Tidbits about new Cabinet

Tomorrow, as we wait for the new Cabinet to be announced, here are a few interesting tidbits about the new members of the 17th Lok Sabha, as provided by PRS India.

• The average age of an MP is 54 years.
   
• The 17th Lok Sabha has 12% of MPs below the age 40 years.  This is more than that of the 16th Lok Sabha which had 8% of MPs below the age of 40 years.
   
• This bucks the longer term trend of Lok Sabha getting older.  The proportion of MPs below 40 years of age has steadily declined from 26% in the first Lok Sabha.
   
• On average, women MPs are 6 years younger compared to male MPs in the 17th Lok Sabha.
• 27% of MPs have studied till 12th class.  In comparison, 16th Lok Sabha had 20% MPs who had studied till 12th class.
   
• Since 1996, at least 75% of representatives of each Lok Sabha have been graduates.
• 716 women candidates contested the General Election.  Out of which, 78 women MPs have been elected to the 17th Lok Sabha.  In 2014, 62 women MPs were elected.
   
• The representation of women MPs in Lok Sabha is slowly improving from 5% in the 1st Lok Sabha to 14 % in the 17th Lok Sabha.
   
• Though the percentage of women MPs has increased over the years, it is still lower in comparison to some countries. These include  Rwanda (61%), South Africa (43%), UK (32%), USA (24%), Bangladesh (21%).
• 39% of MPs have listed their occupation as political and social work.
   
• 38% are engaged in agricultural activities.  23% MPs are businessmen.
   
• Only 4% of MPs are lawyers.