What is SVEEP?

The full form of SVEEP is Systematic Voter’s Education and Electoral Participation. This is an initiative of the Election Commission of India to foster voter education, to make the citizens of the country aware of their rights and responsibilities – the first and the most basic tenet of democracy. SVEEP began in 2009, and it has had a very active life since then, creating awareness among voters promoting education about the election and a voter’s role in it. Voters should make an informed choice when they go out to vote and create the future of India.

SVEEP organizes several general and focused initiatives. It bases these on the socio-economic and cultural patterns and the demography of the place, using pre-existing knowledge about voter participation and other parameters to formulate its programs.

The information discussed below will help candidates preparing for the upcoming government and IAS Exam as questions based on the same can be expected in the general awareness section of the written examinations.

What does SVEEP hope to Achieve?

There were specific objectives for which SVEEP was formed, especially vis-à-vis elections in India. Apart from creating awareness among voters, it impresses their role in a democracy like India. It proactively encourages voter registration and maximum possible participation of qualified voters to increase voter turnout in elections.

India already has a very aware population in terms of elections, but many went about it without thinking through what they do. The initiative aims to bring about ethical and efficient polls across the country. Building social equality is also a primary goal. The Election Commission is a part of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), and the UPSC is involved in every step of the initiative.

The Structure of this Initiative

SVEEP has a multi-dimensional structure, working right up from the grassroots to the national, across various steps.

1. Booth Level

The Election Commission instituted Booth Level Officers or BLOs in 2006. They are put in charge of one or two polling stations.

2. District Level

The District Magistrate of the district has a very crucial role to play as far as managing the elections go. They are the DLOs, tasked with implementing SVEEP in districts. The SVEEP committee is formed at this level, head CEO of the Zilla Parishad, who usually is the ADM and supervises the program’s implementation.

3. State Level

The State CEO’s office appoints an officer in charge in each state. The person is empowered to form a core group, with representations from various strata of life – universities, youth organizations, volunteers, etc.

4. National Level

At this level, SVEEP lays down the framework, plans the involvement, formulates policies, and takes note of the objectives of the initiative. In addition, it keeps the conversation with civil society groups ongoing, addresses challenges, and emphasizes collaboration as the primary way of implementing the various aspects of SVEEP throughout India.

Given below are a few related links from the Election Commission of India perspective:

How Does SVEEP Function?

There are two phases – pre-poll and poll. Pre-poll is about voter education and registration. The poll phase deep-dives into whether voters turn out to vote.

Planning – The proposal for the national framework is laid down, and State and District level plans are prepared. It looks into breaches at the level of regions, decides on the event calendar, drafts the monitoring and assessment process, and decides on resource distribution. It is here that advertising content and creative ideas are worked out.

Preparation – They form the Core Committee for the state and district levels, trains officials, do thorough situation analysis, look into gap analysis where applicable – including gender and turnout ratio. It studies what causes the disconnect and alienation of young people.

Partnerships and Collaborations – Collaborations are sought to be made with universities and youth administrations, with PSUs and media companies. Help from single entities and groups is looked into too.

Implementation – Here, targeted and specific involvements are designed. Gender gap reduction effort is taken up, and youth involvement is sought. There is definite urban apathy – this is addressed, and steps are taken to resolve them.

Key Takeaways:

• SVEEP, or Systematic Voter’s Education and Electoral Participation, is an initiative aimed at educating the Indian population on voting rights and voting procedures.
• The initiative was started by the Indian Election Commission in 2009.
• SVEEP’s primary goal remains that of building a participative democracy.
• The initiative functions at multiple vertical levels, right from local election booths all the way up to the nation.
• The initiative encourages all eligible citizens to have their voices heard through the periodic election process of India.
• Many available, as well as targeted interventions, are carried out under this initiative. It seeks to bring greater synergy between various arms of many organizations, media, etc. The initiative welcomes questions and participation from people everywhere in the country and stands as a crucial tool in the Indian democracy.

Read about the important constitutional, statutory and quasi-judicial bodies in the linked article.

To learn more about UPSC 2022 preparation, you can also read: