Abstract

This paper presents a thematic analysis of urban, digitally connected Indian Generation Z (b. 1997–2012) as a cohort navigating the contradictions of “New India.” Situated at the intersection of a digital revolution, globalised aspirations, and enduring structural hierarchies, this generation embodies a profound tension between agency and constraint. The paper examines three dialectical themes: the paradox of globally infused ambitions colliding with local educational and economic precarity; the dual-edged nature of digital citizenship, characterised by networked activism alongside algorithmic polarisation and surveillance; and the pervasive psychosocial anxiety generated by hyper-competition, digital comparison, and existential dissonance. Synthesising contemporary scholarship and secondary socio-economic data, the paper contends that urban Gen Z serves as a critical diagnostic for India’s broader social transformation. While explicitly acknowledging its urban-centric and class-biased limitations, the analysis concludes that this generation’s response—whether disillusionment, co-optation, or sustained negotiation—will significantly shape India’s future trajectory.

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