It's Been 3 Years Since Narendra Modi Took Office -- How Do India's Millennials Rate Their PM?

MONEY SHARMA/AFP/Getty Images.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi completed three years in office on May 26, 2017. The last 12 months have seen his government implement some extremely bold policy decisions, so it was no surprise that news sites and TV channels here analyzed the achievements and problems that Modi’s tenure has brought so far, even more frenetically then they have done in years past. #3YearsofModiGovt trended on social media all weekend.

Public surveys indicate that Modi continues to be the most popular leader India has ever had. But as a millennial in the nation projected to have the youngest population in the world by 2020, it's worth asking how Indian millennials specifically view him. I asked fellow 20-35 year olds how they see Modi and how they’d evaluate his government’s stance on the issues that matter most to them over the past three years. Here’s what I learned:

Demonetization was a major talking point— it is arguably the most radical policy move our generation has witnessed as adults. But millennials seem divided on whether it was a big miscalculation or a big accomplishment.

Some felt that the positive outcomes outweighed the negatives: “Finally the poor have access to banking services, and the rich now will have no choice but to declare their wealth and pay all the tax they owe going forward,” said B. Sridhar, 27, an engineer. Others felt it was damaging and fruitful in equal measure. For Vishal Menda, 26, a student, it was “a genius move, but badly executed.” Rustom Vakharia, 25, an investment professional, agreed: “Most people got away because they’re too clever to store their illegal wealth in cash alone, and the common man was severely inconvenienced--but it did change the mindset of the entire nation overnight.”

Others were more decisively critical. “I'll make no bones about it,” said Priya Elias, 28, a writer and lawyer. “I see demonetization as a massive failure. It impacted the poor disproportionately and failed to eradicate black money to the extent it promised. ”

Narendra Modi is surrounded by his security men. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Unemployment and job security in an era of ever increasing automation is another major concern. “We’re witnessing jobless growth; unemployment is the single biggest failure of this government,” said Ruben Mascarehas, 29, a social activist and entrepreneur. “We have a very small window of opportunity before our demographic dividend turns into a demographic nightmare—our young population will soon begin to age—but I see no sense of urgency.” Sharang Shah, 25, a former legislative assistant to a member of parliament, agreed: “Creating enough jobs is going to be very tough—plus, a large labor pool is useless if they're not equipped with skills that make them employable. Hopefully Modi’s ‘Skill India’ initiative will help address that.”

When asked what they see as Modi’s greatest challenges ahead, the issues that came up were national security and the situation in Kashmir. Many also expressed concern around India’s equation with Pakistan and China.