Youth power, an electoral force still in the making

‘Old social calculations and booth management may still hold good in actual polls, while the youth awakening may remain a story on the side’ | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto It is the season of youth in India, without any formal commemorative event to mark it. They are being courted like never before. Political parties across the aisle, Ministries, Departments, think tanks and media organisations of every kind are engaging with the theme of youth. Education and examination systems are being reassessed; skills and coaching processes are under scrutiny; unemployment is being scanned and nuanced.The whole nation seems occupied with the subject. Political parties are ramping up their conversations on digital platforms, where young people are assumed to reside. Leaders are recasting their hitherto successful models of communication to capture the attention and gain the confidence of Generation Z — the 14-to-29-year-olds — while mimicking their candid vocabulary. College and school campuses are crowded by political personalities. The overstretch almost suggests a desperation to connect. Published - September 04, 2026 12:16 am IST