As Bihar prepares for the first phase of Assembly elections on Thursday, first-time voters and young job-seekers express deep frustration over education and employment. Jan Suraaj has fielded Krishna Chandra Sinha, a 70-year-old renowned mathematician and former vice-chancellor of Patna University, from the Kumhrar seat in Patna. Known widely as K C Sinha, he authored over 70 textbooks popular in schools and coaching centres across Bihar. Kumhrar has 6,454 first-time voters aged 18-19 and 53,515 voters aged 20-29, many actively seeking jobs or higher education. Statewide, Bihar has 14.01 lakh first-time voters and 1.63 crore voters in the 20-29 age group, forming 22 percent of the electorate. This young vote bank has pushed parties to promise jobs: the NDA pledges over one crore employment opportunities, while the Mahagathbandhan vows a government job per household. Yet many young voters remain sceptical, citing paper leaks, scarce opportunities, poor infrastructure, and delayed exam results. Some plan to skip voting altogether, frustrated by years of unfulfilled promises and forced migration for education and work.
Young voters voice despair over jobs and education
Many first-time voters in Kumhrar feel disillusioned. Vivek Anand, 20, will miss his first vote because he booked tickets to Delhi months before poll dates were announced. A Delhi University student who shifted from Patna University, he blames lack of infrastructure and opportunities. Others echo his frustration: paper leaks, police lathis during protests, and scarce vacancies dominate their concerns. Shivam Kumar, 23, questions why he should vote if no government works for students. Sahil Kumar, 21, highlights chaos in exams and frequent paper leaks. Sumit Singh, 19, preparing for state exams, criticises the government for ignoring young men while announcing reservations for girls. Many see migration as the only solution, abandoning Bihar for better prospects elsewhere.
Mathematician K C Sinha contests from BJP stronghold
Jan Suraaj chose K C Sinha to represent Kumhrar, a BJP stronghold held by incumbent Arun Kumar Sinha for three consecutive terms since 2010. The BJP replaced him with Sanjay Kumar Gupta, 50, while Congress fielded Indradeep Kumar Chandravanshi, 47. K C Sinha's textbooks give him instant recall among students, and his Kayastha caste aligns with Kumhrar's dominant community. His campaign emphasised jobs, education, and healthcare. Some young voters appreciate Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor for raising real issues, even if they doubt electoral victory. Others remain apathetic, citing delayed exam results—SSC notifications from 2014 saw results only in 2021—and mistreatment of Biharis migrating to Maharashtra and the South.
Source: Link