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Lok Sabha polls: Chandigarh youth stress on employment creation, education policies
The recent incident involving Anil Masih in mayoral polls was also on the mind of youngsters with some of them saying that they didn’t appreciate how it portrayed Chandigarh in a bad light to the rest of the country
With 22.23% of total voters in the city below the age of 30, youngsters form a big chunk of the city’s voter base, and function as swing voters with 17,977 voters below the age of 20 and casting their first vote. The youngsters talk about the decrease in job opportunities and want to bring in a candidate who brings better education policies.
Zorawar Singh, 26, a PhD student at the National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) who voted in Sector 32, said development and jobs are what the youth need. “When it comes to schools, Chandigarh is in a good place. However as soon as a student wants to pursue bachelors they have to think about other cities. An overhaul in the higher education system is needed.”
At the same booth, Ankit, 21, a student of GGDSD College, echoed the same sentiments. “We need more jobs. We get degrees but still have to think of studying and settling outside India to get a decent job. The new MP must make a proper education policy.”
Dr Aradhna Sharma, 28, a dentist who voted in Sector 43, said she came to vote as for so many years no new jobs for dentists have been released. “The youth is concerned about this. Further, the news that we see that democracy is getting affected also made me get out to vote.”
The recent incident involving Anil Masih in mayoral polls was also on the mind of youngsters with some of them saying that they didn’t appreciate how it portrayed Chandigarh in a bad light to the rest of the country.
Not all youths, however, had a clear cut agenda. As Abhi, 23, in Sector 32 put it, “I just voted with my gut.” Vipul Tewari, 20, who is preparing for army entrance and voted in Sector 42 said he had looked at what the candidates and their parties are doing for the army but in the end had decided to vote on similar lines as his family.
Nitish Mehra, a goalkeeper for the Delhi FC football club, has a Chandigarh connection and turned up to vote at the Sector 52 polling station. The 27-year-old made his choice based on the candidate he likes more and whose personality better reflects the character of Chandigarh.
Shivansh Sharma, a 21-year-old resident of Sector 71, Mohali, expressed his concerns while casting his vote. “I voted with a focus on development issues in our area,” he explained. “The condition of the roads and other essential development works are crucial to me. I hope my vote will bring positive change and improvement.”
Arsha Gupta, 18, a resident of Sector 77 shared her voting priorities. “My vote was focused on generating employment in the country,” she said. Gupta added, “I am also deeply concerned about how India performs on the international stage. I believe that creating job opportunities and enhancing our global standing are essential for our nation’s future.”
