Youthful population, geriatric leaders

After Independence, India held its first general election in 1952, and the newly formed government consisted of relatively young people with fresh ideas. The average age of members of Parliament was 46.5 years. The 18th Lok Sabha has 11% of MPs below the age of 40, 38% between the ages of 41 and 55, and 52% above the age of 55. The oldest MP is 82 years old, and the average age has dropped only slightly—from 59 years in the 17th Lok Sabha to 56 years in the 18th.

According to the 2022 revision of the World Population Prospects, over 50% of India’s population below is under 25, and more than 65% is under 35. With its 700 million-strong youth, India is often referred to as a young country. Yet, despite this large youthful population, the Lok Sabha has become older with each election since Independence, and India’s demographic dividend is not reflected in its politics.

The number of young voters is increasing, but their representation in Parliament remains low, with an overwhelming presence of older politicians in the Lok Sabha. However, the national discourse continues to stress the importance of youth development, hoping to harness this ‘demographic goldmine.’

While we expect young people to vote at 18, we do not encourage them to become politically informed or involved, nor do we expect them to challenge political structures or settlements that the nation has made. The country’s political, social, and economic progress will be shaped by the youth, but this requires them to join political parties, serve in legislative bodies, and participate in governance.

To achieve this, young people must develop confidence in their own abilities and thinking. We need to create space for them in these arenas, but if we are unwilling to do so, it is hard to expect leadership in the future in all walks of life that is different from today’s inadequate political leadership.

Every political party in India has ageing and often incompetent leaders who should have retired long ago but continue to hold important positions or run for office under the guise of “experience and maturity.” It is certainly a bad idea to leave the governance of a country that belongs to the youth in the hands of people in their seventies or eighties. A person’s performance is essentially determined by their physical ability.

A person’s performance depends largely on their mental and physical abilities, which naturally decline with age. Research shows ageing affects the pre-frontal cortex of the brain, with human memory declining by 5% every decade after 30. By the time a person reaches 70, these effects become increasingly pronounced. The effectiveness of the white blood cells in the brain declines with age. This is one of the reasons the retirement age for Indian government employees is set between 58
and 60—to ensure efficiency while creating job opportunities for younger candidates.

The idea of young people entering politics is perhaps one of the most idealised not just in India but around the world. Even in a wealthy country such as the United States, the issue of ageing leaders is openly debated. Many developed countries nurture young political talent by providing ample opportunities for their involvement. India, too, must adopt this creative approach, especially given its large youth population.

For this to happen, senior political leaders must step down at a specific age and make room for the younger generation. A balanced partnership between the wisdom of veterans and the energy of youth can bring out the best in governance. Unfortunately, when assigning electoral tickets, this is not taken into account. Thus, to ensure successful execution and proper representation, every party should reserve a certain number of seats for young candidates aged 30 to 45.

India’s future lies in the hands of its young people, from combating poverty to addressing climate change and tackling other 21st-century challenges. The youth can bring fresh ideas, innovative thinking, and new perspectives. By actively participating in politics, they can voice their opinions, engage in healthy debates of conflicting ideas, advocate for causes they believe in, ensure that their voices, concerns, and aspirations are represented in decision-making processes, and work towards creating a more just and equitable society.

However, senior politicians should assist the young politicians with the practical knowledge they have acquired over the years. The nation will face periodic setbacks in its development journey if the country’s senior politicians are unwilling to pass the baton to youths. So, engaging young politicians as torchbearers of tomorrow in politics is requisite to safeguarding and strengthening democracy worldwide.

(The writer is a retired deputy director of boilers)