Young India

Equal opportunity
in nation building
A HINDUSTAN TIMES-MaRS POLL A new generation of
youth is evolving: One that believes in the idea of India. They are in
search of a hero who they believe could turn India around for them
Sandipan Sharma
sandipan.sharma@hindustantimes.com
S
o you think there is a clear caricature
of Indian youth in front of us? They
love winners Narendra Modi; do
not idolise losers Rahul Gandhi;
fear the invincible and the invisible
God; and chase the increasingly improbable
a virgin spouse after trying to get off with
someone else on the sidelines of the arranged
nuptial bed, a pleasure only a few find publicly
acceptable.
We are convinced they are addicted to Twitter
handles, bona-fide citizens of the republic of
Facebook; that their favoured, you may argue
only, form of interaction is through the social
media, where they live in the world of make-
believe and 140 characters.
The 2014 HT-MaRS Youth survey on the youth
of India reinforces most of our beliefs and re-
establishes many of our value-judgments. No
surprise there, you could say, based on anecdotal
evidence and political pulse.
Look again.
There amidst the crowd of confused desis (not
American born, the alphabet has progressed
beyond ABCD) is a new generation evolving: the
one that believes in the idea of India.
Contrast the results with the 2013 survey. It
had Barack Obama written all over it as the
biggest political icon for youngsters. Now the
defining grammar and idiom is of Modi.
This could be a logical culmination of the
quest that was betrayed in the 2013 result: need
for a strong leader and yearning for somebody
who could modify our genetic defects like cor-
ruption and terrorism. Now that the youth have
found one, the American O has given way to the
pleasure of a homegrown idol.
When youngsters start taking interest in poli-
tics considered an anathema till recently but
now an online trend it is a clear sign that their
intellectual energy is being channelised in the
direction of nation-building. Modis place of
pride in the urban legend 65% youth across
cities find him an inspirational figure suggests
the young have found somebody they believe
could turn India around for them and, more
importantly, they are willing to back him.
Life is short, opportunity fleeting,
Hippocrates said. So, is this a tipping point in
Indias history, an encore of the Jai Prakash
moment? Perhaps. You have a generation that
believes in a hero, in his dreams and slogans; a
generation that believes that somebody is ready
to take them past their history of 67 years. A
generation that believes problems and corrupt
politicians can be fixed.
Anna Hazare let them down after the tumultu-
ous sloganeering and Tricolour-waving of 2011.
Arvind Kejriwal whom 13% still idolise let
them down after the high of 2013. Will their cur-
rent hero lead this confused, angry, demanding
generation to the promised wonder that was and
could be India?
And lets not even begin to talk about Rahul
Gandhi, Sushma Swaraj, Nitish Kumar and a
whole lot of other politicians who we thought
will lead us to the next generation.
Opportunity is fleeting. Past years icon
Obama has slipped into oblivion. Amitabh
Bachchan, the favoured Bollywood icon from
the previous survey, doesnt even find a men-
tion this year.
You can add one more trait to the caricature
of the young Indian: patience is short, adoration
is fleeting. Heroes of 2014 beware!
Y UTH
SURVEY
2014
ILLUSTRATION: MALAY KARMAKAR / RAJ K RAJ / SOUMYA KHANDELWAL

youthandtheirmanyfacets
CONSUMERISM: BIG ON BARGAINS
Indias youth succumbs to and denies
brand obsession in the same breath. But
what everyone loves is a good deal
>>P04
31
%
39
%
Say they are
always on the
lookout for
bargains
Visit a cafe
with a
friend of
opposite sex
RELATIONSHIPS: LOVE ALL
They are open to relationships in the name
of experiments. Their beliefs, however, are
full of double standards
>>P08
35
%
61
%
Say theyve
cheated on
their partner
Think
pre-marital
sex is no
longer a taboo
TRADITIONS: VALUES AND MORE
Most youngsters claim they pray regularly.
But those in bigger cities are less faithful
than their counterparts in smaller cities
>>P12
56
%
67
%
Claim they
pray regularly
Say they
prefer to live
in a joint
family
SOCIAL MEDIA: ALWAYS LINKED-IN
In-person interactions are passe, and the
young is just an imaginary version of who
they are. Nobodys yet to unplug to connect
>>P16
57
%
34
%
Say they
access a social
networking
site daily
Say social
media
helped their
love life
ASPIRATIONS: PURSUING HAPPINESS
Global or local, for Indias youngsters,
dreams mean hard work, and early start is
already a step ahead in the game
>>P20
77
%
46
%
Say they are
very happy
with life
Say they are
worried
about their
future
ICONS: SUPERHEROES SUPERCLUB
Step aside Kejriwal, PM Modi is Indian
political icon. Salman Khan and Katrina
Kaif continue to rule hearts
>>P22
33
%
57
%
Vote Amitabh
Bachchan as
Indian film icon
Say Modi is
the biggest
icon of Indian
politics
METHODOLOGY: The survey was carried out among 5,214 urban youth in
the 18-25 age group in 15 cities across India Delhi, Lucknow, Jaipur,
and Chandigarh in the north, Kolkata, Patna, Ranchi in the East, Mumbai,
Ahmedabad, Pune and Indore in the West, and Chennai, Bangalore,
Hyderabad and Kochi in the South.
POLITICS: CHANGE AGENTS STEP IN
An increasingly engaged young is leading
the call for change in India. For them,
content is more important than age
>>P18
83
%
36
%
Of BJP voters
were influenced
by Modi
Of Cong
voters were
influenced by
Rahul Gnahdi
SUNDAY, AUGUST 24, 2014 New Delhi
YOUNG INDIA
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B A S E D O N Y O U T H S U R V E Y 2 0 1 4
Big on bargains, always
FROM THE AISLES A young Indian woman is more likely
to splurge on personal care and grooming, but a man will
lavish himself on cellphones, gadgets, movies, etc.
Abhishek Saha
abhishek.saha@hindustantimes.com
A young Indian woman is more likely to splurge on personal
care and grooming, but a young Indian man will lavish himself
on cellphones, gadgets, movies and coffee shops.
Stereotypes about what the Indian youth consumes and how
they spend their money might get a jolt with the findings of
this years edition of the HT-MaRS Youth Survey, which was
conducted among 5,000 respondents in 15 Indian cities.
The survey found that a woman spends `442 per month on
an average, while a man spends `329 on personal care and
grooming. On an average, men spend `276 per month in cof-
fee shops and fast food joints while women spend `240. On
movie tickets, men spend `379 while women dole out `331.
Men, once again, spend considerably more on cellphones at
`462 per month on an average but the data for women is `400.
There are a lot of things in and
around us that we attribute to gender dif-
ferences, and hold them against women.
People tend to stereotype, often in a sex-
ist manner, that women gossip, women
shop, women are spendthrifts, and women
are dumb. The truth is something differ-
ent, and the survey results throw light
on that, says 25-year-old Nishtha Singh,
an alumnus of the Indian Institute of
Management, Lucknow, and the owner
of a handicrafts company.
The survey also breaks myths about the
geography of spending. The most extrav-
agant youth are not in Delhi or Mumbai but in Ahmedabad,
where young people spent an average of `2,624 monthly on
themselves. Delhis youth spent `2,277 and Mumbais `2,257.
The least materialistic youth are in Kolkata, where the
spending was around `1,400 on an average in a month.
Brand projection and availability play an important role in
the consumerist aspirations of the youth. And in Kolkata, I feel,
these are weak. Thats perhaps a major issue why consumer
brand penetration is less in the city, says Sreyan Ghosh (24),
an architect from Kolkata, who is doing a post-graduate course
at the National Institute of Design in Bangalore.
Indias youth seem to spending more and more on one thing
though: cellphones. In 2012, the average amount spent per month
was `318, in 2013 it was `348, and this year it increased to `435.
Enough to call them spendthrifts?
PEOPLE TEND TO
STEREOTYPE, OFTEN
IN A SEXIST MANNER,
THAT WOMEN GOSSIP,
SHOP, THAT THEY ARE
SPENDTHRIFTS ETC.
THE TRUTH, HOWEVER,
IS VERY DIFFERENT
htspecial p
YOUNG INDIA
YOUTH & CONSUMERISM
04
|
HI NDUSTAN TI MES, NEW DELHI
SUNDAY, AUGUST 24, 2014
(Figures represent average monthly spend)
YOU THOUGHT WOMEN SPLURGE,
MEN SAVE. REALLY?
GUESS WHAT? THE BIG SPENDERS ARE NOT
FROM THE BIGGEST CITIES OF THE COUNTRY
K
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`1,439
`1,616
`1,651
`1,756 `1,768
`1,844
`1,933
`2,020
`2,075
`2,151
`2,301
`2,499
`2,624
`2,257 `2,277
`2,624
Overall personal expense
Women Men
`1,876 `2,152
GOOD-DEAL HUNTERS BRANDS AND MORE
Students
Part-time employed
Fully employed
Students
Part-time employed
Fully employed
Students
Part-time employed
Fully employed
Students
Part-time employed
Fully employed
Say they want to be rich enough to buy anything Say they like to flaunt high-fashion brand
Want to keep up with the latest fashion trends Say they are always on the lookout for bargains
64% 47%
52%
38%
47%
38%
40%
34%
30%
31%
54%
55%
2,624
Average total monthly pocket
expenses of youth in Ahmedabad. A
youngster in Delhi, in comparison,
spent `2,277, while one in Kolkata
spent only `1,439
32%
Women said they are always on the
lookout for bargains while making
their shopping decisions. Men, too,
aren't too far behind on this. 30% of
them said they're always looking
for a cheap deal
56%
Youngsters in Delhi made some
unaffordable purchases this year.
Nationwide, 50% men indulged in such
purchases as compared to 52% women.
A HINDUSTAN TIMES-MaRS POLL
Paramita Ghosh
paramitaghosh@hindustantimes.com
The survey has thrown up dif-
ferent responses to consumer-
ism. Indias young are happy
shoppers but protest they are not
being consumerist. There will be
broad similarities of consumerist
behaviour but the specific char-
acterestics of that behaviour will
be different. While consumption
has become a big determinant of
identity, the youth is not always
conscious of it.
Do you think the average Indian
youth is a conscious shopper?
Purchases are often made by
youngsters because a particular
item is identified as a status sym-
bol, or because it is thought cool
by the peer group, or because oth-
ers in the group are buying it or
have it.
Take the example of an Apple
iPhone: it is a prized item not
because of what you can do with
it in life, but because of what it
is an aspirational product for
most youngsters.
Indias youth have begun to invest
in themselves, especially in items
of personal grooming. How do you
explain this?
Interestingly, Indias youngsters
now consider themselves as assets.
Its no more about being from a
good family. Its now about who
I am. You are more likely to say
I am an IT student, than say I
come from a family of doc-
tors, or that I am a stu-
dent of animation. And
the instrumental part of
that identity is the body or
activities around it. And
the body is malleable, it
can be given shape to, its
about controlling your des-
tiny, putting best foot forward.
Gym spending seems to
be on par with
expenses on
clothing or
spending on
high-fashion
brands. What do you have to say
about that?
It is not a question of fash-
ion versus gym the youths
dependence on both is a different
expression of the same behaviour.
Consumption is driven by what
they think is personal identity:
what they can buy, they will.
At 51%, Delhi tops the
survey among
youngsters who
visit coffee-places
with friends from
among the oppo-
site sex. Coffee-
drinking seems to
be on the rise every-
where?
There are still
very few public areas for young
people to interact, even in urban
areas. Spaces are coded. Sitting in
the park or going into a five-star
restaurant mean different things.
In a small-town, going in to a res-
taurant for dinner also comes with
a different set of meanings. If you
are seen inside a coffee shop, its
not the end of the world. It is a
private space in a public arena; it
is assumed that for a couple sitting
inside a coffee shop, not too much
money is being spent, even if it
is one person spending it. So, the
spending on coffee-shops is more
to do with the lack of public spaces
for young.
The youth in smaller towns and
cities that are not A-list cities are
also living it up.
The latter are more eager for
change... Restaurants in these places
reach full occupancy on weekends.
Eating out means leisure, entertain-
ment, it fulfils many aspirations.
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YOUNG INDIA
06
|

YOUTH & CONSUMERISM
HT Correspondent
letters@hindustantimes.com
There is something brewing among Indias youth: the coffee
shop. Dont rush to assume that they are all canoodling over
coffee though.
The findings of the survey have thrown light on how young
men and women go out and have a good time in the cities.
According to survey, 46% of Ranchis youth prefer to visit
coffee shops alone, without a friend.
Ranchis culture is not as liberal as it is in Delhi or Mumbai.
Parents in Ranchi are not as open-minded as their counterparts
in a metro city. Add to it the socio-economic scenario of the state
(Jharkhand). The youth often grows up with quite a conserva-
tive mindset and it stays with them much later into their life.
And thats why this trend of not visiting cafes as a couple,
says 23-year-old Abhinav Dey, a financial
consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers
and hails from Ranchi.
On the contrary, young people in Delhi
and Jaipur seldom visit a coffee shop alone,
survey says. As many as 51% of Delhis
youth visit coffee shops with a friend of
the opposite gender, while 54% of Jaipurs
young people go there with a friend of the
same gender.
Coffee shops are most popular among
young people in Pune and Bangalore, where
there are four visits in a month on an average.
The survey has an interesting finding on coffee shops and
gender: the percentage of women visiting cafes accompanied
by a male friend is more than vice-versa. As many as 42% of
women visit coffee shops with a man while only 36% of men
go with a woman. A higher percentage of men visit cafes alone
(38%) than women do (28%).
Also, in the age group of 22-25, both men and women visit cafes
more frequently than their counterparts in the age group of 18-21.
In todays world, the youth is on the move, 24X7, and a quick
visit to the coffee shop with a friend is one of the best respites
from the tribulations of our busy lives. For that, coffee shops
appeal to the modern working woman as well as the socialite
in me, says Kripa Ramachandran, a 23-year-old advocate at
the Madras High Court. But, on the other hand, Kripa con-
tinues, frequent cafe visits are also a reflection of changing
times, of changing socio-cultural practices.
Coffee is brewing
among the youth
Sanya Panwar
sanya.panwar@hindustantimes.com
From cowboys and farmers
to presidents and housewives,
people world-over love and wear
this versatile piece of clothing
that was once at the bottom of
the fashion food chain but has
now reached the tippity top. In
India, denim love is nowhere
stronger than in Ahmedabad,
where men own an average of
6.2 pairs of jeans, compared to
a national average of 4.4, accord-
ing to the survey.
But it seems that men in
Ahmedabad cannot have enough
of them, buying up more jeans
than their counterparts in other
Indian cities. They were on top
even in the last survey in 2013:
they bought an average 2.8 pairs
of jeans, against a national aver-
age of 2.1.
On the other end of the scale
are men from Kolkata and
Hyderabad who seem quite
happy to let their old jeans
grow into a second skin. On an
average, they owned only 2.7
and 2.8 pairs of denims respec-
tively. They purchased less as
well, picking up only 1.8 pairs
in 2013, the lowest among all
Indian cities, barring, surpris-
ingly, Chandigarh, a cash-rich,
modern aspiring city where its
young men bought only 1.7 pairs
of jeans last year.
And if you thought that fash-
ion was the forte of only the
urban, natty crowd, you will be
pleasantly surprised.
Edging out biggies Delhi (4.3),
Mumbai and Chennai (4.9, each)
were Pune and Patna, where the
men currently own 5.7 and 5.6
denims respectively. They also
bought 2.4 and 2 pairs in 2013.
Again, its men from smaller
cities such as Ranchi, Cochin,
Jaipur and Indore, who owned
between 3.4 and 4.4 pairs of
denims, that seem to be more
fashion-conscious than those in
the metros Kolkata, Hyderbad or
even Bangalore (3.9).
Young men from Chennai
bought the maximum number
of denims last year at 3.2, which
is one pair more than the coun-
try-wide average. Both Delhi
and Mumbai averaged at 2.0 on
this count.
Indores young purchased the
least number of denimwws last
year at 1.4.The survey sample
included only men in the age
group of 18-25 years.
Fashion-conscious men in
Ahmedabad own most jeans
HT Correspondent
When it comes to make-up brands,
young Indian women actually
arent using that many; they are
sticking to just about four. And
that would include everything
from your high-end lipstick, foun-
dation, blusher and mascara to
day-to-day beauty products like
moisturiser and lip balm.
On an average 18 to 21-year-
olds have 4.2 cosmetic brands
and purchased 3.2 in the past
one year, the HT-Mars Youth
Survey 2014 revealed. Those in
the 22-25 years bracket more or
less imitate the trend and own
4.3 brands and bought 3.6 in 2013.
When it comes to choosing
between value for money and
top-end brands, young Indian
women seem to be divided.
I dont spend hundreds of
rupees on the latest lip gloss; I
stick to products that suit me. But
I dont mind spending on prod-
ucts that help avoid bad skin or
acne. They are expensive; but its
money well spent, says engineer-
ing student Ekta Khatana, 19.
But 22-year-old Navjot Kaur
swears by branded cosmetics.
She says that she isnt one of
those who own over-stuffed
make-up bags, but actually uses
all the cosmetics she buys.
I never go nail paint-free,
even for a single day. But I
splurge on hair products and eye
make-up more, says Kaur, a self-
proclaimed high-maintenance
law student from Delhi. The
data doesnt reflect how many
women, and of what age, use
branded lipstick every day but
it does throw some light on what
seems to be the great north-south
divided when it comes to the love
of cosmetics.
Turns out, women in Delhi
(5.9) and Mumbai (5.8) love their
make-up more than women in
Chennai (2.3) who have the least
appetite for cosmetics. In the aver-
age number of brands purchased
in 2013, Delhi and Mumbai again
rule with 4.4 and 4.8 respectively.
Chennai women also bought
the least number of cosmetic
brands in 2013 - less than two
(1.8). Giving it company is
another southern metropolis,
Hyderabad with a tally of 2.6 cos-
metics per woman on an average.
Women in Chandigarh (5),
Ahmedabad (5) and even Patna
(4.9) know their Maybellines from
their Lakmes.
Vanity fare: How many cosmetic
brands do young women own?
MORE WOMEN VISIT A
CAFE WITH A FRIEND OF
OPPOSITE SEX THAN
MEN. IN FACT, MORE
MEN (38%) GO TO A
COFFEE SHOP ALONE
THAN WOMEN (28%)

I LIKE GOING TO
MALLS, SITTING AT
FOOD COURTS, AND
LOOKING AROUND
FOR STUFF. IF I LIKE
SOMETHING, AND THEY
DONT ALWAYS HAVE TO BE
EXPENSIVE BUYS, I JUST
HAVE TO GET IT. I CAN
BE QUITE RESOURCEFUL
ISHA BAND, 22, student

MY MONTHLY
EXPENSES ARE
WITHIN `4,000. FOR A
STUDENT, RECESSION
MEANS NOTHING. I DO
OFTEN GO TO A COFFEE
SHOP, SOMETIMES EVERY
ALTERNATE DAY. IM NOT
THAT MUCH INTO GADGETS
CHETAN TALWAR, 20, student

theysaid
ITS ALL IN THE JEANS
6.2
Ahmedabad
2.7
Kolkata
3.2
Chennai
1.4
Indore
AVERAGE NUMBER OF
DENIM TROUSERS MEN
ALREADY POSSESS
(maximum/minimum)
AVERAGE NUMBER OF
DENIM TROUSERS PUR-
CHASED IN PAST ONE YEAR
(maximum/minimum)
MAKE-UP YOUR MIND
5.9
Delhi
2.3
Chennai
4.8
Chennai
1.8
Indore
AVERAGE NUMBER OF
COSMETIC BRANDS WOMEN
CURRENTLY POSSESS
(maximum/minimum)
AVERAGE NUMBER OF
BRANDS PURCHASED IN THE
PAST ONE YEAR
(maximum/minimum)
I NTERVI EW SANTOSH DESAI , CEO and MD, Futurebrands
Youth often purchase items
identified as status symbols
Men Women
COFFEE AND CONVERSATIONS
MORE NUMBER OF WOMEN PREFER TO GO TO A CAFE WHEN
THEY ARE WITH A FRIEND OF OPPOSITE SEX
Average number of
caf visits in a
month (maximum/
minimum)
VISITED A CAFE
WITH A FRIEND
OF THE OPPOSITE
GENDER
Visited a cafe alone
Visited a cafe with friend of same sex
Jaipur 1.2
Pune/Bangalore
4.1
Ranchi
Jaipur
Ranchi
Jaipur
46%
54%
21%
18%
Visited a cafe with friend of
opposite sex
Delhi
Jaipur
51%
28%
36% 42%
Men Women
Preferences versus beliefs
DICHOTOMY Indias Generation Next is open to
relationships and experiments. However, its beliefs
are full of double standards and its mind traditional
Jyoti Sharma Bawa
jyoti.bawa@hindustantimes.com
Indias youth have changed. We witness this transformation every
day in colleges, coffee shops, offices, malls and multiplexes.
From the way they dress to the way they talk to what they talk
about it is all different. But scratch beneath the surface and
the differences melt away to reveal a generation which still
breathes a code India has always sworn by.
So, how does the www generation straddle these two vastly
different worlds one bound by tradition and the other pushing
towards modernity? Their solution is to come up with beliefs
that are full of dichotomies and double standards.
Sample this: The HT-MaRS Youth Survey reveals an unprec-
edented 61% believe that pre-marital sex is no longer a taboo.
Only, when it comes to marriage, 63% want their partners to
be virgins. Men today are not hesitant about entering into a
relationship before marriage. However,
they would hardly entertain the idea of
marrying a woman who has a past, says
Avneesh Murugai, a fine arts student in
Baroda. It is this patriarchal mind-set
that gives rise to crime against women.
A man believes that a woman is like his
property. Last year, 56% youngsters in
the 18-25 age group said pre-marital sex
is no longer a taboo. The figure showed a
5% increase this year.
Of those who said yes, 62% were men
while 60% were women.
Women in India today are far more in tune with their sexual-
ity. Men will have to up their game and change their perspective
to catch up with the new woman, says Delhi-based psychiatrist
Sanjay Chugh.
Earlier there was a certain hesitance when they would dis-
cuss issues related to sex even with a doctor. However, today sex
is being openly discussed.
The acceptance for pre-marital sex goes down as youngsters
age. While 63% of those in 18-21 age segment is open to the idea,
the number drops down to 59% in 21-25 age-group.
The same trend is apparent when an occupation-wise analysis
is done. While 65% full-time students said sex before marriage
was no longer an issue, the number fell to 61% in case of part-
time students. Only 54% people who are fully employed are of
this view. Last year, the same figures stood at 59%, 53% and
49% respectively.
INDIAN YOUTHS
WORLD IS DIVIDED INTO
TWO ONE HALF
BOUND BY TRADITION
AND THE OTHER
PUSHING TOWARDS
MODERNITY
htspecial p
YOUNG INDIA
YOUTH & RELATIONSHIPS
08
|

IN LOVE FOR EVER
PERCENTAGE OF YOUNGSTERS WHO SAY THEYRE IN A RELATIONSHIP
K
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SLEEPLESS IN THE CITY
67% 67%
63%
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55%
55%
53%
51% 50%
44%
41%
36%
35%
32%
28%
Students
Students
Part-time
students
Part-time
students
Fully
employed
Fully
employed
Say pre-marital sex is no longer a big issue
in India
Say they want to get married only to virgins
59% 53% 49%
65% 61% 54%
67% 57% 64% 64% 58% 62%
2013 2014 VIRGIN TERRITORY
Men Women
Should sex toys
be made availa-
ble in India?
26%
21%
Watching por-
nography isnt a
big taboo any
more. Cmon,
we are in 2014!
32%
15%
Homosexuality is
an acceptable
sexual preference
now
43%
43%
45%
of respondents in Chandigarh said
theyve cheated on their partner in
the past year. Only 21% of Kolkatans
said theyve strayed from their
committed relationship
46%
The percentage of participants who
said they are comfortable with live-in
relationships. In 2013, 44% of the
respondents said they are fine with
such an arrangement
87%
Percentage of men who said the wife
shouldn't be allowed the freedom for
flings even if the husband strays.
Surprisingly, women, too, don't think
any differently. Only 36% women said
the wife should be given this freedom
HT Correspondent
The number of youngsters who accept that they are in a relation-
ship is on an upswing 49% being the national average. Out of
them, however, only 24% say they are very much in love with
their boyfriend/girlfriend.
While the Chandigarh youth top the chart when it comes to
cheating (45%), Delhi is not far behind at 41%. In Mumbai, 30%
have cheated on their partners while 37% say they have strayed
while in a relationship in Chennai. For Bangalore and Hyderabad,
the figures stand 29% and 31% at respectively.
Cities, which are seen as comparatively more conservative,
such as Lucknow (28%), Patna (31%), Jaipur (34%), Ranchi (27%)
and Ahmedabad (27%), the number of the unfaithful is signifi-
cant. Pune, where only 44% respondents
accepted they were in a relationship, is at
the bottom of the cheats list (25%).
More men admitted to cheating (35%)
than women (27%). Cheating is also less
prevalent in the 21-25 age group (26%)
compared to those in the 18-21 olds (36%).
While 34% full-time students say they
have cheated on their partners, the number
goes down to 30% in case of part-timers.
Only 19% of those who are fully employed
say they have cheated on their partner.
Says Mumbai-based sexologist Deepak
Jumani, Earlier, marriage was about find-
ing the best mate in terms of financial secu-
rity and social strata. Those rules are not applicable any more.
Both men and women want to experiment and find compatibility
in every sense emotional, physical and sexual.
Embarking on a relationship does not mean youngsters have
marriage on their mind. Whether it is a one-night stand, a casual
relationship or living-in, commitment does not have to be on
the agenda.
However, the dos and donts are far more hard-bound when
it comes to the institution of marriage. Of those surveyed, 89%
feel straying out of marriage cannot be forgiven (84% men, 94%
women) and 25% believe if a man strays, he should let his wife
do that too. Out of this figure, 13% are male and 36% women.
While 92% full-time students find extra-marital relationships
unforgivable, 88% of those who are fully employed and part-time
students are against such relationships.
Jyoti Sharma Bawa
jyoti.bawa@hindustantimes.com
Best- sel l ing author Anuj a
Chauhan talks about relation-
ships, how youth in India inter-
prets them and important takea-
ways from the HT Youth Survey.
She is the author of The Zoya
Factor (2008), Battle For Bittora
(2010) and Those Pricey Thakur
Girls (2013).
Our youth survey suggests that an
increasing majority of youngsters
have a partner, but they dont
necessarily love them. What
does it speak of about Indias
youth?
It can either mean they are more
cynical or more romantic. If they
are still waiting for love to come
their way, they have set up a very
high definition of love. Maybe
they believe it is not love yet, it
is still waiting for them out there.
I would choose to believe that.
However, the survey does reveal
that youngsters are far more
forthcoming and frank while
talking about relationships, as
reflected in these answers.
Do you think the young in India is
confused or have double stand-
ards: they dont mind having a fling
outside a relationship, but expect
their partner to be a virgin; they are
fine with premarital sex, but a
majority say divorce is not
an option even if the
marriage is not working.
I thought the youth
today was very chilled
out and understand-
ing that people will
have a few relation-
ships and they will
event ual l y set t l e
down with one per-
son. Everyone has a
past and one should
not set unrealistic
standards for the
other person. You
should expect your
significant other
to be faithful to
you from the
day he/she
met you. How can someone be
faithful to you without having
met you yet?
Indian youngsters, especially men,
are often accused of being com-
mitment phobic. What could it
be attributed to?
Men these days think
they are big catches and
run away from commit-
ment. They feel women
are out just to snare
them. They must be
pricing themselves
very highly, which is
very funny. Girls today
are prettier, smarter
and more intelligent
than boys. We see
girls outshin-
i ng boys
consist-
ently in Class 12 results. Even
at parties, you see girls who are
gorgeous and these unshaven,
unkempt boys. Boys really need
to up their game.
What would be your message to
Indias youngsters.
I dont think youngsters should
try to please anybody neither
their parents nor their family.
They should go with the person
who makes them happy and not
try to make anyone happy. If you
want someone who is decisive,
honest and loving, you should not
tone down your standards. At the
same time, you should ensure you
are worthy of that kind of love
so that you can give the same in
return. There are a lot of cynical
people out there who will say you
can never get the exact combina-
tion of person you are looking for
someone who loves you, who is
worthy, who earns well etc. But
you should look for that person.
Everyone has a past, and
one needs to accept this
The name of the
game: Experiment
HT Correspondent
In any discussion with for-
eigners about the regressive
practice of arranged marriage,
Indians always have a safe plank
to fall back upon: the extremely
low rates of divorce in India.
How come love marriages
cannot achieve that? being a
favourite repartee.
India, especially urban India,
has much higher acceptance of
love marriages nowadays but
one thing that has not changed
is low tolerance levels for divorce.
In the HT-MaRS Youth Survey,
53% youth from 15 Indian cities
said divorce is just not an option.
Why would a youngster want
to stick in a relationship which
is not going anywhere?
The answer is simple: mar-
riage in India is between two
families, not just two individuals.
Relationships are transi-
tional. There is no social sanction
needed to get into one or leave it.
Marriage is between two fami-
lies and not two people. You need
familial approval and you end up
hurting a lot of people if you opt
out of it, especially if children
are involved, says 25-year-old
Zeeshan Siddiqui.
I have had a few relationships
till date but marriage will be for
keeps. I will do whatever it takes
to make it work.
While 52% of men say divorce
is unacceptable, 54% of women
share the view.
Marriage remains a sacrosanct
institution and divorce still comes
with a stigma. As 21-year-old
Arushi Dhunna says, Divorce is
not an option even if your mar-
riage goes wrong. Problems arise
in each and every relationship it
does not mean you move out of
them. In case of marriage, you just
have to make it work at any cost.
In the 18-21 age group, 55% of
those surveyed shared her opin-
ion while the number was 52%
in the 21-25 age-group.
While 55% of those fully
employed were against seeking a
divorce, the figure stood at 52% in
case of part-time students. Fifty-
three per cent part-time students
said divorce is not an option.
Delhi-based student, 21-year-
old Vidhi Arora explains it thus,
Middle class society still feels
that they may not be very rich but
they have their morals. Thats the
reason why divorce or straying
out of marriage is a taboo. You
may see Kareena marrying Saif,
but you dont see such couples in
middle class India. It is just like
any other relationship.
Divorce unacceptable even
if marriage is not working
HT Correspondent
A gentle wind of change is blow-
ing away the Indian youths petty
prudishness. Be it accepting
homosexuality or live-in rela-
tionships, more youngsters are
displaying a greater openness
towards these issues in what is
still a largely conservative and
traditional society.
While much of the change
has been driven by western
influences and growing econom-
ic opportunities, the judiciary
has also played a positive role
in legitimising changing social
mores like live-in relationships.
And homosexuality, that butt
of all jokes, is slowly but steadily
finding acceptance.
The results of HT Youth
Survey prove it if last year only
44% were comfortable with the
idea of a live-in, the number this
year is 46%.
The numbers are far more
positive in case of homosexual-
ity. While only 37% thought it
was an acceptable sexual pref-
erence in 2013, the number is
43% this year. The change is
obvious only among the young,
though.
My peer group can accept
my sexuality. They know who
I am and they are okay with it.
But I just dont have the guts
to go home and tell my family
about my sexual preferences. I
have relatives who happily poke
fun of gays. You think they can
accept me? asks 21-year-old
Syed Z.
While 41% in the 18-21 years
age group are accepting, the fig-
ure stands at 45% in those 21 and
beyond. Both men and women
are equally accepting (43%).
The acceptance for homosexu-
ality decreased as youth went
from being students to fully
employed 45% students found
it an acceptable sexual prefer-
ence while only 40% part-time
students thought so. In case of
those fully employed, only 38%
of those surveyed took this
standpoint.
Your sexuality is your per-
sonal choice. Nobody should
be allowed to dictate whom
you should love and why. Law
and society needs to be changed
to accommodate a very large
percentage of people who are
forced to live in the closet,
says Yukti Arora, an 18-year-old
Delhi University student said.
Homosexuality finds acceptance
while live-in not a taboo anymore
htspecial p
YOUNG INDIA
YOUTH & RELATIONSHIPS
MORE MEN ADMIT
TO CHEATING (35%)
THAN WOMEN (27%)
AND 19% OF THOSE
WHO ARE FULLY
EMPLOYED SAY THEY
HAVE CHEATED ON
THEIR PARTNER
10
|


DIVORCE IS NOT
AN OPTION EVEN IF
YOUR MARRIAGE IS NOT
WORKING. THERE ARE
PROBLEMS IN EVERY
RELATIONSHIP. YOU
CANNOT SIMPLY RUN AWAY
FROM THEM ALL. JUST
MAKE IT WORK
AARUSHI DHUNNA, 21, student

INDIAS MIDDLE CLASS
IS VERY PROUD OF ITS
MORAL VALUES. YOU MAY
SEE A KAREENA KAPOOR
MARRYING AN ALREADY-
MARRIED SAIF. SUCH
THINGS ARE VERY
RARE IN AN OTHERWISE
NORMAL WORLD
VIDDHI ARORA, 21, student

theysaid
I NTERVI EW ANUJA CHAUHAN, Author
TILL DEATH DO US APART
53%
Students
54%
Part-time
students
55%
Fully-employed
SAY THAT DIVORCE IS NOT AN OPTION EVEN IF MARRIAGE IS
NOT WORKING OUT
LIVE-IN TOGETHER
41%
18-21 years
41%
18-21 years
50%
22-25 years
45%
22-25 years
SAY THEY ARE
COMFORTABLE
WITH LIVE-IN
RELATIONSHIPS
SAY HOMOSEXU-
ALITY IS AN
ACCEPTABLE
SEXUAL
PREFERENCE
Women
SAY THEYVE CHEATED
ON THEIR PARTNERS
SAY THEY LOVE THEIR PARTNER A LOT
SAY THAT CASUAL SEX
OUTSIDE MARRIAGE
SHOULDNT BE FORGIVEN
HAVING FUN BEHIND THE BACK
MADE FOR EACH OTHER, REALLY?
Chandigarh Men
Men Age 18-21 years Full-time students
Women Age 22-25 years Employed
Women Kolkata
45% 84%
21%
94%
26% 25% 18%
22% 24% 49%
A nation of young faithfuls
DIVINE INTERVENTION The percentage of youth who
pray increases as they grow older, but those in bigger
cities pray less compared to the young in smaller cities
Vishakha Saxena
vishakha.saxena@hindustantimes.com
Indias youth pray regularly and their faith in the almighty increases
as they grow older: for a nation of several religions and millions
of gods and goddesses thats not surprising.
The HT-MaRS Youth Survey, which was conducted among
more than 5,000 respondents in 15 Indian cities, found faith firmly
entrenched among the young. Ranchi and Ahmedabad appear to
have the most faithful young people: in these cities 67% of the
youth said they pray regularly. In Cochin, 40% of youngsters said
they pray regularly: compare that to the national average of 56%.
India is a very religious country. Even the most successful
entrepreneurs tend to be very religious, says author and com-
mentator Gurcharan Das, who wrote The Difficulty of Being
Good: On the subtle art of dharma, a book which analyses the
epic Mahabharata.
As many as 85% of Indians in the country
follow Hinduism, a religion which has 33
crore gods. This kind of diversity makes
space for everyone to worship a god of their
choice. Our notion of religion is kind of a
way of life and not based on fundamentalist
belief, says Das, who believes that in India
the concept of faith is far more liberal.
There is, however, a clear demographic
divide. Youngsters in tier I cities like Kolkata,
Pune and Bangalore pray less compared
to their compatriots in Ranchi, Lucknow
and Indore.
According to experts, people in smaller
cities tend to be more traditional which makes them more religious.
In major urban centres, they tend to get absorbed in many other
things and thus tend to spend lesser time on religious practices.
Prayer never worked for me, says Sanket Vijay, 22, a student in
Delhi, talking about how he isnt religious despite his familys beliefs.
Interestingly, the survey reveals that the percentage of youngsters
who pray regularly increases as they grow older. As many as 62%
youngsters between 22-25 years said they were religious as com-
pared to 50% of their counterparts in the 18-21 age bracket. Some
say the reason behind such a trend would be that with increasing
burdens and setbacks, people tend to look for something to hold on to.
Given how religion is ingrained into Indias social fabric and
is liberal enough to allow everyone to live and let live the trend
seems to be here to stay.
As Das puts it, no god can afford to be jealous.
ABOUT 85% OF PEOPLE
IN INDIA FOLLOW
HINDUISM, WHICH HAS
33 CRORE GODS. THIS
DIVERSITY MAKES
SPACE FOR EVERYONE
TO WORSHIP A GOD OF
THEIR CHOICE
htspecial p
YOUNG INDIA
YOUTH AND TRADITIONS
12
|

90%
in the 18-21 age group said they want
to get married in a traditional way,
complete with all the rituals and
ceremonies, rather than go to a court
to formalise it. The numbers are
almost similar among men and
women, 85% and 92%, respectively
38%
said they would call off a marriage if
dowry is involved. Chennai's
respondents scored the most on this
count: 71% in the city said they won't
go ahead with it. Indore (22%),
Chandigarh (25%) and Patna (28%)
populate the bottom half on this scale
70%
of the total respondents said one
should never smoke in front of elders.
The need to maintain strong family
bonds (79%) and always listen to
elders (68%) too got a thum bs up
from India's youngsters
WITH A PRAYER
THOSE WHO SAY THEY PRAY REGULARLY
AHMEDABAD/
RANCHI
LUCKNOW/
DELHI
INDORE/
JAIPUR
CHANDIGARH /
CHENNAI
MUMBAI PATNA BANGALORE HYDERABAD/
KOLKATA
PUNE COCHIN
69%
67%
63%
60%
56%
50%
48%
45%
41%
40%
A KNOTTY AFFAIR ALL IN THE STARS
Will walk out of a marriage if
dowry is invovled
Men
Women
37%
39%
Respondents
age 18-21 yrs
Respondents
age 22-25 yrs
90% 88%
Selected by self, even if
parents object
Men
Women
6%
3%
Selected by self, with no
objection from your parents
Men
Women
35%
WILL MARRY A PERSON
Selected by parents
without question
Men
Women
32%
48%
22%
Want several ceremonies
during marriage celebrations
Respondents
age 18-21 yrs
Respondents
age 22-25 yrs
47% 46%
Prefer religious rituals over
court proceedings
Say they strongly believe in
astrology
Say they believe in power yoga
to keep body fit
31%
Men
28%
18-21 years
42%
Men
38%
Women
41%
22-25 years
52%
Women
Poulomi Banerjee
poulomi.banerjee@hindustantimes.com
If you thought Indias young is
drifting away from all things tra-
ditional, think again. Professor
Renuka Si ngh of Del hi s
Jawaharlal Nehru University
talks about the constant strug-
gle in the mind of a youngster
caught between modernity and
values that make us Indians.
How traditional is todays youth?
Also, do they believe in preserving
Indian traditions?
I think this will vary from region
to region and specially in the
rural urban divide. Social and
class backgrounds also play a
role. But generally speaking, you
could say the youth today are try-
ing to synthesise tradition and
modernity and modifying them
according to context.
Is there a difference in how girls
and boys react to traditions?
Women or girls are seen as trans-
mitters of tradition to the next
generation, so their roles also
become very significant. One has
to see to what extent women have
changed their role. So today if
you have a working mother, shes
going to have a different impact
on the children. And even though
they violate it occasionally, they
still maintain a pro-family ide-
ology. Now this would vary
with their social and class
backgrounds, but generally
speaking, women are the
ones who are transmitting
the culture from one gen-
eration to another. Now, the
men have also come into the
picture. So eventually both
men and women are going to
be responsible for transmitting
culture and traditions.
Who is more tradi-
tional: the youth
in cities or those
in smaller
towns?
Young
people in
rural areas are generally more
traditional than their urban
counterparts. Thats because
their contexts are very differ-
ent, situations more limited and
exposure is less.The orthodoxy
is stronger in rural
areas. So obviously
the impact will
also be different.
You see here you
have a mixed
crowd, you
are exposed
to so many
different tradi-
tions, there are
multiple
realities. So you absorb so much
from each others traditions as
well. If you take the example of
Delhi, our political capital, you
have people from all over the
world who are residing here. So
there is lot of assimilation hap-
pening from each others cultures.
The pace of change is faster in a
metropolis than in a rural area.
Which are the Indian traditions
that need to change and what role
does the youth play in bringing
about this change?
I think you have to leave behind
these inter-religious tensions,
inter-caste tensions, inter-class
tensions. Young people are the
ones who are known for actually
believing in instant utopias, they
want to change the world over-
night. And they are the force,
they are the power and if they
have the will, they are the
ones who are going to bring
about change in our society.
Women and girls are seen as
transmitters of tradition
htspecial p
YOUNG INDIA
14
|

YOUTH AND TRADITIONS
Vishakha Saxena
Marriage is made for forever and divorce is the last and bitter
option, Indias youth believe. As many as 67% believe that women
should try and save their marriage before opting for divorce. As
many as 79% women agree with the opinion compared to 56% men.
The findings come from the HT-MaRS Youth Survey, which
was conducted among over 5,000 respondents in 15 Indian cities.
Sociologist Nandini Sardesai and Shilpa Phadke, assistant
professor at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, say the findings
are not surprising considering the stigma associated with divorce.
A common belief is that a divorced daughter would bring
embarrassment and unhappiness to her parents. According
to Sardesai, economic instability is another big reason behind
women wanting to save the marriage despite being unhappy. If
I can be economically secure then damn
the man, no?
The survey also reveals that as young
people grow older, they lay stress on the
need to make the marriage work.
India ranks among the countries with
the lowest divorce rates, with only one out
of 100 Indians opting for divorce. Despite
that, the number of divorce cases is stead-
ily going up in the country, especially in
urban areas.
Dr Nisha Khanna, a marriage counsel-
lor, regards this as a positive sign. Increasing divorce rate is a
good thing because sometimes two people stick around for the sake
of society and kids, which is not right. A couple should be together
only if they want to, says Khanna. Forced togetherness leads to
dysfunctional families which in turn lead to dysfunctional kids.
Visiting a therapist is another taboo. No matter how educated
they may be, many Indians still feel odd about visiting a doctor or
a therapist and discussing their personal matters with a stranger.
Its no secret that the Indian society is strongly patriarchal and
thus, the onus of making the marriage work often falls on women.
But, according to Dr Khanna, the pattern seems to be chang-
ing and an increasing number of couples are trying to make the
marriage work together. The results though may not always be
successful.
Sometimes the problem is not the marriage but of those
involved who are unhappy and blame the marriage for their
unhappiness.
For them, divorce
still the last resort
HT Correspondent
As many as 68% of Indias youth
say they always listen to elders
and 70% would never smoke in
front of them. The youth are no
radical rebels, the HT-MaRS Youth
Survey points this out clearly.
An overwhelming 96% young-
sters told the survey they wouldnt
marry the person they like if their
parents disapproved of their
choice. As many as 62% young-
sters believe that Indian traditions
needed to be preserved. As many
as 70% youngsters in the 22-25 age
bracket agree that we need to pre-
serve Indian traditions as against
55% in the 18-21 year age gr oup.
Middle-class students are far
more conformists, says Shilpa
Phadke, assistant professor at the
Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
The figures are quite similar
when it comes to the youths atti-
tude towards family ties and the
elderly. As many as 79% of them
said they wanted to maintain
strong family bonds.
I am not surprised at all by
these findings. That the young are
some kind of rebels was always
a myth. Modernity is a form of
intelligent courage, and as we
know intelligence and co urage
are not related to age. The young
expect much from life, thats just
the way they are, they cant help
it, and when you expect things
you tend to be afraid, and when
you are afraid there is comfort in
tradition and family, says author
Manu Joseph.
For a generation living in
cramped cities, 67% youngsters
said they preferred joint families.
The figure was highest in Delhi at
80% and lowest in Cochin at 45%.
According to Sardesai, young-
sters prefer joint families perhaps
out of affection for their relatives
but they dont realise the chal-
lenges associated with it.
The youths affinity towards
traditions is, however, most promi-
nent in their acceptance that par-
ents will decide whom they marry.
A major reason behind this is that
most youngsters live with their
families until marriage and they
are not economically independent.
They would rather bow to
authority than lose these privi-
leges, explains Phadke talking
specifically about the middle class.
Todays youngsters are the
most economically privileged
than any other generation ever
has been.
Against the system always,
but never too much of rebels
HT Correspondent
As many as 38% youngsters in
India would break their marriage
if dowry was involved: the number
shouldnt shock us considering
that the practice is one of the worst
crimes against women in the coun-
try. Last year, 793 dowry cases were
recorded across 53 cities.
The survey found that opposi-
tion to dowry was strongest in
Chennai. In this city, 71% young-
sters said they would break their
marriage if dowry is involved.
Indore, at 22%, recorded the least
opposition to dowry.
Sociologist Nandini Sardesai
regards these figures as not too
low, but as a positive sign. This
is a big change in India, she says
explaining how dowry originated.
Historically, dowry was meant
to be financial security for the
bride a fathers gift for his
daughter. The concept of exchang-
ing gifts within families during
marriages exists worldwide,
but in India gifts have become a
demand. In a country where
patriarchy has an over-arching
presence in the social structure,
men have gone on to think they
have a right over it, says Sardesai.
Demands for dowry range from
cash, cars or jewellery before mar-
riage to periodic demands after
marriage.
A harmless expression of
love and affection has over time
become an evil that claims the
life of a woman every hour in the
country. It is thus not a surprise
that more young women (39%) say
they will call off their marriage if
the groom or his family asks for
dowry. The figure stands at 37%
when it comes to men.
According to experts, dowry is
still entrenched because women
lack economic stability and there
is stigma attached to divorces and
broken marriages.
This is apparent in the survey
results for tier II cities like Indore
and Chandigarh where 22% and
25% youngsters said they would
break the marriage over dowry.
Meanwhile, in tier I cities like
Pune and Bangalore, the number
stood at 47% and 40% respectively.
Sardesai blames Indias edu-
cation and the lack of awareness
about dowry laws. We are still
holding on to a very traditional
form of learning. Our education
system is not bringing about the
change in mindset and thinking
that one would expect of it.
They raise their voice against
the biggest evil: Dowry
INDIA RANKS AMONG
COUNTRIES WITH THE
LOWEST DIVORCE
RATES, WITH ONLY ONE
OUT OF 100 INDIANS
OPTING FOR DIVORCE

WE NEED TO DO AWAY
WITH REGRESSIVE
TRADITIONS LIKE DOWRY
SYSTEM. OUR NEGATIVE
ATTITUDE TOWARDS
REMARRIAGE FOR THE
OLDER PEOPLE TOO MUST
CHANGE. MEN AND WOMEN
SHOULD HAVE EQUAL
FREEDOM TO FIND THEIR
OWN PARTNERS
MUDIT SOOD, 22, law student
I COME FROM A LIBERAL

FAMILY. HOWEVER,
CERTAIN THINGS SUCH
AS BEING CLOSE TO THE
FAMILY ARE INGRAINED IN
ME. ALSO, I PREFER SOME
TRADITIONS SUCH AS THE
INDIAN NAMASTE TO A
HANDSHAKE.
MADHURIMA CHAUDHURI, 21 student

theysaid
I NTERVI EW RENUKA SI NGH, professor of sociology, Jawaharlal Nehru University
DOWRY SYNDROME
SAY THEYLL
CALL OFF MAR-
RIAGE IF DOWRY
IS INVOLVED. THE
DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN MEN
(37%) AND
WOMEN (39%) IS
NOT MUCH IN
THIS RESPECT
71%
Chennai
22%
Indore
32%
18-21 years
44%
22-25 years
STICKING TO IT
SAY WOMEN
SHOULD TRY TO
SAVE THEIR MAR-
RIAGE BEFORE
LOOKING AT
DIVORCE AS AN
OPTION
56%
Men
79%
Women
62%
18-21 years
73%
22-25 years
SAY THEY WANT TO
MAINTAIN STRONG
FAMILY BONDS
SAY THEYLL
ALWAYS LISTEN
TO ELDERS
SAY THEY
PREFER A
JOINT FAMILY
Men Women
77%
83%
69%
67% 68% 67%
STICKING TO TRADITION
HOLDING ON TO INDIAS ESSENCE
AGREE THAT MANY INDIAN TRADITIONS NEED TO BE PRESERVED
56% 68%55%70%
Men Women 18-21 years 22-25 years
Social butterflies flutter online
REAL LIFE VS VIRTUAL PRESENCE 57% of those surveyed say they
access at least one networking site daily and look for friendship, news
I JOINED TWITTER
BECAUSE SOMEONE
ACTUALLY FORCED ME TO
BECAUSE IM SUPPOSEDLY
WITTY. I AM GLAD I DID.
IT INTRODUCED THE
INTERNET TO ME IN A WAY I
COULDNT HAVE IMAGINED.
I AM TOTALLY HOOKED TO
IT NOW
PATHIKRIT SANYAL, 23,
Client servicing executive
htspecial p
YOUNG INDIA
YOUTH AND SOCIAL MEDIA
16
|
theysaid
Vishakha Saxena
Social media platforms are increasingly becoming
a staple of life for 26-year-old Mridul Verma from
Delhi. Verma wakes up to his phone buzzing with
social media alerts and sleeps only after he has made
his presence felt in the virtual world.
Vermas interpersonal interactions too have taken
the virtual route. I talk to at least 100 people regularly
(over social media) in a week or two, says the entre-
preneur who spends hours on Twitter and WhatsApp
every day.
Of these connections, there are about 12-13 people he
calls friends. They are closer to me than most school
and college friends. We share the same interests, so
theres always a lot to talk about, he adds.
Verma is just one of the many youngsters whose
lives have been taken over by the social media. A whop-
ping 57% of the 5,214 respondents to the HT-MaRS
Youth Survey aged between 18 and 25 years say
they access at least one networking site every day, and
look for anything from friendship to news and jobs.
If estimates are to be believed, India will have at
least 350 million internet users by 2016 with around
75% of them logging in from their mobile devices.
More and more people like consuming content the
way they do on their Facebook newsfeeds or Twitter
timelines, says BuzzFeed India editor Rega Jha.
But thats not all youngsters look for. Thirty-four
per cent of those surveyed in 15 cities say networking
websites helped shape their love lives.
I know a lot of people who have found their part-
ners through Twitter. No big deal. You interact. You
meet. You meet often. You click. You fall. And boom!
says Pankaj Sinha, an engineer.
The connections, however, may not always be for real.
The 57% respondents that visit social media websites
at least once every day say they have made an average
of 29 new connections in the past year. But they met
or spoke to only eleven of them on an average, survey
results show. Proving a largely virtual nature of the
online connections, these respondents call only eight
people they are in touch with online their friends.
Those who thought Indias young access these sites
only to stay connected with their friends and partners,
think again. More than 40% of the respondents in the
22-25 age group claim politics is their most tweeted
topic, followed by sports, current affairs and movies.
The recent mobile telephony surge is one of the
biggest contributors to the booming popularity of
the platforms including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn,
Instagram and WhatsApp
The reason most youth are drawn online today is the
ease with which they can log in through their cellphones.
And a growing market of internet-enabled cheap smart-
phones and tablets is offering youngsters the desired
convenience and affordability to stay connected.
Close to 60% users who participated in the survey
say they access social media websites through their
cellphones. Just 20% of them access these portals
through their personal computers.
Messaging service WhatsApp emerges as a clear
winner in the survey with 82% responders using the
application on their mobiles.
Not everyone is enamoured with the social medias
so-called infinite reach though. The survey indi-
cates an interesting trend in southern India, where
the use of cellphones and the time spent on social
media remains noticeably low, despite technology-
hub Bangalore topping the list with most number of
social media users.
The three south Indian towns that were surveyed
Bangalore, Chennai and Cochin figured in the
bottom five when it came to the number of hours
spent on WhatsApp. This shows that while the youth
in these towns may access social media every day, they
dont spend much time on it.
Its probably because they dont substitute social
media with daily routines, says Amaresh Namburi
(28) an engineer based in Bangalore. They value their
real friends more than the virtual ones.
For technology entrepreneur Gagandeep Singh
Sapra, this stark difference in the usage may be
because of sociological/cultural differences. There is
a lot of focus on family, family values and education,
he says attributing the insight to his travels. They
may be surrounded by tech but, dos and donts exist.
Vishakha Saxena
Given how Twitter has emerged
as one of the leading social media
platforms among youngsters, we
decided to chat up a Twitter celeb-
rity. Meet Pankaj Sinha, who goes
by the handle @askthepankazzzz
and has over 16,000 followers.
What do you think makes you click
on Twitter?
I tweet about things that people
can relate to, even if its everyday
problems - the humour or the sad
part of it. Thats what gets their
attention, I guess.
Any personal favourite Twitter
moments?
(With a chuckle) Do they even have
a favourite Twitter moment?
So, maybe a favourite tweet?
I think it would be ye li jiye aapki
soch mujhe giri hui mili thi. It
was a very random thought at two
in the morning but then it clicked
with people. By the time I checked,
it had been retweeted about 200
times. Soon, it crossed a thousand.
What do you think brings the youth
to Twitter?
I think its about getting valida-
tion from strangers when you are
in the online world. In real life
you crack a lame joke and people
frown at you. On Twitter, though,
you will always find people who
share the same sense of humour.
Thats why it clicks with people.
According to our survey,
some youngsters have said
that social media has helped
their love lives. Is this healthy?
Why not? People get married
through matrimonial websites
without knowing each other.
At least here they interact, they
get to know what level of inter-
ests they share, what stuff
they like.
What advice
would you give
to people new
to Twitter?
Stop spreading hate, yaar. Dont
do it because, you might ignite
something that wont end and
you will regret what youve just
done. And as it continues, people
realise theyre getting retweets
from it and so it becomes blind
hate. Chetan Bhagat,
for example. I know
people dont like
his books, but
the hate against
him is beyond
me. That is the
power of the
online world
Anything on
coming up with
witty tweets? How
do you do it?
Theres no formula actually, you
know. I dont even think Im witty,
I know a lot of people who are
wittier. The only thing is, I tweet
how I talk. So I guess, thats quite
relatable.
So, whats your favourite Twitter
handle?
Thats a very tricky question. I
think it would be @shakti_shet-
ty. I respect him for his patience
because he never replies to
tweets. Its a very difficult thing to
do, because when peopl e want to
troll you, they get offensive, make
personal remarks. Its easy to lose
your patience or even hit out at
people. From what Ive seen, he
never does that.
What would you say to those not
on Twitter?
Don t join Twitter. Please.
Its addictive. Its like Hotel
California. You can enter but
you cant get out.
Twitter is addictive. You can
enter but you cant get out
3.0
Women
2.5
Full time student
2.8
Age 18-21 years
2.7
Men
4.2
Full time employed
3.1
Student/part time job
2.9
Age 22-25 years
BABY, IM #ADDICTED
ACCESSING SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES DAILY
City-wise break-up
CATCHING UP WITH 'CLOUD' FRIENDSHIPS
AVG NO. OF DAYS SPENT WITHOUT SOCIAL MEDIA
33
Average number of new 'connec-
tions' men made since last year
14
The number personally met or
spoken over the phone
10
Who can be called 'friends' from
those met personally
26
The average number of connections
women made since 2013
10
The number personally met or
spoken over the phone
5
Who can be called 'friends' from
among those met personally
VIRTUAL LOVE: NEITHER
BOOST, NOR BANE
Only fully-employed respondents
Helped 51%
Hurt 11%
No impact 38%
Only 18-21-year-old respondents
Helped 28%
Hurt 8%
No impact 64%
2013
(Mean figures)
Bangalore
Hyderabad
Chandigarh Patna Kolkata Ranchi Lucknow
Delhi Ahmedabad Jaipur Indore
Pune Mumbai Chennai
2014
Helped 40%
Hurt 8%
No impact 52%
Only 22-25-year-old respondents
Friends
Politics
Movies
Sports
Events
46%
37%
26%
24%
20%
HAIL THE ARM-CHAIR
COMMENTATOR
Most tweeted topics
IN TOUCH WITH THE TIMES
Whatsapp
Instagram
Snapchat
8%
12%
The apps most employed
youngsters use on mobile
82%
55% 59% 53% 55% 69% 68% 67% 66%
51% 52% 50% 50% 49% 64% 63% 60% 59% 58%
46% 48% 52% 53%
53% 43% 37%
43% 40% 38%
I NTERVI EW PANKAJ SI NHA, Twitter user with over 16,000 followers
88%
youngsters in Jaipur said social
media has had no impact on their
love life. Compare this to
Chandigarhs youngsters: 57% here
said networking has helped their
relationships. Only 4% in the city said
it has hurt them
4.2
The average number of days fully-
employed youngsters spend without
accessing any social network.
Ranchi's youth score the most on
this count: they said they can stay
without virtual connection for an
average of 3.8 days
Change agents talk business
LOUD AND CLEAR MESSAGE A large section of
youngsters voted for Narendra Modi, who promised to
usher in good days at a time the economy has hit a slump
Sandip Bardhan
sandip.bardhan@hindustantimes.com
Indias youth made a beeline for polling booths in the 2014 Lok
Sabha elections to cast their ballot in what Prime Minister
Narendra Modi termed an election of hope, making their voice
heard at a time when the country is stalked by slow growth and
high inflation.
The HT-MaRS Youth Survey 2014 covering over 5,000 youngsters
between 18 and 25 years across 15 cities found that around 3,500
of the respondents took part in the marathon nine-phase polling.
Of them, 66% voted for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and
allies together known as the National Democratic Alliance
(NDA), which promised of achche din (good days) under the
leadership of Modi.
The size of BJPs victory indicates Modis presence was a
bigger factor than the UPAs failure. He transformed the BJP. His
message was aspirational, said author
and public intellectual Gurcharan Das.
While the Congress talked about subsi-
dies, Modi harped on jobs and growth.
Subsidies dont give you honour and self-
respect, jobs do.
The survey also found that of those
who voted for the BJP, 83% did so prima-
rily because of Modi, who tore into the
Congress government during campaigning
over a series of corruption scandals and
policy paralysis.
One area where the UPA showed enor-
mous talent was in halving the growth rate.
One per cent drop in the growth rate means loss of 1.5 million
direct jobs. A direct job generates three indirect jobs. In India,
five people are dependent on one job. So, that means 1% slump
in growth affects 30 million people, Das added.
Twelve million youngsters enter the countrys workforce every
year, and the slow growth in the UPA regime cast a doubt on
their future.
IIM-Ahmedabad professor Sebastian Morris said, Growth col-
lapse definitely hurt the UPA. The Antony panel report (a report
prepared by AK Antony on the Congress worst-ever poll debacle)
talks about high inflation. But, it has to be the slow growth.
According to the HT-MaRS survey, 91% of those who voted
for the NDA considered themselves strongly anti-UPA. Another
interesting finding was 22% considered Congress vice-president
Rahul Gandhi an inspiration, while 62% chose Modi.
22% CONSIDERED
RAHUL GANDHI AN
INSPIRATION, WHILE
62% CHOSE NARENDRA
MODI. ALSO, 91% OF
THOSE WHO VOTED
FOR THE BJP WERE
STRONGLY ANTI-UPA
htspecial p
YOUNG INDIA
YOUTH AND POLITICS
18
|

83%
of those who voted for the BJP in the
elections earlier this year, did so primari-
ly because of Narendra Modi. While 8% of
them voted for the party, 9% did so
equally for both. Of those who voted for
the Congress, only 36% said they were
influenced by Rahul Gandhi, and another
44% said they opted for the party
71%
of those who did not cast their ballot in
Hyderabad, said they 'didn't feel like, or
felt lazy' on polling day. Of the non-vot-
ers in Kolkata, 56% came up with the
same excuse. Also, of those who did not
vote in Chennai, 27% said no candidate
was 'worth voting for'
25%
of those who voted for the BJP said
they sided with the party because they
were attracted by Gujarat's develop-
ment model. Another 28% said they
were influenced by the promise of
good governance
GOT INKED THIS TIME
FINALLY SHAKING OFF THE WELL-WORN CHARGE OF POLITICAL APATHY
86%
83% 83%
81%
77%
75%
73%
71%
69%
67%
63% 63% 62%
49%
46%
VOTED FOR BJP VOTED FOR CONGRESS
CONSIDER THEMSELVES CONSIDER THEMSELVES
THE BJP JUGGERNAUT
J
A
I
P
U
R
K
O
L
K
A
T
A
P
A
T
N
A
H
Y
D
E
R
A
B
A
D
I
N
D
O
R
E
C
H
A
N
D
I
G
A
R
H
M
U
M
B
A
I
A
H
M
E
D
A
B
A
D
D
E
L
H
I
C
O
C
H
I
N
L
U
C
K
N
O
W
C
H
E
N
N
A
I
R
A
N
C
H
I
P
U
N
E
B
A
N
G
A
L
O
R
E
Primarily for Modi
83%
Primarily for Rahul
Gandhi
36%
Very strong anti-BJP
18%
Somewhat strong
anti-BJP
47%
Very little/not anti-
BJP
35%
Primarily for party
44%
Equally for both
20%
Primarily for party
8%
Equally for both
9%
Very strong anti-UPA
46%
Somewhat strong
anti-UPA
45%
Very little/not
anti-UPA
9%
Danish Raza
danish.raza@hindustantimes.com
Sanjay Kumar, director, Centre for
the Study of Developing Societies,
thinks there was a lot of resent-
ment in the country over the UPA
governments performance that
led to its downfall. In an interview
to HT, he also says Narendra Modi
got an advantage because the face
projected by the Congress party
did not strike a chord. Excerpts
from the interview.
What are your comments on the
overall findings of the HT-MaRS
Youth Survey?
It is very clear that large number
of youth would vote for the BJP
and very few of them would want
Congress in power. This goes in
line with what people in general-
in other age groups- also think.
What is to be noted is that
among those who have voted for
the BJP, large number of them did
so because of Modi. The case is
reversed in case of Congress party.
Among Congress voters, majority
of them said they primarily voted
for the party and not (Congress
vice-president) Rahul Gandhi.
We might think that Rahul
Gandhi is younger than Modi and
he maybe more popular than Modi
as a leader. But this is not the case.
Out of the total respondents,
70% said they did vote in
general election. What does it say
about participation of the
countrys youth in
electoral politics?
This corresponds to the
Election Commission
data which showed that
while the total voting
percentage was around
66, voting percentage
among the youth was higher than
this figure.
It is evident that during general
election 2014, the youth showed
greater interest than what was
witnessed in the last two decades.
It was a vote of protest. There
was resentment in the country
against the way UPA-II
was performing. The
anti-graft protests
at Jantar Mantar
sent a message to
the youth that they
should fight graft.
It was followed by
the Delhi gang rape
and subsequent
protests demanding strong anti-
rape laws. All these created a
mood against the UPA.
More than 65 % of the countrys
youth look at the Prime Minister as
an inspiration. According to you,
what makes Narendra Modi an
attraction among the youth?
Right from the time Modi began
his campaign, he got the advan-
tage of the fact that the person
pitched by the Congress party
against him was a seen as a weak
personality. Rahul Gandhis per-
ception was that of a reluctant
politician who was never articu-
late and one who had no say in his
partys functioning. Also, he failed
to present a blue print to tackle
the issues the country was facing
such as price rise and corruption.
Modi, on the other hand,
emerged as a decisive and firm
leader. BJP projected him as a
symbol of hope and it worked
for the party.
Taking part in the vote of
protest was significant
htspecial p
YOUNG INDIA
YOUTH AND POLITICS
Sandip Bardhan
sandip.bardhan@hindustantimes.com
Indias youth no longer shy away from voting and a vast major-
ity participated in the recent Lok Sabha election, contrary
to the general perception that youngsters are disinterested
in politics, an HT-MaRS Youth Survey showed.
A huge 70% of youngsters questioned cast their ballot in
the 2014 polls, and just 10% of those who did not vote said it
was because they felt lazy.
I dont subscribe to the view that the youth are not inter-
ested in politics. It could have been a truth maybe five years
ago. But the Delhi gang rape and anti-corruption movements
have increased our social and political awareness, said Epti
Pattnaik, 23, who works with a media house in Delhi.
Todays youth are an informed lot,
thanks to the internet. Facebook and
Twitter bring news to you at lightning
speed. Most of the youngsters, if not
all, are well aware of what is going on
in the world of politics.
Another 6% of the respondents said
they did not exercise their franchise
because the candidates were not worth
voting for.
I do not have a voter card. However,
that did not matter in the 2014 election,
as the candidates in my constituency
were not good enough. The promises
they made did not impress me, said Vasundhara, 25, a Delhi
resident who recently relocated to Bangalore with a consul-
tancy job.
But, in India, we dont lay stress on serious issues and
agenda. Here, catchwords matter.
Of the youngsters who let laziness get the better of them
on polling day, the maximum 71% were from Hyderabad and
the minimum 4% were from Bangalore. Among the non-voters,
60% said their names were not on the voter list, while 24%
said they were out of town.
In Patna, a staggering 100% said they were not registered
with the Election Commission of India, followed by 96% in
Ahmedabad, 95% each in Delhi and Ranchi and 80% in Jaipur.
The survey also revealed that all the respondents in
Hyderabad had their names registered with the election
commission.
No longer ignorant
and disinterested
HT Correspondent
More than half the youngsters
in 15 Indian cities covered by
the HT-MaRS Youth Survey
2014 said they wanted the
new government to continue
with the Congress-led United
Progressive Alliances (UPAs)
social security schemes such as
the rural employment guarantee
programme (NREGA).
Fifty-two per cent gave the
thumbs-up to such schemes
despite some uncertainty
about the direction of these pro-
grammes under the Narendra
Modis government.
The UPAs flagship rural
employment scheme has already
undergone some changes. Under
the BJP government, the focus is
on more funds for asset creation,
penalties for late disbursal of
funds, increased womens partici-
pation and taking the benefits of
the scheme to backward groups.
I support the positive chang-
es made to the UPAs social secu-
rity schemes. After all, now
there is a new government at
the helm. Everything will not
remain the same, said 23-year-
old Shailza Sharma, a lawyer.
But complete scrapping of
such schemes wont be a wise
thing. These programmes are
meant for the poor. And they
deserve help from the govern-
ment, Sharma, a resident of
Delhi, added.
The poll results, however, also
indicate youngsters are unsure
over whether the new govern-
ment should carry forward these
schemes with no firm trend
either in favour or against such
programmes.
A massive 97% of the young-
sters surveyed in Jaipur said
the BJP government should
not scrap schemes such as the
NREGA, followed by 77% in
Kolkata.
However, the response to the
UPAs social welfare schemes
was lukewarm in Bangalore and
Cochin, where around 25% were
in favour of these programmes.
NREGA is a strong scheme.
But there are grey areas that
need attention. In some parts
of Andhra Pradesh, the shift of
human resources from agricul-
ture work to a daily wage labour-
ers job is hitting the agrarian
economy, said Hari Krishnan,
23, a development studies student
and resident of Hyderabad.
Caught in two minds over
UPAs welfare programmes
HT Correspondent
A series of corruption scandals
and policy paralysis during 10
years of UPA rule steered young-
sters away from the Congress,
according to the findings of the
HT-MaRS Youth Survey 2014.
Sixty-two per cent of the
youngsters between 18 and 21
years many of them first-time
voters and 65% between the
age of 22 and 25 said they thought
the Congress-led government
encouraged corruption.
Yes, I think that corrup-
tion played a big part in UPAs
downfall. It is the root cause of
everything that is going wrong,
said Tanyaa Sharma, a 22-year-
old Delhi-based journalist.
Corruption in the Congress
regime in the wake of the coal
scam, the 2G controversy, the
VVIP chopper row and the
Commonwealth Games mess,
among others, emerged as major
issues in the run-up to the 2014
Lok Sabha elections.
Besides, amid talks of a par-
allel power centre in Congress
president Sonia Gandhi and
slow decision-making by the
UPA, 56% of the respondents
said they thought Manmohan
Singhs government was not
efficient enough.
The end of the UPA tenure was
marked by spiralling prices, high
inflation and slow growth that
threatened the future of young-
sters entering the countrys
workforce every year.
Its a known fact that growth
rate plunged in the UPA regime. I
wont say the UPA lacked intent,
but they were definitely slug-
gish, said Samarth Chitnis, 23,
a resident of Indore.
The NDA successfully pro-
jected its achievements in job
creation between 1999 and 2004.
The youth were enchanted by
their promise of an economic
turnaround. Joblessness in India
is a huge problem.
A large percentage of young-
sters in Jaipur and Indore 83%
each said they felt the UPA gov-
ernment was inefficient, followed
by 74% in Ahmedabad. All these
cities are in BJP-ruled states.
On the other hand, just 39%
of the respondents in Bangalore
and Pune, and 32% the lowest
in Cochin said they thought
the UPA had failed to deliver.
Interestingly, they are all in
Congress-ruled states.
Graft, inefficiency sparked
outrage, influenced 14 verdict
70% OF YOUNGSTERS
QUESTIONED SAID THEY
VOTED IN THE POLLS,
AND JUST 10% OF
THOSE WHO DIDNT
VOTE SAID THEY FELT
LAZY ON POLLING DAY

RATHER THAN BLAMING
POLITICAL PARTIES OR
GOVERNMENTS FOR OUR
PROBLEMS, THE YOUTH
NEEDS TO INTROSPECT
ON HOW THEY CAN BRING
ABOUT CHANGE IN THE
COUNTRY. WE CANNOT
STAY INSULATED FROM
EVERYTHING ANY LONGER
PRIYANKA VAID, 24, civil
services aspirant

ONE SHOULDNT
BE RIGID WHEN IT
COMES TO BACKING A
POLITICAL PARTY. WHAT
IS IMPORTANT IS NOT TO
BE SWAYED BY THEIR
IDEOLOGIES. INSTEAD,
APPRECIATE GOOD
PRACTICES IN VARIOUS
PARTIES
VINAY SHASHIDHAR, 25, researcher

theysaid
I NTERVI EW SANJAY KUMAR, director, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies
CORRUPTION METER
SAID UPA
GOVERNMENT
ENCOURAGED
CORRUPTION
SAID UPA
GOVERNMENT
WAS NOT
EFFICIENT
92%
Jaipur
38%
Ranchi
83%
Indore/Jaipur
32%
Cochin
(maximum/minimum)
WHATS THE PLAN
SAID LAST GOVTS
PROGRAMMES
SUCH AS NREGA
SHOULD BE
CONTINUED
48%
Men
57%
Women
52%
18-21 years
53%
22-25 years
THE SKIPPERS BRIGADE
(maximum/minimum)
SAID MODI WAS
AN INSPIRATION
TO THE YOUTH
Ahmedabad
Cochin
96%
22%
SAID THEY DIDNT
VOTE BECAUSE THEY
WERE NOT IN TOWN
Indore
Delhi/Ranchi
75%
5%
SAID RAHUL GANDHI
WAS AN INSPIRATION
TO YOUNGSTERS
Mumbai
Pune
43%
9%
SAID THEY DIDNT
VOTE BECAUSE THEIR
NAME WAS NOT ON
THE VOTER LIST
Ahmedabad
Mumbai
5%
96%
19
|

htspecial p
YOUNG INDIA
YOUTH AND ASPIRATIONS
20
|
In pursuit of happiness
EYES ON STARS, FEET ON THE GROUND Youngsters in the south are
more inspired by scientists, while those in the north look up to sports stars
A STABLE FUTURE,
WHERE I HAVE ENOUGH
TO ENJOY THE BEST OF
LIFE, IS VERY IMPORTANT
FOR ME. I KNOW ITS A
TOUGH TASK, BUT NOT
IMPOSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE
IF I PLAY IT SMART. I
AM WORKING ON MY
TOMORROW TODAY
KRISHNA SINGH, 21, student
ILLUSTRATION: MALAY KARMAKAR / RAJ K RAJ / SAUMYA KHANDELWAL
theysaid
Osama Salman
osama.salman@hindustantimes.com
They are young and they are restless, and they carry
their aspirations around unabated. For the Indian
youth, dreams and desires are the driving force to a
better life. While occasionally straying off the path,
young India is aiming higher with every passing day.
The HT-MaRS Youth Survey conducted in 15 cities
across India sheds some light on what the youth in
India want, what they think, and what they aspire to be.
Where do Indias happiest youngsters live? A whop-
ping 88% of youth surveyed from Jaipur said they are
happy, making them the happiest bunch in the country.
The youngsters from the pink city are also the
most worried about their future about 65% of
those surveyed expressed apprehension. Ranchi
youth came close with 63% echoing doubts over a
brighter tomorrow.
At a closer glance, the percentage of office-goers
who have high expectations from their future is lower
than the figures among the student respondents. As a
student, expectations are high, said Karthik Singh, 25,
an executive in a Delhi-based telecom company. But
when you graduate, you move into a new space. It is
but natural that your expectations reduce, he added.
However, Shruti Singh, head of content and social
media in an advertising firm in Delhi, said when stu-
dents turn professionals, many a myth is broken, but
that does not include lowering expectations. In
fact, you make an effort to be better than your peers.
Comparing results of the student and full-time work-
er survey groups revealed that more students aspired
to get rich quick in comparison to full-time workers.
In what may be attributed to a change of guard at
the helm of political affairs in India, the countrys
youngsters are currently happier by over 15 percentage
points more than they were in 2012 (up from 61.5% in
2012 to 77% in 2014). This time around the BJP was
the only viable option, said Jobin Xavier, a student
at Christ College, Bangalore. They seem to have a
fresh direction and new ideas. India is in good hands,
he added. The youth have put their faith in the BJP,
and going by the larger opinion around the saffron
party, are seemingly happy with the election results
and the acche din that it promises.
Men want to party, and 83% said their philosophy
is work hard, party hard. Women, on the other hand,
tread more carefully 68% felt the philosophy would
work for them, but about 5% more women (or 55.2%)
said they like to plan life, career and other things.
Women are conditioned from the very beginning
that they are to get married, raise children and man-
age the house. This inculcates in them a sense of
responsibility and they start planning ahead, said
Zeba Khan, a teacher at Vasant Valley School, Delhi.
While 63.5% of women surveyed agreed all aspects
of life work, leisure, etc should be integrated, only
49.6% men felt the same. The study also revealed that
female respondents were more worried about their
future despite being happier than the men.
Of the 15 cities surveyed, 52% youth in Chandigarh
said they are inspired by a sportsperson like Sachin
Tendulkar. Youth in Ahmedabad, the home state of PM
Narendra Modi, said they are inspired by politicians
like US President Barack Obama while in Mumbai, a
businessman like Ratan Tata took the spot. As many
as 14% youngsters in Pune said they are inspired by
a soldier fighting for the country.
Youngsters in southern cities, including Chennai,
Cochin and Bangalore, were significantly more
inspired by scientists like APJ Abdul Kalam than
youngsters in most northern cities surveyed. Similarly,
the youth in North India drove more inspiration from
sports stars. So does this mean the north is all play
and the south all work?
This is not a north and south divide, said Dr
Varkha Chulani, clinical psychologist at the Lilavati
Hospital, Mumbai. It all depends on a persons
upbringing.
However, Dr Savita Date, clinical psychologist
at Apollo Hospital, Hyderabad, insisted the divide
exists. South Indian houses do lean towards academic
careers, while north Indian homes towards glamour-
ous professions, she said.
North or south, cutting across spheres, the youth
in India are crystal clear of what their goal is. They
are, after all, a force to be reckoned with.
IN THEIR HEARTS
VERY HAPPY AT THIS POINT OF TIME
PEACE OF MIND
City-wise break-up
Want to get rich very quickly
46%
49%
Men
Women
55%
69%
Men
Women
68%
Men
Women
83%
Say they spend extra time to
maintain their distinct style
52%
Men
Women
42%
Say they've strategically planned
for life, career and other things
50% 55%
Respondents
18-21 years
Respondents
22-25 years
Have integrated all aspects of
life: work, family, leisure
53% 60%
Respondents
18-21 years
Respondents
22-25 years
A professor
in an
institute
Sachin
Tendulkar
35%
Dr Abdul
Kalam
19%
Ratan
Tata
14%
Barack
Obama
9%
A soldier
fighting for
the country
7%
Rabindranath
Tagore
7%
SRK or
Deepika
5% 4%
Say 'work hard, party hard' is
their life's philosophy
Have very high expectations
from their future
THE FUTURE IS NOW
WHO INSPIRES YOU THE MOST
J
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88%
86%
83%
82% 81%
80% 80%
78%
75%
73%
70%
68%
64%
62%
Namita Kohli
namita.kohli@hindustantimes.com
How would you describe the shift
in aspirations of the youth in the
past few decades?
In the pre-liberalization era,
where the major employer was
the public sector, the aspirations
were limited to getting into the
civil services or medicine, engi-
neering etc. With the liberaliza-
tion of the economy, and the enor-
mous expansion of the private
sector, an increasing number of
young people are aspiring for jobs
in that sector. Theres an accom-
panying shift in the qualifications
that are required to succeed in
these fields. For example, today,
it is much more important to be
an MBA, than to be an MBBS; or
to pick up computer skills versus
any other skills.
These jobs dont offer the kind
of stability that public sector
jobs of earlier years did, rath-
er they create a lot of anxiety
and insecurity.
However, we must remember that
the aspirational structure that we
are talking about here affects a
microscopic community in our
country; a vast majority of our
population still cant afford these
aspirations.
How has the
structure of ris-
ing aspirations
changed the
ways in which
the youth
perceives
happi-
ness?
As psycholo-
gists would say,
happiness is
a state of
mind. But, generally speaking,
you need at least some minimum
level of material comforts to be
happy. Today, that level has been
disturbed. A couple of decades
back, people would start with a
small Maruti car, today the aspira-
tion is to own a BMW. This creates
a kind of artificiality in conceiv-
ing what is called happiness.
You dont have to be very
rich to be happy, but when
a young person sees others,
they feel the need to catch
up with them. At times, this
aspiration is harboured with-
out realizing that the required
resources is not there to afford
the catching up. At this
point, theres a tendency to fall
into means that are not appro-
priate to achieve
those ends. For
instance, what
is corruption?
It is the gap,
the disjunc-
tion, between desirable goals and
the means to achieve that.
Is the youth then primarily driven
by materialistic concerns?
Materialism was always a part
of life, but today it has assumed
a pathological level, known as
consumerism. Men and women
feel the pressure of not earning
enough to please their family; this
creates tension and dissatisfaction
within the family. Thus the aspira-
tions are going in a wrong direc-
tion. In the pre-liberalisation era,
aspirations were defined in terms
of what one could con tribute for
the cause of nation-building.
Today, the aspiration is what more
can I get from the society. And then
there are the banks that provide
money to fulfill those aspirations
by offering loans; these help people
buy things they aspire for, but they
also enslave them. It is important
then, to find the line between need
and greed.
It is important to find the
line between need and greed
TK OOMMEN, Sociologist
77%
youth said they are very happy with
their life. In 2012, when we asked the
same question, the count stood at
61.5%. The figure is lower, 68%, among
fully-employed youngsters in the
18-25 age group
46%
said they are anxious about their
future. More than half of the
respondents (51%) who are studying
and working said they have no idea
how their future will shape up.
Among fully-employed respondents,
only 35% said they are tense about
their uncertain future
63%
of fully-employed youngsters feel the
country must take steps to ensure
their needs, and aspirations are
catered to
htspecial p
YOUNG INDIA
YOUTH AND ICONS
22
|
The Superheroes Superclub
HEROES INC Step aside Kejriwal and Rahul,
PM Modi is Indian youths political icon. Salman
Khan and Katrina Kaif still rule the hearts
SEXIEST
MAN
ALIVE
SALMAN KHAN RANBIR KAPOOR JOHNNY DEPP ROBERT
DOWNEY JR
DANIEL
CRAIG
36%
29%
7%
6% 6%
SEXIEST
WOMAN
ALIVE
KATRINA KAIF DEEPIKA PADUKONE VIDYA BALAN ANGELINA
JOLIE
BIPASHA
BASU
34% 19%
13%
8%
7%
BIGGEST
ICON IN
INDIAN
POLITICS
NARENDRA MODI ARVIND KEJRIWAL SONIA GANDHI RAHUL
GANDHI
JAYALALITHAA
57%
13%
11%
8%
2%
BIGGEST
SPORTS ICON
ROGER FEDERER MS DHONI
VIRAT KOHLI
LIONEL MESSI
SACHIN TENDULKAR
5.6% 14.1%
9.2%
4.3%
53%
65%
women voted for Narendra Modi as
the biggest icon in Indian politics.
Arvind Kejriwal (13%), Sonia Gandhi
(10%) and Rahul Gandhi (8%) figured
way below in the popularity
sweepstakes among women.
Jayalalithaa, Mamata Banerjee
and Sushma Swaraj got even more
dismal numbers
22%
women thought their safety is the
biggest issue facing India. Not too
many men thought it is a critical
issue: only 13% ranked it above
corruption and unemployment. Most
respondents, across gender, said
corruption is the biggest menace India
needs to fight
0.9%
men who say Maria Sharapova is the
worlds biggest sporting icon. Saina
Nehwal fared slightly better,
with 2.4% men respondents ranking
her on top

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