Youth In India Not Being Utilised By Parties: Academician

MELBOURNE: Asserting that Indian youths were intensely concerned about corruption and everyday issues, a top academician has said young minds in India were not being effectively utilised by political parties or NGOs.

Craig Jeffrey, from Oxford's School of Geography and Environment, pinpointed the need of qualitative research on the lives of India's youth and their social situation which could prove beneficial to the country with over 60 percent of its population under 35 years of age.

Speaking on the topic 'Boost: Youth Social action within and beyond India' organsied by Australia India Institute (AII) here last night, Jeffrey said the Indian youths were involved in pre-figurative politics where they were acting as a facilitators of social change.

Referring to his study conducted on several youths of Uttar Pradesh, Jeffrey said, "while they did not engage in any party politics, they are intensely concerned about local corruption and they channelised their energy into everyday issues."

However, he said these young minds were not being effectively utilised by political parties or NGOs.

"They are not being mobilised very effectively," Jeffrey said.

"There was a need to get a better understanding of these young minds and redirect their energy in more positive directions," he suggested.
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