What Gen Z is really talking about when they talk politics

When you think about India’s Gen Z, a collage almost instinctively forms in your mind, often decoding what this 370-million-strong cohort is supposedly about. They are reshaping work culture, bringing back Y2K fashion, embracing the joy of missing out, and reinterpreting identities and lifestyles. But how much do we actually understand about this chronically connected generation’s political awareness? Where do they get their news, and what are their concerns and non-negotiables?

And for all those questions, Chennai’s Gen Z had answers that did not necessarily align with one another. Yet, among all the Gen Zers this reporter spoke to, one thing was irrefutable: they get their news from social media, absorbing the gist before swiping on. Some, however, do gravitate towards long-form pieces through newspapers and digital subscriptions.

Ciby Sankavi, a 25-year-old educational psychologist from Guduvanchery, says she follows certain news outlets on social media to stay informed about political developments. She feels that Gen Zers often find it safer to advocate on social media, but notes that advocacy cannot end with a story or a reel.

“We do care; we resonate with the socio-political environment very deeply. But online advocacy can become performative; there is an illusion that you are doing something, but it can also stop you from doing more. Only when we turn to action can we feel grounded in our belief systems and politics; otherwise, it will continue to exist in silos,” says Ms. Sankavi, who believes Gen Z needs to think about how to bring youth mobilisation into their constituencies.

“Everything is political. The climate is not equitable for all of us, from the air we breathe to the water that floods only certain parts of Chennai,” she adds.

Voting in digital age

Voting is the most productive way to express one’s political opinion, says a 24-year-old data scientist from Chennai who did not want to be named. “There is simply no reason to miss it. We are all part of a social structure,” he says, adding that he actively reads newspapers to remain objectively politically aware, and that he travelled from the city where he was studying back to Chennai to cast his vote in the 2021 Tamil Nadu election.

“I have seen a few people my age being politically aggressive with their opinions but still missing out on voting. Many in Gen Z also form their ideologies and opinions from social media — tweets, reels, and Reddit skirmishes — but do not acquire genuine political literacy. Only by reading widely can one cultivate well-rounded political consciousness,” he adds.

Sanjith Singh, a Gen Zer from Chennai who works in event management, says he relies on social media for updates on current events and circles back to read more only when something hits close to home.

Political priorities

Among the younger cohort of Gen Z, a couple of 18-year-olds browsing books at the Anna Centenary Library confessed that politics is simply “not their cup of tea.” They said women’s safety and freedom take absolute precedence, but remarked that political parties in the country have not accorded these concerns the priority they deserve, which, in turn, diminishes their inclination to vote. For context, according to Election Commission of India (ECI) data, only about 38% of 18-year-olds in India were registered to vote in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Another set of 18-year-olds — friends who say they might cast their ballots in the 2026 Tamil Nadu election — take a markedly different stance. Poorna, a first-year MBBS student, and Shyam, a CA aspirant, mention that they are politically aware. “Now, even political parties are posting memes about each other and sparring through reels. And Gen Z is specifically getting their updates through this meme culture, unfortunately,” the duo adds. However, Ms. Sankavi points out that resistance through memes is not trivial, since Gen Z copes with humour and enjoys political satire.

Concerns over SIR

GenZ had thoughts on the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, too. Dharmarajaguru K., a resident of Kodambakkam who is in his mid-twenties, shares his observation that Booth Level Officers themselves are not given adequate training on the SIR process. “With the election just months away in Tamil Nadu, why is there suddenly such a rush to execute such a massive exercise within a single month? How are daily-wage labourers supposed to run around and somehow protect their voting rights? The first thought that crosses any worker’s mind is: nothing is going to change for me in particular, so why should I scramble like this?” he adds.

Mr. Shyam and Ms. Poorna had another concern: a significant section of the Gen Z population does not actually know what the SIR process entails. “Yes, ideally this should clean up the voter list and make the electoral roll more accurate, but we don’t know how effectively it will be done or how far its intended impact will reach,” they add.

As they spoke, there was a perceptible restlessness between words, even as their opinions pulled in different directions. Still, the younger crowd kept returning almost in unison to their list of non-negotiables: not only to build stable careers but to have less exploitative working conditions, to breathe clean air, and to live in a system that recognises mental health, autonomy, and social equity not as afterthoughts but as absolute, core necessities.

Published – November 24, 2025 06:00 am IST