Gen Z Loud And Clear On The Street But Invisible In Parliament, Assemblies, Pg1

Key Highlights:

• Gen Z, defined as those born between 1997 and 2012, constitutes 25.8% of India's population in 2026.
• Despite their significant population share, only 26 Gen Z legislators are present across the country: 6 Lok Sabha MPs and 20 MLAs.
• The minimum age to contest elections is 25, which limits the eligibility of a large segment of Gen Z.
• The Congress has the highest number of Gen Z MPs (3), while the BJP leads with five Gen Z MLAs.
• Four of the six Gen Z MPs are women, and five of them come from established political families.

GenZ in Politics.jpg

Detailed Insights:

• Gen Z's population share is projected to grow to 26.3% by 2031, potentially making them the largest voting-age group by the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
• The 2024 Lok Sabha elections marked the first opportunity for Gen Z representatives to enter the Lower House.
• Notable Gen Z MPs include Pushpendra Saroj (SP), Priya Saroj (SP), Sagar Khandre (Congress), Priyanka Satish Jarkiholi (Congress), Sanjna Jatav (Congress), and Shambhavi (LJP(RV)).
• Five of the six Gen Z MPs have strong political family backgrounds, with Sanjna Jatav being the exception.
• Of the 20 Gen Z MLAs, nine were elected in 2026, with Tamil Nadu having the highest number at four.
• Six Gen Z MLAs were elected from Scheduled Castes (SCs) reserved seats and three from Scheduled Tribes (STs) reserved seats.
• Twelve of the 20 Gen Z MLAs are political newcomers, lacking prior electoral experience or family connections.
• The total number of legislators aged 40 or younger includes 40 MPs in Lok Sabha and 397 MLAs across various states.
• Chhattisgarh has the highest proportion of MLAs aged 40 or younger, accounting for 35.6% of its Assembly.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Gen Z: The demographic cohort born between 1997 and 2012, currently aged 14-29.
• Lok Sabha: The Lower House of India's Parliament, whose members are directly elected by adult universal suffrage.
• MLA: Member of Legislative Assembly, an elected representative of the state legislature in India.
• Scheduled Castes (SCs): Socially and economically disadvantaged groups in India, recognized for affirmative action and reservations.
• Scheduled Tribes (STs): Indigenous communities in India, recognized for their distinct culture and often living in remote areas, also provided with reservations.