'Delulu', 'FOMO', 'Clock It': Gen Z slang echoes through Lok Sabha during NEET debate

Popular Gen Z expressions such as "delulu", "FOMO", "MIA" and "clock it" found an unexpected platform in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday as Members of Parliament invoked internet slang during a discussion on the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026.

The debate, which centred on the proposed anti-paper leak legislation in the wake of the NEET controversy, saw MPs from both the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Opposition using contemporary online expressions to sharpen their political attacks.

NDA MPs Invoke Gen Z Vocabulary To Target Opposition

Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Lata Eknath Shinde used a string of Gen Z terms while referring to the Opposition's July 20 protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence.

"I would like to sum up the Opposition's protest in Gen Z language. They were MIA (missing in action) for the first 37 days and did not go to Jantar Mantar. Then came FOMO (fear of missing out), so they held a protest outside the prime minister's residence. Finally, they became 'delulu' (delusional), believing the protesting students would join them, but no one did," he said.

BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj, representing the New Delhi constituency, also borrowed from Gen Z vocabulary while criticising the Congress.

"Where Congress created a policy vacuum, Modi clocked it, if I may borrow the language of Gen Z, and created a solution. All the Opposition did was chase political opportunism."

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya also used the term "delulu" while attacking the Opposition.

"I want to tell the Opposition (that) because of this issue (NEET paper leak), the Opposition thinks that youth are with them, but there is no bigger delulu than this," he said.

He added that young people watching the debate were looking for solutions rather than political exchanges.

"Youths across the country are watching us and this debate in Parliament and wondering what will come out of this discussion. That common youth who is watching this House from home is not concerned with this 'tu-tu main-main'."

"He is not concerned about what happened in this government, what happened in the past, or who was ruling in the states. They don't care about this," he added.

"The student who is preparing for the next examination, he is more concerned about who is going to fix the system for the future, and he knows this government under PM Modi's leadership is trying to fix the system once and for all for the better for his future," Surya said.

Drawing another comparison with internet terminology, he added, "And as they say in Gen Z language, you need to fix the source code to fix the system, and that can be done with root and branch reform in our education system."

Opposition Hits Back, Questions Focus On Slang

From the Opposition benches, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi responded by taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"If Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to win over the Gen Z, then videos changing camera angles will not help. The prime minister needs to change the angle of his heart, not the angle of cameras."

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav referred to the slogan, "Jhukane Wala Chahiye, Sarkar Bhi Jhukti Hai," raised by protesting students and criticised the government's alleged "arrogance" in handling the issue.

NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule, however, urged members to focus on the subject under discussion instead of internet terminology.

"Why are we getting into the lingo of Gen Z? This debate is not about the Oxford online dictionary as to who knows how many words. We are here for very serious issue," Sule said.

Debate Resumes After Week-Long Deadlock

The discussion on the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, began after a week-long logjam in the Lok Sabha.

Introducing the Bill, Union Minister Jitendra Singh described it as a reaffirmation of the government's commitment to safeguarding the interests of students and young people. He said the Modi government completed an unfinished task by bringing legislation to curb examination malpractices in 2024.

The debate follows nationwide protests launched by the Cockroach Janata Party over the NEET paper leak, demanding reforms in the education sector.

The 36-day protest concluded on July 25 after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as the Union Education Minister.