From climate change to AI, marital rape to same-sex marriage, the perspective of young minds is important, say youngsters in Pune.

In the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year, 1.85 crore youngsters were expected to cast their votes for the first time – a welcome development, according to Bhuvan Jaiminy. “Young people should definitely be more involved in politics. As future taxpayers and decision-makers, they will bear the impact of today’s policies,” the MBA student from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, said.

By participating in politics, Jaiminy said, the youth ensure “the representation of their perspectives, priorities, and aspirations in governance. Moreover, their involvement can lead to fresh ideas and dynamic approaches to solving complex issues”.

Valki Korra, a recent BBA graduate from FLAME University, agreed. “Yes, it’s paramount for young people to be involved in politics. For example, young people are now being introduced to rapid AI growth that the older generation was not in touch with. This has raised important questions about AI legislation, job creation, and skill development. We see things more upfront than before and we must ask our leaders to incorporate our views,” Korra, who is now working in finance, mergers and acquisitions and investor relations at Cyient, said.

Asked if she was familiar with the younger crop of politicians like Aaditya Thackeray and Kanhaiya Kumar, she said, “I am… I am also familiar with Yugendra Pawar who contested from the Baramati seat. In Bihar, there are Tejashwi Yadav and Chirag Pawan. After the Union Budget 2024 proposed indexation benefit removal, Raghav Chadha spoke actively against the move – it has since been recalled. In Telangana, K T Rama Rao (KTR) has developed a T-Hub for the VC ecosystem and bought Goldman Sachs and many other companies for job creation and growth. They are more likely to stay active in connecting with youth needs.”

According to a survey by PRS India, the average age of candidates contesting in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections was 48 years and 13 per cent of the candidates in national parties were below the age of 40.

Jaiminy weighed in on the importance of having more young politicians, saying they bring energy, innovation, and a deep understanding of contemporary issues such as technology, climate change, and global perspectives. They can bridge the gap between traditional governance and modern solutions, leveraging their relatability to inspire civic participation among the youth, he added.

“I don’t think young voices are adequately represented. While youth wings and young leaders exist, they often lack real decision-making power. Many political structures are still dominated by senior leaders, which limits the scope for genuine representation of young people’s concerns,” Jaiminy said.

Talking about the average age of politicians in India, Anjana Palamand, a young lawyer from Symbiosis Law School, said, “Older people are prone to only their understanding of social norms which can be outdated (for instance marital rape, same-sex marriages). Society changes with time, which means their thoughts need to evolve too, which does not seem to be happening.”

“I recently researched and wrote an article about legalisation in India. Many legislators still believe that sex work is ‘obscene’ and ‘immoral’. These Victorian ideals needed to go a long time ago, especially with young people growing a comparatively sex-positive attitude. Other examples are marital rape and adolescent sexuality, among others. All these issues have gained a nuanced perspective, and older politicians refuse to acknowledge the change in societal attitudes,” Palamand added, referring to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently questioning the extent to which patriarchy should be held responsible for limitations in women’s careers.

In conversation with Indian Express: Valki Korra, FLAME Alumna.