Democracy is all about an informed choice. In an attempt to address voter apathy among young Indians, the Election Commission of India and the Ministry of Education signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to include electoral literacy content in NCERT textbooks.

The MoU highlights the role of the NCERT in introducing and updating textbooks with electoral literacy content while advising the other State Education Boards to follow a similar suit.

The primary objective of this MoU is the integration of voter education and electoral literacy into school curriculum starting from grades 6 to 12 in all educational institutions. This reform shall later funnel to colleges and universities. The content will be framed in a manner that would suit various disciplines and corresponding academic credits.

The Ministry of Education stated that school and college students will soon learn about their future role and duties as a voter in the election process as a part of extracurricular interventions in the curriculum. This memorandum was signed last week, Thursday.

The MoU's focus is on expanding the Systematic Voter's Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) within the realms of schools and colleges. It aims at building an institutional framework to include electoral literacy into the education system.

It is intended to prepare future and new voters for increased electoral engagement thereby strengthening democracy. Educating young minds about the importance of their vote is highly crucial.

Though, Electoral Participation has increased over the years but the statistics of non-participants remain a concern. This collaboration empowers young individuals by bridging the knowledge gap among youth and first-time voters.

Failure to ensure the inclusion of every voter in the country can seriously impact the health of a democracy. Both rural and urban areas are expected to be covered here.

Emphasis on teacher training to effectively impart electoral literacy in classrooms. It also promotes the establishment of Electoral Literacy Clubs (ELCs) in schools and colleges and encourages awareness among people.

To maintain a robust mechanism in the country, this new system is attempting to get incorporated soon.

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Reference:

• financialexpress.com
• www.timesnownews.com