from different backgrounds to engage around common concerns.
4. Policy Awareness: Connects youth concerns such as education, employment and inequality with wider governance issues.
5. Democratic Citizenship: Helps develop informed, critical and responsible citizens capable of participating in public life.

Challenges

1. Academic Disruption: Excessive political activity may affect teaching, examinations and campus administration.
2. External Political Influence: Political parties may use student bodies for party interests.
3. Violence and Polarisation: Campus politics can lead to conflict, ideological divisions and group tensions.
4. Restrictions on Student Bodies: Bans on student elections can limit youth participation and democratic learning.
5. Digital Misinformation: Social media can amplify misinformation, emotional politics and personality-based mobilisation.

Way Forward

1. Restore Campus Democracy: Ensure transparent student elections and representative student bodies.
2. Ensure Responsible Politics: Set rules against violence, excessive spending and academic disruption while protecting legitimate participation.
3. Promote Civic Education: Build awareness of the Constitution, rights, duties and democratic institutions.
4. Strengthen Dialogue: Encourage campus debates, student forums and issue-based groups.
5. Link Digital and Institutional Participation: Use social media for mobilisation while building sustained democratic engagement through formal institutions.
6. Protect Campus Autonomy: Limit external political interference and ensure inclusive student participation.

Conclusion

Strengthening campus democracy and civic education can channel Gen Z’s energy into informed and sustained participation. Empowering youth as active, responsible citizens will deepen India’s democracy and strengthen its social and institutional foundations.

FAQs

Q1. Why should Gen Z’s political disengagement not be equated with apathy?
Ans. Young people may remain concerned about public issues while avoiding traditional political institutions. Issue-based activism can therefore coexist with low institutional participation.

Q2. What is depoliticisation?
Ans. Depoliticisation refers to the weakening of collective political engagement. Social problems are increasingly viewed as individual concerns rather than matters requiring collective action.

Q3. How can campus politics strengthen social cohesion?
Ans. It can create common platforms around issues such as education and employment. This may encourage political identities based on shared interests rather than only social or community identities.