Context
- Trigger Events:
- Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned as Vice President citing age-related health issues.
- RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat suggested leaders should step aside at 75; sparked debate as PM Modi and other leaders continue beyond this age.
- BJP’s unofficial “75-year limit” symbolized through Margadarshak Mandal (retirement/advisory cell).
- State-Level Relevance:
- Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s age and health questioned ahead of elections; public gaffes raised concerns about policy decision-making.
Relevance:
- GS2 (Governance / Polity): Leadership demographics, political succession, party mechanisms.
- GS1 (Society / Culture): Historical perspective on leadership, global comparison of gerontocracy.
Global Perspective
- Gerontocracy: Rule by older leaders or councils of elders; prevalent globally.
- 2024 U.S. Elections: Age was central; Biden left office at 82, Trump inaugurated at 78 years 220 days.
- Other Examples:
- Brazil: Lula da Silva, 79
- Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu, 75
- India: Narendra Modi, 74
- Authoritarian Context: Leaders like Erdogan (Turkey, 72) and Putin (Russia, 72) maintain power long-term; shows age rarely constrains political dominance in non-democracies.
Historical Roots
- Ancient Precedent:
- Greek city-states and Roman Senate: Age associated with wisdom and experience; legitimized elder rule (traditional authority).
- Indian PM Trend:
- Nehru: First PM at 58, median age 66; demitted office at 74
- Rajiv Gandhi: Youngest PM at 40
- Morarji Desai: Oldest PM at 81
- Modi: Entered office at 63; median age of PMs rising to 76 by 2014
- Historical median PM age: ~67
- Indian CMs Trend:
- Median age rose modestly: 57 (1950s) → 59.5 (2020s)
- Peak decade: 2010–2020, median CM age 62.25
- Younger appointees balanced by veteran leaders like Prakash Singh Badal, V.S. Achuthanandan, M. Karunanidhi.
Parliamentary Demographics
- Lok Sabha Age Profile:
- Average MP age: 46.5 (1952) → 56 (2014)
- Share of 25–40-year-old MPs: 25–30% (early years) → <10% (2019)
- MPs aged 56–70: <25% → ~40% (2019)
- Youth Representation:
- Random Indian <30 years old: 50% probability
- Random MP <30 years old: 0.007% probability
- Indicates significant underrepresentation of youth in Parliament
Key Implications
- Gerontocracy as Norm:
- India mirrors global trend of older leaders in democracy and autocracy.
- Experience and longevity often prioritized over generational turnover.
- Governance Implications:
- Older leaders may face health or cognitive constraints affecting decision-making.
- Public perception of leadership may shift (e.g., Nitish Kumar’s “sushasan babu” image vs current doubts).
- Political Culture:
- Lack of formal retirement age allows leaders to hold power indefinitely.
- Party mechanisms (e.g., BJP’s Margadarshak Mandal) signal informal retirement frameworks.
- Democratic Renewal:
- Declining youth representation in Parliament may reduce innovation, responsiveness, and generational equity in policy.
- Gerontocracy raises questions about succession planning, leadership grooming, and inclusion of younger voices.
- Global Comparison:
- Indian median age of PMs and CMs rising, similar to trends in U.S., Brazil, Israel, and authoritarian regimes.
- Suggests gerontocracy is a persistent feature of political systems, whether democratic or autocratic.
