Summary
First-time voters weigh choice, responsibility as politics moves centre stage
They have just finished writing their board exams. Now comes another decision — quieter, but no less consequential.
A set of Class XII students, all newly 18, are preparing to vote for the first time, negotiating excitement, doubt and a growing sense of responsibility. The timing sits oddly — results are still pending, college plans uncertain — but the vote is real and immediate. “It’s a unique feeling,” said Raunak Kumar Thakur of National English School, VIP Road. “Partly because I’ll be voting for the first time, and also because it brings a sense of responsibility.”
“I’ve been paying more attention to party manifestos since my vote will count,” he said. They all are reading, asking, arguing — sometimes with family, sometimes with themselves.
At home, those discussions have moved from the background to the centre stage.
For Madhav Rathi of Delhi Public School, Newtown, the engagement has been more direct. “I’m really excited to be voting for the first time. I’ve always been inclined towards politics,” he said.
Family influence is there, but not unquestioned. “I don’t blindly agree with their views and often have debates at home,” he said. What matters to him is follow-through. “I believe accountability means leaders should fulfil their promises consistently, not just before elections.”
Employment and law and order are key issues.
Not everyone is as certain. The first vote, for some, comes with hesitation.
“Voting for the first time feels exciting and instils a sense of responsibility within me,” said Yutika Das of M.P. Birla Foundation Higher Secondary School.
“At the same time, I feel nervous about choosing the right candidate without relying on others’ opinions.”
She places little weight on campaign promises. “I do not focus much on promises, as many remain unfulfilled after elections,” she said. Instead, she looks at what candidates have done — their work, their background, their capability.
Her concerns are immediate and specific — waste management, roads, safety and public facilities. “Documentaries and real-life experiences have shaped these views,” she said, suggesting that awareness is coming not only
from textbooks.
For Akash Mondal of Asian International School, the emphasis is on the act itself. “It is a big responsibility, as even my single vote will contribute to the greater good,” he said.
“It feels like a daunting milestone, yet very exciting.”
He has taken advice from family members who follow the news closely, but frames his decision in practical terms. “Rather than focusing on party alignment, we should look at a candidate’s past work,” he said. Promises, he added, are not enough without delivery. What links these responses is not uniform enthusiasm, but a shift from distance to involvement. Politics, for many of them, was background noise through most of school. The vote has brought it closer.
“In my 18 years of teaching political science, I have seen a clear shift — today’s generation is far more aware of the political scenario,” said Damayanti Basu, a political science teacher and headmistress of NES World School.
“They understand that the right to vote is not just a line in a textbook, but a real tool to bring change.”
Classroom conversations show that change. “Students constantly question real-world implementation and implications,” she said.
“This year, especially, I see a sense of dilemma among them — whether to continue with the same government or bring change.”
That uncertainty runs through the first-time voters as well. They are not stepping in with fixed loyalties or clear-cut answers.
Boards allowed rough work. Voting will not.
Last updated on 09 Apr 2026
