"Election and Governance Awareness Survey among Youth"

Aim of Study: "Election and Governance Awareness Survey among Youth"

Participants: 24-30 yr old Youth

Date of Conducting Survey: 15th May 2009, A day before election results came.

Voter Status of participant: 16% Voted

Result available on:http://sweetsujit.blogspot.com/2009/05/it-is-15-th-may-2009.html

Major Findings:

(1)    Leadership suitable for Indian PM post had varied among the popular names like Narendra modi and Manmohan singh. This means a clear inclination towards either a tainted but solid performer or a Knowledgeable person who is not at all tainted but makes decisions with conviction. Manmohan singh despite being criticised many times had been very strong about implementing the Nuclear deal. Despite present slowdown, The youth didn’t underestimated the charisma of Manmohan singh and have supported him to sail through better or worse time.

(2)   Development at personal level meant safer, society and better infrastructure for youth, which is imaginable given the dampening effects in the growth we have seen in the circumstances of Mumbai killings, various serial bomb blasts last year in 2008. Next all of youth needed a better future for their children when they voted for Environmentally clean society.

(3)   Development of India as a country can come through reducing poverty and illiteracy. Also open culture was one of the responses, which suggests us to leave the social stigmas and casteism like age old deplorable heritage being carried by us in the 21^st century too. The RamSene events in mangalore, which finally ended in suicide of one of the teenage girls are few examples of how backward we are by not promoting open culture.   

(4)   The youth is determined to serve society in various ways. They found methods away from 5 suggested points. They spoke vocally about methods of improving governance and went to extremes like killing some politicians too.

Here one point is notable that the best option was to support the government rather than being fussy about it (less sneezing).

While we have seen earlier student movements targeted towards damaging public property, we had one response clearly telling that supporting government means not damaging public property.

                Clearly, India has a very good future with these determined souls to have a part in governance through serving the people, supporting the government. Some young brigade are thinking of even starting a social movement also.

                In the end, I would thank all the 33 respondents to take part in this survey and speak up about your Election and Governance issues and suggestions.

                             Jai Hind!!!

Online Survey Conducted by Sujit Kumar

copyright Sujit Kumar, IIM Kozhikode