The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has embarked on a significant initiative in collaboration with the Election Commission (EC) and the Ministry of Education to tackle the issue of voter apathy, particularly among the youth. This collaborative effort is formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that aims to introduce electoral literacy within the national curriculum, reaching educational institutions across the nation.

The MoU outlines comprehensive plans to integrate voter awareness into the national curriculum, starting from Classes 6 and extending up to Class 12 in schools, with the potential to encompass colleges and universities. The revised curriculum seeks to instill in students the vital importance of participating in the democratic process while educating them about their roles and responsibilities as future voters.

This initiative serves as an extension of the EC's flagship programme, Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP), bringing electoral literacy into the realm of schools and colleges. It aims to enhance the institutional framework by incorporating structured curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities to engage students in issues related to effective voting.

Despite a respectable 67.4 percent voter turnout in the 2019 General Election to Lok Sabha, a significant number of eligible voters did not exercise their fundamental right to vote. The partnership's primary objective is to empower young individuals by addressing information gaps, particularly among the youth and first-time voters.

India's youthful population is one of the world's largest, making it crucial to instill electoral literacy in the minds of the youth for the future of the nation's democracy. The MoU goes beyond just enriching the curriculum; it also includes teacher training to effectively impart electoral literacy. Moreover, it involves the establishment of Electoral Literacy Clubs (ELCs) in educational institutions.

Furthermore, the MoU envisions providing voter ID cards to students upon reaching the legal voting age of 18, empowering them to become responsible, active citizens who understand and value the power of their vote. This comprehensive approach seeks to boost electoral participation, creating an informed and engaged electorate for the nation's democratic future.