Election and Governance Awareness level among Youth: A survey

It was 15^th may 2009. An evening before the result for assembly were scheduled to come out.

A survey regarding awareness about Election and Governance among the Indian Youth aged 24-30 was carried out on various aspects starting from their choice of PM to the basic questions of How would they participate in better governance. This online survey was conducted by me. 

Methodology: The number of questions was kept small (5) keeping in mind the nature and quality of responses, people give online.The answer choices included one space called others too whether the participants can enter their own choice of answers in text format if they differ or want to add upon the existing choices of Answers.

Sample: Around 33 youth (Age group 24-30) randomly selected from all parts of India were chosen to vote. A large number of participants were the MBA students of IIM Kozhikode, who are presently going through the summer Internship phase of their Studies. Around 20% of respondents were youth working throughout various cities of India. 

Response to Survey: The results were overwhelming. Many witty and realistic answers as it just reflected the whole India’s thinking.

Participation level in Election: As answered through a question itself, Around 16% of the participants were actual voters too, which is a very enthusiastic response in terms of being a responsive Citizen, as most of the participants are not in their hometown presently.

Questions and Responses:

Q. What matters to you most in terms of Development?

A) more salary 
B) Cleaner and less congested Roads
C) Safer society
D) Better and cheaper Education facilities
E) Less Inflation
F) Others

Responses: Here Safer society came first among the various options followed by others. In others, the respondents came up with following options:

- Education to all and Improvement in law and order
- loads of work so that we never get bored
- No poverty and No Illiteracy
- More pubs.
- One thing is dependent on another
- Upliftment of lower sections and Internal security
- Strong and Stable government with strong foreign Policy
- Food and shelter to everyone
- All of above options

Q3. What matters most for the country in terms of development?

The answer choices are:

A) Less Inflation
B) Less poverty
C) More education
D) More companies
E) More opprtunity for growth
F) Other

Responses: For our country, Youth understood the poverty as the biggest block towards development(33%) followed by education(option c) and more opportunity for growth (option e)( equally 27%). The answers among others were:

- Open culture
-All of above

Q5.How would you help the government do their work properly?

The answer Choices are:

A) by promoting people to support government
B) by promoting government packages among needy people
C) by joining an online group to promote govt packages
D) by joining an NGO
E) by keeping environment cleaner like not using plastic bags
F) Other

Responses: The answer option A by promoting people to support government came as first, Which underlines the faith of youth that change starts from them itself rather than from government. The close second was option E where Cleaner Environment was stressed upon. 

The second ranked option were also following four answers

- by serving people - By taking part in the government - By starting a Civil Movement - by sneezing less. - by following rules and not damaging public property. Also i would like to mention that it is almost impossible for working professionals to vote as they cannot go to their hometowns to vote wen they do not have leaves also. Probably the government would do better by inplementing a distance voting system/online system. - By killing few sick politicians and screwed up people - By killing bastards

Q1. preferred PM Candidate:

Responses: 

This was an open ended question, asked at the starting of the questionnaire itself to make them identify with the topic, This question had another reason to be asked as to check the clarity regarding Indian political situation and ability to select a candidate among a maze of politicians.Only if they can slect the PM candidate properly they can slect the local MP candidate properly, even though they can be of different parties but they identify with their choices and beliefs. 

There were two clear winners

1. Narendra Modi (30.33%)
2. Dr Manmohan Singh (21.21%)

L K Adwani came at third  with 12.12% vote followed by 
other choices of Rahul gandhi, Narayan Murthy(Infy), P Chidambaram, prakash karat, Abdul Kalam and Atal Behari vajpayee.

 © Copyright Sujit Kumar