Participants were asked to choose between paired policy options, revealing clear inclinations. An overwhelming 70% prioritized free healthcare and education for the poor over public infrastructure. Two-thirds favoured tax relief for the middle class over cash transfers. Similarly, over 70% preferred developing villages to building cities, and a similar share leaned towards income-based reservations in private jobs over caste-based ones.

The July survey was the 12th in a series that Mint runs biannually with YouGov India and Delhi-based think tank Centre for Policy Research. It had 10,314 respondents from over 200 towns and cities and was held online. About 45% of the respondents were post-millennials (Gen Z, born after 1996), and 39% were millennials (born between 1981 and 1996).

Also read | How social media fed politics and strained relations during 2024 polls

More respondents preferred increasing tax for big companies (63%) over having an inheritance tax (37%), and creating more government jobs for the youth (57%) over enabling private businesses to create more jobs (43%). Around 53% said the government should focus on narrowing the rich-poor gap (53%) over high economic growth (47%). The nearly 50-50 split shows the view wasn’t as one-sided as with most other questions. There was also a halfway split on keeping fuel prices low (51%) versus promoting public transport (49%).

Class gap

Opinions varied significantly based on respondents’ self-perceived financial status. Among those who considered themselves wealthy, preferences were nearly split across most questions. However, for those identifying as middle-class or poor, choices were more decisive, leaning heavily toward specific options.

Also read | India’s middle-class riddle: How much do you need to be called rich?

We asked similar questions two years ago, and the responses largely align—with one notable shift. Support for free healthcare and education for the poor has surged, rising from 59% to 70% when compared with public infrastructure. Meanwhile, the preference for cash transfers over lower income tax relief has dropped from 47% to 33%.

Despite a growing trend of political parties promising subsidies, India’s digital natives in urban areas appear less convinced by such offerings.

Budget challenge

The survey invited respondents to allocate a hypothetical government budget of ₹100 across five welfare policies. “Improving conditions of hospitals and schools” topped the list, receiving an average allocation of ₹24. This was followed closely by “creating conditions for more government jobs” ( ₹23), “investment in public infrastructure” ( ₹21), “stimulus for growth of big businesses” ( ₹17), and “direct cash transfers to the poor” ( ₹16).

The emphasis on hospitals and schools aligns with another finding from part 4 of this series, where a significant share of respondents favoured free or heavily subsidized education and healthcare. Once again, the survey indicates limited support for direct cash transfers to the poor.

Also read | India’s freebie paradox: Voters dislike it but want some things for free

Vote impact

Do personal economic anxieties shape views on the government’s performance? The analysis reveals a clear connection between how respondents rated the last two terms of the Bharatiya Janata Party government and their perceived difficulty in job hunting.

Also read | In charts: 2024 polls changed the electoral pitch — but only a little

Currently, 47% of urban Indians say finding a job is “difficult,” up sharply from 34% in December 2022, when the survey last asked the same question. The perception of difficulty has grown most among post-millennials, rising from 35% to 51%, and among women, from 36% to 51%, compared to a rise from 32% to 44% among men. Jobs were reportedly hardest to find in mid-sized cities, followed by tier-III cities.

Among respondents who found job-hunting difficult, 27% rated both terms of the government “equally good,” while another 27% preferred the first term. About 22% thought both terms were equally poor—the highest dissatisfaction rate among groups based on job-hunting ease. Respondents facing job difficulties were five times more likely to rate the government’s 10-year record negatively (22%) than those finding jobs easy (4%).

The survey suggests a noticeable preference for public goods, more jobs, and tax reforms. The low inclination towards the private sector could be because finding jobs has got tougher across demographics and regions. However, as the government settles into its third term, it would worry about the link between voting choices and personal economic anxieties.

(The authors are associated with CPR, New Delhi.)

This is the seventh and concluding part of a series about the findings of the 12th round of the survey. The previous parts covered political attitudes, middle-class aspirations, social media use, views on welfare policies, and healthy food habits. These surveys are skewed towards urban, well-to-do netizens, with 90% of respondents falling under the NCCS-A socio-economic category.

Part 1 (14 October): 2024 polls changed the electoral pitch — but only a little

Part 2 (15 October): Making sense of urban India’s political faultlines

Part 3 (21 October): India’s middle-class riddle: How much do you need to be called rich?

Part 4 (22 October): India’s freebie paradox: Voters dislike it but want some things for free

Part 5 (28 October): How social media fed politics and strained relations during 2024 polls
Part 6 (29 October): The great Indian diet challenge: do we really know what’s healthy?

A farmer harvests rice in a paddy field after casting his vote during the second phase of the Assembly election in Ganderbal on September 25, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Adil Abass

After a decade-long gap, Jammu and Kashmir, now divided into two Centrally-administered territories, held its first Assembly election. The last election was in 2014 and led to the formation of a coalition government, which was dismissed in 2018. A political void has been created by the absence of a legitimate government and a sense of marginalisation among the people.

Elections in Kashmir have always been characterised by low voter turnout. But the recent election shows a different direction, the high voter turnout means Kashmiris are ready to speak out after years of waiting.

The National Conference, which is the largest regional party and a key partner of the Congress party, won 42 Assembly seats in the recent election, and almost all of them are in the Kashmir Valley.

Participants were many who continued their agricultural work while participating in political activities, a dual commitment to livelihood and democratic engagement.

Younger voters, especially the unemployed, were particularly eager to show that they would vote, a sign of hope for the future.

However, this atmosphere of engagement is not without its challenges. The election campaigns saw tensions emerge, especially between rival candidates, who confronted each other while their supporters and campaigners faced restrictions.

Active participation of citizens is seen during the campaign period with crowds of people on foot, on motorbikes and on farm tractors with party flags during the rice harvesting season.

Women also played a part, singing traditional Kashmiri political songs and ceremonies to show their support for candidates. Women greeted candidates with flowers and blessings as they visited villages, a sign of hope for a better future for all. These cultural expressions are not only an indication of women’s engagement in the electoral process but also a reflection of the community’s strength.

The incidents sparked protests from party workers in their party headquarters, who continue to fight their battles within the electoral democracy of the region.

The high expectations surrounding the elections are a reflection of a deep-seated desire for positive change, as Kashmir navigates this critical juncture.

After casting their ballots, the voters returned to their fields, showing a commitment to both their political rights and their agricultural responsibilities. However, once the results are announced, the people of Kashmir are fearful that another political force will take away their election and democratic processes, as they have in the past.

Adil Abass is an independent photojournalist from Kashmir, focusing on political, social, and cultural narratives