Step No. 1

The first step to join politics is to get involved in all types of political discussions and get a fair knowledge of what is happening around yourself, only then you would be able to understand grassroot level problems that the country faces. Moreover, reading books about Indian history and politics will prove to be very helpful in understanding the issues present in the country very well, which will in turn help you to refine your thought process on these topics.

Step No. 2

Now that you know about the problems present, the next step is to start volunteering for different political campaigns. It is advisable to join some or the other youth wings present in the political arena. The benefits of joining youth wings is evident from the fact that this country has seen many national leaders who have risen from student politics itself. It is very important for a person, aspiring to be a politician, to have a firm presence among common people. Nowadays, having a good social media presence is also a way to popularise yourself among people.

Step No. 3

Though there is no compulsion for a formal education qualification to become a politician, yet it is advised to gain some education as then people will recognise you as an educated leader which will be a plus point for your image. Again, there is no restriction on choosing your stream of education. But there are certain streams that have produced more Politicians than others. It is often recommended that to join Politics, you should choose courses like

•Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts (Political Science) – This course would add to your knowledge about politics.

• Graduation in Economics (B.A./ B.Sc. in Economics) – In politics, how a government tackles the economy is a deciding factor for the political careers of its leaders. So, it’s good to have a sound knowledge of Economics.

• Graduation in Law (LLB) – Law again is an instrumental factor in politics. What issues have to be risen, what injustice is being done to certain people are always burning topics in politics. So, having knowledge of law beforehand adds to your problem solving ability.

• Journalism (Diploma or Mass Communication is also a good option) – This course refines your communication skills, which are actually the most important traits of a successful politician.

Now, for taking a decision to join which university you should keep in mind that universities like University of Delhi, Banaras Hindu University and Jawaharlal Nehru University have a major part in both student politics and national politics. So, it is better to join either of them if you want a firm start to your political career.

Step No. 4

The importance of skills in any field is unquestionable. To sustain and do good in whatever profession you are following, it is immensely important for you to be skilled in that profession. In the field of politics, the most important skills are Oratory skills, Debating skills, Problem Solving skills, Communication skills etc. It is also recommended that while doing your studies you should indulge in activities like debates, mock parliament and public speaking events to brush up your skills.

Step No. 5

This is actually the most important step to become a politician. After having the correct skills, knowledge and education the next step is to actually work for the people. You should now start going to people in your area to understand their problems and to solve them. Raise their issues in front of the administration. Involve yourself into social works like awareness programs against animal cruelty, against child labour, against casteism etc. Organise rallies for environment protection, women safety, road safety, improving education system etc. This will make the people feel that you will be able to ease their difficulties and work for their growth and development. After all this, the time has come to contest elections either from a political party or as an independent candidate. Though, joining a political party is a better option as there you can learn from your colleagues and get support from that party’s voter base.

There are also other career opportunities present in the field of politics. There are also roles like PR manager, social media manager, political strategist and analysts, financial experts and legal experts for various political parties. All in all, the whole point is that in order to become a politician there are certain recommended steps. Start with acquiring knowledge about different social and political issues of the country, gain some education and skills, work for people on the ground level to make them believe in you. These steps will be very helpful in the long run to your political career.

Tejasvi Surya

This 29-year-old politician is one of the most promising young politicians present in the country. He represents the Banglore South constituency in the 17th Lok Sabha from the BJP. He possesses the degrees of Bachelor of Academic Law and an LLB from the Banglore Institute of Legal Studies. He is the youngest MP to represent BJP, and was also the General Secretary of BYJM. He has also founded an NGO named Arise India and launched a Bengaluru South coronavirus taskforce to battle against the pandemic. In the Parliament, he has raised issues like vandalising of a religious site in Hampi, removal of local language barrier in recruitment in banks.

Sachin Pilot

This 42 year old Congress politician is the present Deputy CM of Rajasthan and President of the Rajasthan Congress Committee. He has previously been the Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Corporate Affairs in the Government of India. He is an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania. Sachin Pilot is the first Union Minister of India to be commissioned as an officer in the Territorial Army (India), following his family’s legacy to serve in the armed forces.

Poonam Mahajan

This dynamic 39 years old politician is the current MP, Lok Sabha from Mumbai North Central constituency. She is also the National President of Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha. She has been an Animal Rights and Environment Protection activist. She is one of the rare MPs who have utilised 100% of Member of Parliament Local Area Development Fund in 2014-2019 tenure. She has also presented several private member bills like The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill 2017, The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Amendment) Bill 2015, The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (Amendment) Bill, 2016 etc.

Jamyang Tsering Namgyal

This 34 years old youngblood is the present MP, Lok Sabha from Ladakh (India’s largest constituency geographically) representing the BJP. He came to limelight after delivering a fiery speech in 2019 in the Lok Sabha supporting the Union Territory status given to Ladakh. Namgyal was youngest Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh.

Gautam Gambhir

This 38 years old former Indian Cricketer is the current MP, Lok Sabha from East Delhi representing the BJP. He is a firebrand leader, whose aggressive nature is well known to his opposers, both on the field and off the field. The Gautam Gambhir Foundation is his initiative, through which he has set-up community kitchens in Delhi, spread awareness about health and hygiene amongst young girls and started a fight against the pollution in Delhi. He has also installed CCTV cameras in his constituency to ensure women’s safety. 

Dushyanta Chautala

He is the serving Deputy CM of Haryana. This 32 years old politician is also the president and co-founder of Jannayak Janta Party. He has done B.Sc.(Management) from California State University and Masters of Law from National Law University Delhi. He was conferred with the highest civilian honor by the Cooperation Commission of Arizona, USA in 2017. In 2018 he was included in the list of World’s 100 Future Leaders in government (according to a UK based platform). He has raised his voice for issues like Youth employment, senior citizen pension and fair support price for farmers.

Raghav Chadda

This 31 year old politician is the National Spokesperson of the Aam Aadmi Party. He is the current MLA from Rajinder Nagar. He is a practising Chartered Accountant, who has studied in University of Delhi and ICAI. He worked as an advisor to deputy CM of Delhi in preparing the 2016 budget. He is also in the party’s National Executive Committee 

Aditya Thackeray

This 30 year old dynamic leader is serving as Cabinet Minister of Tourism and Environment, Government of Maharashtra. Son of the current CM, he has graduated from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai.  He is an MLA from Worli Constitution of Mumbai. He has also been indulged in Poetry and Songwriting previously. His social works are well known in Mumbai.

Jaiveer Shergill

This 37 years old politician belongs to the Indian National Congress. He is also a lawyer by profession in the Supreme Court of India. He has a Master’s Degree in Law from the University of California. He has been on the panel of lawyers for a famous Indian Telecom Company in its case against the Income Tax department. He was also a representative at the International Bar Association. On the political front, Jaiveer has raised his voice for issues like extensive drug use, depleted condition of Punjab schools. He also serves as the National Media Panelist for the INC.

Chirag Paswan

He is the current president of the Lok Janshakti Party. Aged 36, he is the serving MP from Jamui, Bihar. Graduated as an engineer, he owns an NGO named Chirag ka Rojgar which works for providing employment to youth in Bihar. Being a former Bollywood actor, Chirag is also an influential orator.