This report unveils the outcomes of a sample survey-based study focusing on India’s young population (aged 15-34), jointly conducted by the Centre for the Study in Developing Societies (CSDS) and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) in April and May of 2016.

Comprising nine chapters, including the introduction, each section delves into survey findings related to the central themes of the report: the attitudes, aspirations, and anxieties of India’s youth.

The visualizations presented herein are extracted from Chapter 5, which delves into the social and cultural attitudes of the youth, aiming to position them along the conservative-liberal spectrum.

The survey unearthed that two in every five young Indians believe it’s inappropriate for women to work after marriage, and a similar proportion agree that men make better leaders than women. Additionally, over half of the respondents, to varying degrees, support the idea that wives should always defer to their husbands. Contrary to Western studies suggesting that having daughters fosters gender equity awareness, this survey found that young married men with daughters displayed patriarchal attitudes akin to those with sons.

The report employs repetitive typography as a visual means to convey survey data points, symbolizing the pervasive impact of gender stereotypes ingrained in the youth throughout their upbringing. These stereotypes, disseminated through societal practices, films, and cultural norms, significantly contribute to the formation of regressive views among the younger generation.