GenC Podcast by Civis

What does it take to celebrate participatory democracy? Trophies, guests, last-minute appearances, many moving parts — and something that feels suspiciously like planning a wedding.In the Season 1 finale of Gen C, different teams across Civis come together to talk about our annual Civis Public Consultation Awards, which recognise government bodies making efforts toward participatory lawmaking through public consultations.But beyond the event itself, this episode looks at the world that makes such a celebration meaningful: the citizens who show up, the institutions that listen, the teams that build bridges, and the belief that our voice could shape something larger than ourselves.Expect behind-the-scenes stories, honest reflections, civic optimism, a few Bollywood references — and a reminder that democracy works better when more of us RSVP.

From factory floors to gig platforms, from night shifts to heat guidelines, the idea of “work” has evolved rapidly. But what about the rules that govern it?In this episode, Sukirat and Antara unpack India’s labour codes and the broader shift in how we think about labour, welfare, and workplace rights. Drawing on insights from Smt. Vandana Gurnani, IAS Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment…., we unpack the tripartite nature of labour policy in India— and what that means in a changing world of work.This is a conversation about the invisible systems shaping our everyday lives - and the role we can play in questioning and shaping them.Thumbnail Photo: Parimala / People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI)Show notes Hear The Voices of India’s Shramiks - Draft Rajasthan Code on Wages Rules, 2021 https://medium.com/civis-vote/hear-the-voices-of-indias-shramiks-eaf5e4d1650eDraft Social Security (Central) Rules, 2025 https://www.civis.vote/consultations/1454/readDraft Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2025 http://www.civis.vote/consultations/1453/readDraft Industrial Relations (Central) Rules, 2025 http://www.civis.vote/consultations/1452/readDraft Code on Wages (Central) Rules, 2025 http://www.civis.vote/consultations/1451/readShram Shakti Niti 2025 – National Labour and Employment Policy of India http://www.civis.vote/consultations/1384/readThe Karnataka Domestic Workers (Social Security and welfare) Act, 2025 http://www.civis.vote/consultations/1380/readKarnataka Platform based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Rules, 2025 http://www.civis.vote/consultations/1294/readMaharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) (Amendment) Rules, 2025http://www.civis.vote/consultations/1415/read

What does “participation” actually mean? Is it the number of clicks, submissions, and responses—or does it begin much earlier?In this episode, we explore the gap between how participation looks in data and how it feels in real life. From drop-offs and hesitation, to curiosity and trust, ,  what drives  some people to engage with policy, and more importantly, others to hold back ?We also look at  how data and outreach tools help  understand and improve this gap—by tracking user behaviour or experimenting with conversational bots, and how they can both be better together. Through real examples—from waste management rules to field outreach—we explore what it really takes to move people from curiosity to contribution.Because participation doesn’t start at submission. And it doesn’t end at numbers.Thumbnail Photo: F. Fiondella/CC BY

We talk about policy all the time — at home, over chai, in dinner table conversations about the invisible rules that shape our lives. So then, why does shaping policy still feel like something only experts can do? In this episode, we explore why lived experience is a valuable form of public knowledge that escapes the experts, how we silence our opinions as ‘not good enough’, and the reasons why ordinary voices belong in public consultations. We also break down the five pillars of good feedback during public consultations, offering a practical way to turn everyday opinions into clearer, more credible, and more actionable inputs for policymaking. This is our attempt to make responding to public consultations more accessible, because if policy shapes our lives, our lives should help shape policy too.Thumbnail Photo: Google Image

Policy isn’t just about what governments do - it’s also about how they talk about it. In this episode, we dive into the growing world of policy communications: what it actually means, why it’s becoming such a big deal, and how it shapes the way citizens understand policy. We break down some real Indian case studies of good and not-so-good policy communication, unpack what worked (and what didn’t), and look at a few global examples that got it right. Along the way, expect some Bollywood references and fun analogies because, honestly, policy makes a lot more sense when it’s explained like a story.Show notes 1. https://theprint.in/opinion/pov/bring-odd-even-back-in-delhi-it-has-healing-properties/2783096/2. https://ieema.org/mumbai-coastal-road/3. https://clop.cegis.org/blog/communications-policy-tool-india#:~:text=Communication%20can%20support%20government%20policies,trust%20and%20accountability%20among%20citizens.4. https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2023/04/good-practice-principles-for-public-communication-responses-to-mis-and-disinformation_e047ea9c/6d141b44-en.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.comThumbnail Photo: Jyoti Shinoli / People's Archive of Rural India (PARI)

You got your voter ID. You showed up. You pressed the button. Now what?Does democracy live only once every five years—or can it be an everyday habit?In this episode, we unpack one of the most underrated citizen superpowers: public consultation - the space where laws are still drafts, and your voice can actually shape them.We break down what consultations are, where they sit in India’s lawmaking process, and whether feedback truly changes outcomes. With examples from India (disability ID guidelines, housing policy) and global lessons from Taiwan and Malta, we ask: who gets included, what keeps people out, and how can participation rebuild trust—for everyone, not experts.If disengagement is the real threat to democracy, maybe participation is the antidote. Thumbnail photo: Nirmal Kumar Sahu / People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI)Show notes PLCP, 2014- https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s380537a945c7aaa788ccfcdf1b99b5d8f/uploads/2023/02/2023021333.pdf Malta Case Study https://tvmnews.mt/en/news/pm-environment-minister-initiate-consultation-with-students-on-the-white-rocks-national-park/#:~:text=Prime%20Minister%20Robert%20Abela%20and,giving%20back%20to%20the%20people.Taiwan Case study https://epd.eu/content/uploads/2023/07/Case-Study-Taiwan.pdfDisability Certification RPwD Rules Amendment https://www.civis.vote/consultations/819/summary?response_token=c4a51bb7-cbc2-4d59-aa3b-2823ec19eb5e

In this episode of the GenC Podcast, we’re switching things up with a monthly policy catch-up: no jargon, no academic overload, just what’s actually been happening and what people have been saying. And today feels especially meaningful because it’s PLCP Day, a day we mark because 5th February is when India’s Pre-Legislative Consultation Policy (PLCP) in the year 2014 was officially adopted, embedding public participation into how laws and rules are made.At Civis, public consultations are at the heart of what we do. We track them, simplify them, collect citizen responses, and share that feedback with government bodies. Over time, this has helped us build a rich body of consultation data not just numbers, but patterns, priorities, and concerns that keep coming up across issues and communities. This episode draws directly from those insights.From environmental questions around the Sanjay Gandhi National Park eco-sensitive zone in Mumbai, to internet and data protection rules that shape how our personal data is used every day, we unpack the themes citizens spoke about the most in 2025. Environment, internet, and labour emerged as key areas of concern, pointing to deeper anxieties around health, privacy, dignity, and livelihoods.We also take this moment, in the spirit of PLCP Day,  to reflect on what it means to be an active citizen as Gen Z. Sometimes that looks like responding to a consultation or staying informed. Sometimes it’s quieter: asking questions, paying attention, or choosing empathy in everyday life. Because participation doesn’t always have to be loud to matter, but it always counts.Show notes Draft Zonal Masterplan for Eco- Sensitive Zone of Sanjay Gandhi National Park - https://www.civis.vote/consultations/1345/readDPDP Rules, 2025 Consultationhttps://www.civis.vote/consultations/1083/readThumbnail Photo: Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS)

Why does citizenship feel so hard? Is there room to care more, while also being more compassionate?In this episode of Gen C, we unpack citizenship beyond voting booths and big political moments. From questioning what we mean by a “good citizen”, to decoding the privileges and barriers that shape how we show up, Antaraa and I move through the everyday actions and invisible rules that define our messy, clumsy identity and practice as citizens.We talk about the ladder of citizenship, why engagement can feel lonely — especially for young people, and stories of ordinary but powerful acts of navigating public systems that rarely make it into our civic narratives.This episode is an invitation to redefine participation — not as something extraordinary, but as something deeply human, imperfect, and already happening around us.Listen in, and share your reflections, thoughts, stories, and questions! C for conversation, remember? Comment below or write to us on [email protected] photo: Dipti Bapat & Abhishek Joshi / People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI)

Before we talk about policy, democracy, or citizenship, we start with why these conversations matter to us at all.In our first episode, we go back to our childhoods, growing up as service kids, watching public systems from the inside, and absorbing ideas of duty, responsibility long before we had a language for them. Those early experiences quietly shaped how we see the system today: not as something distant, but deeply human.This episode moves between memory and meaning — from a Shalimar Foundation to a pan wala uncle who unknowingly shaped our lives. It’s a personal starting point for a podcast rooted in public life. This is where it began for us. Where did it begin for you?

We’ve often wondered how citizens encounter policy: usually late, often overwhelmed—and too often spoken to, not spoken with. We wanted to slow that down. To create something that doesn’t assume prior knowledge or deliver a lecture, but makes space for curiosity, disagreement, and a simple, powerful question: What if?That reflection led to the Gen C Podcast by Civis, where “C” stands for Citizen, Conversation, and Change. It’s a space where policies are unpacked not as distant documents, but everyday rules that quietly shape how we work, live, and participate in public life.Across episodes, we bring together historical context, lived realities, and civic imagination, to add to the story of how change happens: not with certainty, but with messy, real conversations people cared enough to have.We don’t have all the answers. But what we do have is a belief that citizenship isn’t passive, and governance shouldn’t happen behind closed doors.If you’ve ever felt the impact of policies, but didn't fully understand how they work, or wondered how ordinary voices become part of extraordinary change, you are the Gen C listener we need.Tune in. Question. Reflect. And join the conversation.