Project Status Report Name Parul Purwar Institute IIT

Project Status Report Name: Parul Purwar Institute: IIT Bombay Mentor Name: Sumita Misra Ma’am Institute: Dept. of Women & Child Development, And MD, Women Development Corporation, Govt of Haryana. Presentation Date: 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved.

Maximizing Youth Voting 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 2

Contents § Project Overview What is the project about? Goals and Objectives Scope of the project § Your approach towards the project § Field visits and Mentor Discussion § Key Findings § Results and Discussions § Recommendations, their scope and Flow chart (Strategy) for Implementation § Suggestions for future work 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 3

Project Overview My project focuses on India’s voter turnout and the reasons why it is so less. The highest voter turnout ever recorded was 63. 75 % in the year 1957. The present turnout is at 58. 13 %. 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved.

Goals and Objectives § The goal of this project was to 1) Examine the reasons of voters reluctance 2) Identify the voting pattern of youth in different states of the country 3) How are other countries motivating people to participate in democracy. 4) Design a campaign to increase voter awareness 5) Suggest reforms related to voting process and facilities 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 5

Your Approach Towards the Project § My approach toward the project was a series of questions : Why is youth voting important? Why don’t the youth vote What factors influence the youth Why is their a discrepancy in the voter turnout among the states in India How are other countries dealing with low voter turnout? Solutions and suggestions as how the goal can be achieved. 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 6

Field visits, Meetings and Interviews Sr. No. Date and time Person or Place Organizatio n Aim Findings 1. 18 th May 2012 Shri. Singh District Magistrate Kanpur Nagar SVEEP activities in Kanpur 2. 19 th May 2012 District Electoral Officer Kanpur Nagar Data for youth voters in Kanpur 3. 22 nd May 2012 Shri. Umesh Sinha Chief Electoral Officer Uttar Pradesh To know about the increasing trend in voter turnout in UP 4 25 th May 2012 Dr. K. N. Mishra NSS Head Kanpur University To know about conducting a survey in the university 5. 28 th May 2012 Akanksha and Jyoti Reporters Hindustan -The purpose of the event was that to know what role media played in the Recent Elections. 6. 31 st May 2012 Harpal Singh ECI To get the youth voter turnout data for last general elections 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. Shailendra programmer 7

Field visits, Meetings and Interviews Sr. No. Date and time Person or Place Organizatio n 7. 7 th June 2012 Capt. S. C Tripathi 8. 20 th June 2012 Prof. Y. N. Singh 9. 21 st June 2012 Akshay Raut 10. 21 st June 2012 11. 12. Aim Findings To interact and talk to people working for the mayor’s election. IIT Kanpur, To understand how online voting can be done and whether it is feasible Director General ECI To talk about urban voter apathy and get views on my recommendations Bhagban Prakash Senior Advisor, E. C. I To get to know how YUVA was designed 22 nd June 2012 Vinod Zutschi Deputy commissione r ECI To talk about urban voter apathy 24 th June 2012 Preeti Goel Senior Researcher Rakshak To get feedback on my report and what areas I could work on 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 8

A Ar ndh un ra ac P ha rad l P es ra h de As sh sa m C hh B at iha tis r ga rh G G oa H u i Ja ma H jar m ch ar at m al ya u an Pra na d de Ka sh Jh sh ar mi r Ka kha n rn d at M ak ad ya Ke a ra M Pra la ah de ar sh as M htra M ani eg pu ha r M lay iz a N ora ag m al an O d ris Pu sa R nj aj ab as th a Ta Sik n m kim il N ad T U rip u t U tara ura t ta n an an W r Pr cha a l d N est de i c D ob Be sh ad ar ng ar an C Isla al d ha nd N nd s D aga iga am r rh an Ha v an eli d D La i ks D u ha el Po dw hi nd ee ic p he rry 100 Key Findings 90 50 91, 77 80 77, 95 7069, 95 69, 11 65, 72 60 56, 35 58, 02 58, 77 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 65, 14 55, 69 52, 09 67, 41 63, 6 59, 71 54, 38 52, 69 48, 09 45, 18 9 66, 06 61, 59 49, 97 78, 04 81, 52 48, 07 48, 16 76, 07 71, 45 67, 08 70, 16 69, 04 60, 81 63, 66 51, 14 47, 09 40 2009 35, 2 2004 30 20 10 0 Column 1 2004 2009

Key Findings 1)Analyze the Social Environment 2)Building Coalition of Volunteers and Voters – Uniting Organizations of Youth Volunteers (OYVs) 3)Focusing on Low-Voter-Turnout constituencies 4) Increasing Participation of Young Women 8)Youth Participation beyond Voting 7)Celebrating National Voters Day and Week 6) Developing Cultural habit of Voting 5) Promoting Urban Youth/ Netizens Participation 9)Recognizing the contribution of volunteers 10)Putting Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation mechanism in place 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 10

Electoral Reforms § To abolish the past-the- post system. § Elections for state and Union elections legislatures should be held simultaneously § Parties which haven’t contested election for two or more terms should be de registered. § Using common electoral rolls for the union and state elections. § Allowing negative voting § Restriction on number of seats where one candidate can contest from. § Compulsory maintenance of accounts by political parties 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 11

Results and Discussions § Voter Apathy § What influences a voter? § How other countries deal with low voter turnout. 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 12

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What influences a voter § Socio- Economic Background § Caste and Religion § Gender § Education § Media 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 14

Recommendations § School Senates § Civics Club § Formation of Voter Awareness units in youth organisations Changes in the school and § Involving Panchayats college curriculum § Increasing Accountability § Making the entire of politicians electoral roll online § § Negative or neutral voting 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 15

1) School Senates § Have 2 school heads and prefects for each class. § The election procedure would consist of nominations, campaigning and balloting. § Will give students a practical knowledge of the election procedure § Organize seminars. § Review teachers 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 16

Flowchart (Strategy) for Implementation Ministery of Human Resource and Developement( This ministry is incharge of the secondary school system in India) • They need to make school senates compulsory in every school. • Form a committe of principals to test the viability A Committee of principals needs to established for the following • Check the viability of the proposal • Suggest modifications in the proposal so that it can be implemented in all schools. Dept. of School Education & Literacy ( it is under the ministry of HRD and it supervises school education) • It needs to review the reprt given by the committe and give the go ahead for the scheme. School Administration • Need to set aside funds for this proposal School Principal ( AS the head of the school he/she is responsible for the functioning of school) • Decide the election date and procedures • Assign duties and work as seen fit to the senate Teacher Incharge of Elections: ( A teacher needs to be overlooking the elections and act as the Election Officer) • They need to actually implement the proposal. • Encourage and increase student participation. 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 17

2)Civics Clubs § It will be a part of the SVEEP campaign organized by the Election Commission Of India. § Making form 6 and 8 easily available to all students. § Teaching students about the entire election process and help students above 18 to register and get a voter ID card. § In collaboration with local NGO’s and youth organizations. § Take up an issue in the locality and solve it. The issue could be anything, from opened manholes to lack of green areas. § Involve the local media and social media to publicise their causes. § Identify NGO’s and youth organisations (NSS, NYKS) working near their locality, and enlist their help in solving the said issue. 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 18

Flowchart (Strategy) for Implementation Chief Election Commissioner, ECI ( As the head of ECI, his approval neeeds to be sought before starting a scheme) • He needs to approve the civics club initiative. State Election Commisioners ( Each state has a CEO, who focuses on the implementations of the policies in a state) • Needs to form a working plan for Civics Club and allocate a budget. District Electoral Officer • Assign work to each BLo to identify NGO's and schools for the same • In collaboration with them, establish Civics club. School Principal ( Head of school) Teacher in Charge ( to monitor and oversee the club) 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 19

3) Changes in the school and college curriculum § At a school level, for 9 th to 10 th in civics. CCE should involve taking up a project on a particular section of the government mechanisms. § A compulsory social awareness course should be introduced in colleges along the lines of the environmental education program. This course should incorporate the following Ministry of Human Resource and Development CBSE (It approves changes in the syllabus) Teachers (teachers need to be trained for the change in syllabus 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 20 NCERT ( It implements changes in syllabus)

4)Other things that a schools and colleges could do § Appoint a campus BLO § Buses or modes of transport can be provided to the students on the day of voting § Organisations in colleges which are working in the area of social awareness, can maintain a facebook group which should continually update students on the latest political news. Chief Election Commisioner, ECI (He needs to approve Campus BLOS) 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. State Election Commissioner/ CEO of a state ( He/she appoints the Campus BLO) Appointment of Campus BLO 21 Keeping of forms

5) Making the entire electoral roll online § All the data for the older voters should be put up on the net. § Camps that are being organised for new registration should be equipped with computers, scanners and webcams. This would reduce the need for paperwork and forms. It would make it more efficient as the forms won’t have to be filled back into the computer at the ERO’s office. § A person could be mailed his voter id slip, so that in case that if it gets lost or damaged they might be able to print it out. § The data base should be the same for state and general elections so as to avoid confusions. 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 22

Flowchart (Strategy) for Implementation Chief Election Commissioner , ECI ( As the head of ECI, his approval needs to be sought before starting a scheme) • He needs to approve online database State Election Commissioners (Each state has a CEO, who focuses on the implementations of the policies in a state) • need to ensure that all the state data is transferred online Programmers in ECI( they need to come up with a software for the same) District Magistrate • Has to orgainise training session for booth level officers District electoral officer( he compiles the electoral list) Booth level officers Volunteers 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 23

6) Involving Panchayats § Publicity of electoral roll reading should be done by the Panchayats. It should be announced in schools, hospitals and common meeting places. Aangadwadi workers and women self help groups should be assigned the task of getting women to the electoral reading. § Reading out of rolls should be done. § A permanent copy of the voters list should be made available in villages. § Awareness camps and voter enrolment camps should be also organise by the NGO’s and Panchayats. § These camps can be held during Polio Camps, festivals or any time where there is bound to be a gathering 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 24

Flowchart (Strategy) for Implementation State Election Commisioners District Magistrate District electoral officer NGO's and OYV's Panchayats Booth level officers Angadwadi workers/SHO's Volunteers 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 25

7) Increasing Accountability of politicians I. I would like to suggest a change in how voting is carried out, instead of just voting for the candidates. The voters should also vote for the issues that they think should be resolved in the constituency. The elected candidate should resolve the top 3 issues before the next election. If he doesn’t do this to the satisfaction of the Election Commission, then he should be barred from contesting in the next two terms. II. Each candidate should be assigned a webpage to himself III. Ensuring clean Elections 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 26

Suggestions for future work § § Work on Media Corruption. Inclusion Of IT to facilitate voting 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved. 27

Questions? ? 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved.

APPENDIX 2012 Rakshak Foundation. All Rights Reserved.