Most Indian teenagers are busy communicating on trivia through their handheld devices and roaming the corridors of a fancy mall in their free time, and one day some of them will take over the affairs of the country. It is a worrying thought. Mention politics to them and you are sure to have pressed the right buttons: ‘Ctrl, Alt, Del,’ they will immediately switch off. If you ask them if Manmohan Singh is a good P.M. and they will probably shrug their shoulders and shout out loud, ‘Who cares dude?’ In the same breath, if you ask them if the legal age for drinking should be 21 and not 18, they will argue for hours and I wonder, Isn’t that politics too?

It is a matter of great concern if Indian teenagers have alienated themselves from the world of politics. Is it because Indian politics is most often dynasty led and more of a family craft passed down several generations? Or is it due to the fact that they are not exposed to politics under the age of 18?  Or again maybe a classic Indian political cocktail of all these aspects….making it simply repulsive!

There is no denying the fact that the feeling of patriotism is certainly embedded deep within Indian youth but ask them what is politics and they will promptly tell you, that it is a game played by obdurate and obscurant unattractive men and women, who are in it, only to make money and that they lead very boring and dubious lives. Young people always tell me that most times the current issues boggle their mind and at other times some do appeal to them but they have no way to take part in any debate which will make their opinions count.

The truth is that the teenagers are averagely or very poorly  informed as Indian politics is simply complicated so they just nod along, not sure if they know what they are talking about and unsure of their own opinions to disagree. Most people I know seem to think that politicians are akin to crooks, and the constant feed of scandals from stamps to guns to fodder only reinforce their opinion. This constant blameworthiness has become an intrinsic part of our daily argot. Hence, there is simply no constructive discussion of politics in school or at home. The living room conversation has to change gears from lambasting the governance to stepping up and making a positive change in whatever form and capacity.

We do have election systems in every school but very rarely any initiatives are taken to discuss policies and politics as a part of the wider curriculum. A system to voice their opinions to the media and the government is one way of getting them involved and making their opinions count.

Today, politics is necessary in every sphere of life, whether work, family, sports or administration. One cannot escape it and getting teens to understand, rationalize and debate issues which affect them can be the first step towards raising citizens who will be doers rather than cribbers. Politics should be made accessible and understandable. What is required is making politics simple fast and interesting, or should I say, bite size news to fuel the young energetic appetite.  

Over the years the emergence of middle and working class in India has given rise to a young India who aspires to be informed and aware. India has seen an active youth political class especially in universities but the question to answer is, does it runs parallel to mainstream politics, is it integrated, or is it separated from national politics? For instance the recent drama around the entrance examination system and the education policies being changed, I wonder if the children whose lives and careers are being affected should have a say in the making of these policies. Is it fair that these decisions are led by men who themselves have no clue of the ground reality of studying in a competitive environment, as they probably have risen through some quota system or simply never attended a serious academic lesson in their lives!

Why should some old and ancient minister autonomously decide how the system will run for the next few years, after all most of them will either be half dead ready to slip into their grave. The youth of India cannot be taken for granted as they have the power to question and seek explanations. They should have a definite say in all matters that will affect their adult lives. As an emerging young community unafraid to state the obvious, rebellious for the right reasons and passionate enough to drive any change, it’s a matter of great shame that they are looking elsewhere.

The society is to be blamed, the youth seldom see worthy young role models in the family or in the society at large who can sow the seeds of any hope. An inhuman dearth of educated, noble as well as serious role models in politics makes it uninteresting and its resurgence impossible.

I am sure the youth do not want the new India to be only led by the undeserving grandchildren and great grandchildren of various dynasties currently breeding like parasites within Indian politics. India in the coming years needs young, chic, educated, dynamic, intelligent commoners.

It’s a plea to the young generation, ‘use the social media and public forums to leverage voice your opinions so that you define the rules that will shape your society, your country and your life’. ‘Once you do turn 18, you are expected to exercise your right to vote, an action that will translates into knowing what is right and wrong’.  ‘If you do not care enough then be prepared to live in a nation where you are mere puppets’.The present generation of teenagers of India is the brightest in the world, and it is not long before we see a young, well bred, educated, honest and a dynamic individual with a fancy tattoo on the arm showcase India on the world forum.