How is the Indian government engaging Gen-Z through social media?

The Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has increasingly prioritised direct outreach to Gen-Z and the youth through digital platforms. This engagement is managed and measured through several coordinated efforts:

1. Cabinet-Level Social Media Performance Rankings

During a Union Cabinet meeting, the government introduced a formal evaluation system to rank ministers based on how effectively they use social media to propagate government schemes.

• Evaluation Period and Platforms: The assessment analyzed traction and content activity across Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook between May 1 and August 15.

2. Ruling Party Generational and Digital Reset

In alignment with the government’s focus on the youth, the ruling BJP is undergoing a digital and personnel transition to better connect with Gen-Z. This includes:

• Structural Changes in Social Media: The party replaced its long-standing social-media head (since 2015) with Deepak Mhaskey and created additional, distributed social-media roles to make its communication more responsive rather than just focused on amplification.

3. Alternative Perspective: Allegations of Online Censorship

While the government actively tries to engage youth online, opposition leaders have criticized its digital methods. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge accused the government of executing a "brazen and calculated attack" on dissent. He alleged that the government issued 1.95 lakh blocking orders to social media platforms over a five-month period (between March and July), with a majority of those orders targeting content posted by students protesting exam irregularities.