GS Paper 2Youth participation in politics
Young people with ethical conduct are not willing to come forward to join active politics. Suggest steps to motivate them to come forward.
Based on 25 evaluated answers to this question on CollectorBabu: here is what aspirants most often missed, the mistakes that cost marks, and a model answer.
What most aspirants missed
- Concrete electoral reforms: state funding of elections, expenditure caps, and inner-party democracy such as open primaries or organisational elections
- Transparency in political funding as a trust-builder, including the status of electoral bonds
- Curbs on criminal candidates, citing the Supreme Court's 2018 direction on publishing criminal antecedents
- Existing government and institutional initiatives such as NYKS, National Youth Policy, MyGov and internships with MPs/MLAs
- Technology and social media as entry tools for tech-savvy youth, with concrete examples like MyGov
- Role of civil society organisations and mentorship programmes in training young leaders
Common mistakes
- Listing steps without specifying how they would be implemented, for example naming youth quotas or reservation without explaining how they ensure ethical participation
- Using jargon, quotes or philosophical references (Gita, utilitarianism) in place of concrete policy steps
- Citing vague or wrong examples, such as factually incorrect institutions or unverifiable personalities, and student-wing examples that are not active politics
- Writing a strong problem section but a weak, unspecific consequences or solutions section with no trust-building measures
What the better answers did
- Dividing the answer into barriers, trust-building and entry points, with concrete reforms under each heading
- Naming specific reforms such as state funding of elections, inner-party democracy and campaign finance transparency
- Using verified examples such as the JP movement of 1974, the Second ARC and young MPs as role models
- Ending with a short conclusion that links the steps to the goal of making politics a credible career of public service
Introduction
Open by naming the twin barriers of money power and perceived corruption that keep ethical youth out, then promise a set of concrete steps.
Conclusion
Close by linking the steps to the goal of making politics a credible field of public service that attracts ethical youth.
Model answer
Politics is the instrument through which public good is delivered, yet many ethical young people stay away because money, muscle power and a perception of corruption block the entry route. Motivating them needs reforms that lower entry barriers, build trust and create structured pathways.
Lowering entry barriers
- State funding of elections and expenditure caps to reduce dependence on money power, as recommended by the Second ARC.
- Inner-party democracy, such as open primaries and organisational elections, so that candidates are chosen by members rather than by leaders' favour.
- Strict enforcement of the Supreme Court's 2018 direction that parties publish criminal antecedents of candidates and avoid tickets to tainted persons.
- Reduced nomination fees and deposits for young candidates.
Building trust in the system
- Transparency in political funding, including the Supreme Court's 2024 striking down of electoral bonds, and strengthened RTI and Election Commission oversight of party accounts.
- Digital platforms such as MyGov to let youth track legislators' performance, join public consultations and volunteer.
Safe entry points and role models
- Internships with MPs and MLAs and Youth Parliament competitions, which already exist, give students a first-hand view of law-making.
- Civic education through SVEEP and NCC civic modules, and youth councils in gram panchayats and ward committees, so that participation is structured.
- Mentorship by ethical leaders and civil society organisations; young MPs such as Tejasvi Surya and Chandrani Murmu serve as visible examples.
Motivating ethical youth requires reducing money and criminal influence, making parties democratic and offering structured mentorship. These steps can turn politics from a closed arena into a credible field of public service.
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