Lack of jobs, gender issues are the main concern: young voters
“We voted for the future of the country’s economy,” said Ms. Sharma.
At a polling station in Sector 50, Rohit Chuahan, 34, who hails from Meerut, said he had voted on “infrastructure issues”, such as the plan to develop villages around the Jewar Airport. However, he added, the “inequality between dierent income groups” was a major concern for him.
Birambati, 70, who had come to a polling station in Morna village in Noida’s Sector 35 with a group of women, said she considered her village’s development and water supply issues while pressing the EVM button. Kajal Baisoya, another member of the group, said she had voted with better law and order and women’s safety in mind.
Shivangi Jain, 30, who has cerebral palsy, was wheeled into the polling station at Morna village by her father, Rajeev Jain, and polling agents. Mr. Jain said that compared to the state of polling booths in previous elections, better arrangements had been made this time.
Several young voters (de
ned by the Election Commission as people in the age group of 20-29) in various polling stations across Gautam Buddh Nagar said the one issue they were most concerned about was employment. Many young voters also said they were aected by civic infrastructure as well as environment and gender-related issues.
Kajal Awana, 24, who has studied from Delhi University and is now pursuing an MA from IGNOU while preparing for the civil services exams, said the lack of jobs is a bigger problem for women than men. “If we do not get good jobs by the age of 25, the pressure to get married begins to mount,” said Ms. Awana. She added that she does not have the same privilege as her brothers, who will inherit the family wealth. “So many of us choose to prepare for SSC and UPSC despite the tough competition. There should be more avenues for young people,” she added.
After casting her vote in Noida’s Morna village, Varsha Gautam, 24, said, “I recently graduated from a private college and got a job in the nancial sector. But the job does not pay me more than ₹12,000. Youngsters like me have nowhere to go.”
Ms. Gautam’s concerns were shared by sisters Jyoti Kumari, 19, and Kavita Kumari, 23, who turned up to vote at a government school in Harola in Noida’s Sector 5. Ms. Kavitasaid, “Most young people want good jobs, but hardly any are available.”
She has enrolled in a computer class in the hope of securing employment.