The document discusses issues related to youth and conflict in Northeast India. It makes three key points: 1) The Northeast region of India is isolated from the mainland and surrounded by other countries, which has led to many conflicts that undermine the idea of a prosperous Indian democracy. 2) The region has unique characteristics like natural resources, strategic location, and distinct environments that make it worthy of separate study. 3) The region has faced issues like Naga insurgency, unrest in multiple states, inter-ethnic conflicts, and lack of communication between the region and central government, which has perpetuated a "culture of conflict". Understanding the historical and sociological dimensions is important to address the problems holistically.

1. Dept. of Sociology
Rajiv Gandhi University
Rono Hills, Doimukh
Arunachal Pradesh

2. Conflict in Northeast India:
 The NE India region is poorly connected to the Indian
mainland by a small corridor (chicken neck) and
surrounded by Bhutan, Myanmar, Bangladesh and
China, is the setting for a multitude of conflict that
undermines the idea of India as a prosperous and
functioning democracy.
 The British colonialists became politically interested
in the region and entered after 1826.

3. What’s unique about Arunachal Pradesh that qualifies it as a
region that calls for special focus and that makes it distinctive
enough to be studied as a separate state?
Apart from geographical location, this region is different
from the rest of the country because of many other
characteristics:
 Arunachal Pradesh has a rich base of resources, the most
important ones being natural resources, hydro power
potentials etc.
 It is strategically located. It has its own distinctive
environmental beauty and elegance. Most parts of the
state are hilly and have plains in the foothills and are
surrounded by the Himalayan ranges.
 The pace of economic development in the hilly state differs
considerably from the plains.

4. UNREST
 Naga insurgence, started in 1950s, known as the mother of Northeast insurgencies.
One of the oldest unresolved armed conflicts in the world.
Manipur, Assam, Nagaland, Tripura and most recently in ARUNACHAL Pradesh have
witnessed scales of Unrest. However, it must also be mentioned that internal
conflicts/unrest have been a permanent feature of the Asian political landscape since
1945, of which post-colonial India is no exception.
The reasons for the respective conflicts are wide ranging from separatist movements, to
inter-community, communal and inter-ethnic conflicts and Youth Unrest.
 Unfortunately, data/information are not sufficiently analyzed /communicated between
region and the Centre, - misinformation and alienation.
 Unrest has affected the territorial/political sovereignty / life of people living in
incomprehensible and inexplicable terms. There is a “culture” of conflict and
unfortunately, people have submitted to such an existence.
 However, amidst sense of Unrest and helplessness, there is also an overwhelming
desire/force to be free from such situation which cripples the people from all sides.
 To gain a holistic understanding of problem that has historical & contemporary
sociological dimensions, it is important to assess and understand the various facets of the
problem.

5. Population aged 10 years and above in north eastern states
 State Population (In mllns)
Assam 23.0
Arunachal Pradesh 1.6
Sikkim 0.5
Nagaland 2.3
Manipur 2.0
Mizoram 0.8
Tripura 2.9
Meghalaya 2.1
All India 924.4
Source: NYRS (2009), NCAER

6. Distribution of urban population, 10 year olds and over, by level of education
State Graduate Profl. /Hr. research degree
Assam 12.1 0.7
Arunachal Pradesh 9.3 0.2
Sikkim 5.9 0.1
Nagaland 9.5 0.2
Manipur 20.2 0.1
Mizoram 3.8 0.2
Tripura 10.6 0.4
Meghalaya 4.1 1.0
All India 9.6 1.1
Source: NYRS (2009), NCAER

7. Who are the youths?
 The definition of a youth is a young person who has
not yet reached adulthood and refers to the time
period before you become an adult.
 (http://www.answers.com)
 Youth is consciousness of power- power to GROW,
power to CONCEIVE infinitely, and to BRING FORTH
UNLIMITEDLY that which the soul desires.

8. Youth Unrest
 Youth unrest may be defined as the “manifestation of collective
frustration of the youth in the society”
 'Unrest' means 'disturbed condition'. It is “the state of disillusionment
and dissatisfaction”.
 One cause of youth unrest would be dissatisfaction among young
people with the status quo and a desire to change it. Often young
people (justifiably, I think) are frustrated with their inability to control
their own lives, and the fact that older people, from their parents to
politicians, are making decisions for them.
 Youth agitation is the behaviour of the youth whose goal is neither
injury to a person nor destruction of public property but social protest.
Social protest may lead to aggression, agitation, and movement.
Aggression is a hostile act intended to harm or object, often the result
of frustration.

9.  Youth Unrest –
 Agitation/Movement
 Offend Youth- Dissolusement – Need to Change-
Existing Norms
 To understand more - classify youth agitation
Resistance Agitation
Revolutionary agitation
Persuasive agitation

10. Resistance agitation- Objective agitation to keep the power
holder in their place.
Eg; Revaluation dropped in Semester system
Persuasive agitation- To change the attitude of the powers
that be by discussion across a table and making them
accept their viewpoint- emotional outlets.
Revolutionary agitation-Aim to bring sudden sweeping
changes in the educational and social system.
Revolutionary leaders see basic changes as possible only
after the existing system is overthrown and a new system is
introduced.
Youth in china in 1987, the AAPSU agitation, Bodo
agitation

11. Types of Youth Unrest
In no country, the youth unrest takes place for the same reason and assumes
the same form all the time. The nature of youth unrest is that it is unsteady,
irregular and sometimes happens spontaneously.
 Myron Weiner’s Classification of Youth Unrest:
1. Political Activities and Movements:
 Sometimes youth unrest is associated with the larger political movements.
Students often take up political issues and join hands with other non- youth
organisations and political parties and fight for them.
 Youths/Students have participated in various political movements launched for
issues such as border disputes, steel plant location, price rise, water dispute,
anti-Hindi and anti-English agitations, emergency, postponement of elections,
dismissal of ministers, etc. Processions, staged demonstrations, gheraoed,
resorted to violence and conflicted with police authorities.
2. Student Agitations for Educational Causes:
 Students have agitated for educational causes. Appointment of lecturers,
Supply of laboratory equipments and library books, cancellation of donation
and capitation fees, reforms in examination system and type of question
papers, recognition of the student union, participation of students in
administrative bodies such as senate, syndicate, academic councils,
postponement of examination, etc.
3. Spontaneous Student Agitations: Spurrrr.. in the moment/ Emotional &
Sensitive

12. Youth Receptive to agitation-
 Identified Five types of youth who take to agitational activities:
1) Socially isolated- Youth who feel alienated and cut off from the larger society.
2) Unattached to family- Youth who lack intimate ties with their families are
encouraged to agitate.
3) Personally maladjusted- Youth who have failed to find a satisfying life role,
for eg; those who couldn't develop adequate interest in studies, are
unemployed/under-emlployed/unsuccessful - join agitation because of an
emotional need to fill the void in their lives.
4) Migrants- little chance of getting integrated into the larger community,
joining agitation acts as refuge for them.
5) Marginals- Who are not fully accepted/integrated with their caste, religious,
linguistic group feel insecure and resentful. They find it difficult to resolve
the discrepancy in self image and public image which necessities them to
join agitation to get some recognition.

13. Major theme on the cause of youth agitation
 A number of theories on youth agitation are always a part
of discussion, usually two theories may be suggested to
explain youth agitation.
Psychological Agitation- Discontent
It is true that without discontent amongst the youth, there
will be no youth agitation. Angry youth who feel victimized
by outrageous justice, or those who feel annoyed with
existing structure will collectively act to pressurize the
power holder to bring some changes.
Sociological Agitation – Personal Maladjust
Agitation as a refuge from personal failure

14. Youth Today
 Fiercely individualistic.
 Youth is power
 Youth is energetic
 Youth is creative
 Youth is hard worker
 Youth is passionate/innocence
 Media-savvy.
 Comfortable with - and bombarded by - the abundance of technologies
that exist today. (Internet- Information overloaded - Less Knowledge)
 Extremely stressed in everyday lives.
 Strongly believe that they can make the world a better place- a perfect
springboard for getting them involved as volunteers.
 Open to finding several different ways to care.
 Among the issues they find compelling are: –
Health –substance abuse –children's issues –the elderly –violence
prevention –animal rights –and the environment

15. Youth Unrest in Arunachal Pradesh
 Unemployment
 Uneducated
 Drug abuse
 Politics
 Student Politics
 Sexual violence
There are reasons behind the youth unrest:
Lack of Political Will/ Direction
Nepotism
Defective Educational System
Unemployment
Communication Gap
Lack of Determination and Self-Responsibility
Misuse of Student Power by the Politicians
Lack of Opportunities
Further:
 Rapid Population Growth
 Economic Inflation
 Changing Technology
 Demand for highly skilled labor
 Global Competition
 Illiteracy

16. Factors contributing to Youth unrest in Arunachal Pradesh
1. Improper Socialisation and Family Problems:
 Failure of parents to bring up their children, in accordance with expectations of the society.
2. Political, Social and Economic Inequalities:
 Young people are more sensitive to the political, economic and social inequalities and exploitation. Disillusioned with what they
are having and are pessimistic about the future.
3. Defective Educational System:
 The outdated, uninspiring, unintegrated and irrelevant educational system cannot make the students to become disciplined and
responsible.
4. Unemployment:
 The unemployment of the educated youths is on the increase. The education that they receive does not enable them to become
economically self-reliant. On the other hand, the government is not in a position to provide employment to all the educated
youth. As a result, the youth are losing confidence in themselves and are becoming more restless.
5. Corrupt and Discredited Authority:
 Corruption, craziness for power, moral lapses, opportunism, nepotism, discrimination, etc., found among the political and
social leaders. The leadership has failed to set a good model for the students to emulate.
6. Misuse of Student Power by the Politicians:
 The corrupt/ unscrupulous politicians, use student power for further their partisan political interests.
7. Communication Gap:
 Lack of understanding and lack of proper communication between the students and teachers on the one hand, parents and
children.
8. Value Differences and Conflict of Values:
(i) Traditional beliefs, practices, ideas, ideals and values appear to be unscientific, irrelevant and irrational.
(ii) The youths are rationalistic impressed by the modern values based on science and rationalism.
(iii) The youth are influenced by values of individualism and democracy. Hence they are revolting against the old traditional
order.
(iv) The youths feel they are matured, responsible and sensible. They resent their elders.
(v) Carried away by the hedonistic values or pleasure philosophy. Want to take the maximum benefit out of the disturbed social
situations.
9. Lack of Opportunities: Less opportunities, to express their talents, cultivate their interests and develop their personality.
10. Gap between the Aspirations and Achievement: The youths are likely to have their own aspirations and ambitions.
11. Lack of Determination and Self-Responsibility: Lack of will power and self-determination. They depend more on others
rather than on their intrinsic abilities and talents.
13. Influence of Movies/Media:

17. Positives sides of youth.
 ‘Youth is the power’, ’youth is the maker’,
‘youth is destroyer’.
 If we keep apart the last quotation, youth is the only
soil to rescue the boat of a nation from any calamity.
From the primitive history the youth class has taken
the charge to set free nation.
 Youths played roles in the past and they are still
playing many important roles. In the past youth played
to free our country from enemies, to help our
government to compensate of liberation war.
 For youth unrest, now we are living in a democratic
country.

18. Very important India has yet not yet developed a youth policy.
 Although many critical issues faced by young people and
despite various discussions- No proper platform to look
into the grievances of young people. Still not formulated a
cohesive approach to addressing the issues faced by young
people.
 As a result, there are contradictions and gaps in the policy
environment with regard to fulfilling the needs and
protecting the rights of young people.
So Who is responsible in formulating Youth Policy?
Are You?????

19. Steps to be Taken to Reduce the Unrest
 Career Guidance Programmes: helps youths to gain
confidence and systematic lifestyle.
 Counseling to parents: Made conscious /Socialisation.
 Value Oriented Education to save human community
from the effect of immoral aspects on modern youth
 Controlling Students’ Politics : Interference in Youth
politics and union activities – prohibition - activities -
for enhancing creative ideas and leadership qualities

20. Problems of the Youth of North-East India: A Sociological Inquiry
A.K. Nongkynrih
Source: Sociological Bulletin, Vol. 58, No. 3 (Sep - Dec 2009), pp. 367-382 Published by: Indian Sociological Society
 i) to analyse the discourse on the problems of the youth, and
 (ii) to examine the sources of these problems
the youth.
 Through the media and in various public fora the public discourse has
been stressing the folio wings:
i. the youth face many problems,
ii. 'problems' are related with the youth, and
iii. The youth of the North-East India themselves are a 'problem' to the
state
To illustrate the point, on various occasions statements are made in
public that young people joined the underground movements or that
the youth are ruining their lives by engaging in unproductive and
unhealthy lifestyles because either are poor or unemployed.

21. The Academic Discourse on Problems of the Youth
 Education, Employment and the Youth
 The Family and the Youth
 The Socialising Institution and the Youth
 The Politics of Identity and the Youth
 The Youth with Disability- Not Born but Made

22. Youth Movement in NE India-
A. C. Sinha
Thrust Area : Regional Context
 The emergence of new tribal educated lot started realising
and became conscious of the power syndrome emerging in
the sub-continent
 The increasing realisation among the educated tribals that
the increasing economic incursions of the communities of
the plains are going to extend into the hill regions, thus
destroying the ethnic niches of the tribal communities.
 The Non Tribal Youth and the Identity Question
 Policy of National Integration
 Consumer cultural economic development- Materialism

23.  Thank You