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India’s Ministry of Education and Election Commission Forge Partnership to Integrate Electoral Literacy into School and College Education
The Ministry of Education, Government of India, and the Election Commission of India formalized a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 2nd November 2023. The agreement signifies a joint commitment to integrating voter education and electoral literacy into the formal education system of schools and colleges. The objective is to equip future and new voters with the knowledge and understanding necessary for active and informed participation in electoral processes. The MoU emphasizes the importance of making young citizens well-versed in the country’s electoral system, instilling in them the eagerness to register as voters, and encouraging their participation in elections with passion, awareness, and ethical considerations.
As part of the MoU, provisions are made for the introduction or update of NCERT textbooks to include electoral literacy within the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for Classes 6th to 12th. Additionally, the integration of voter education and electoral literacy into the curricular framework for all colleges, universities, and adult education is outlined. The initiative also involves providing necessary training to teachers by incorporating the subject matter into teacher education course materials.
Beyond the classroom setting, the MoU aims to raise awareness among students through Electoral Literacy Clubs in schools and colleges, as well as Democracy Rooms in every senior secondary school. Co-curricular activities, the dissemination of communication materials on electoral literacy through various media suitable for students, administering a pledge to vote, organizing mock polls, EVM-VVPAT demonstrations, providing information about ECI mobile apps, and instilling practices of free, fair, and ethical voting in student union elections in colleges and universities are among the planned activities.
