VIP (very important person) culture in India appears not only to have survived years of public criticism and judicial interventions but to have expanded further into daily civic life, with 77% of citizens saying it has either remained intact or increased over the past three years, according to a new nationwide survey conducted by LocalCircles.
The survey, which received responses from over 54,000 citizens across 333 districts, suggests that preferential treatment for the powerful has become more visible across sectors ranging from roads and toll plazas to religious places, hospitals and public events.
LocalCircles says, "According to 80% of those surveyed, this culture can be observed at public and private events also. Not so surprisingly, 77% of citizens surveyed say VIP culture is not reducing in India. When comparing the survey results in 2024 and this year, it is established that the percentage of citizens who have experienced VIP culture has increased from 64% to 77%."
"The Supreme Court may have started the drive to curtail some of the VIP privileges by restricting use of beacon lights on vehicles used by high dignitaries holding Constitutional posts while on duty, but the VIP culture seems to be growing. Organisations like the Indian Railways have announced initiatives to reduce VIP culture, but the result is yet to be seen. Until and unless every Central and State Government leader takes it upon themselves and holds themselves and their members of Parliament (MPs) and members of legislative assemblies (MLAs) accountable, little is likely to change," it added.
The findings come amid recurring public outrage over VIP convoys disrupting traffic, exclusive access at religious sites and special treatment at high-profile cultural and sporting events.
According to the study, 81% of respondents who travelled by roads or tollways in the past year say VIP culture is easily observable, while 70% reported similar experiences at airports and on flights. Rail travel is not immune either, with 52% of respondents reporting witnessing VIP privilege on trains and at railway stations.
Beyond travel and transport, the survey paints an equally stark picture of discrimination in everyday public spaces. Among those who visited religious places in the past year, 83% say VIP culture is prevalent, while 80% observed it at public and private events, including concerts, festivals and official functions. Government offices are flagged by 74% of respondents and 57% reported preferential treatment in hospitals, often at the cost of ordinary citizens waiting longer for essential services
The persistence of such practices has fuelled widespread frustration, particularly as VIP culture increasingly intersects with large public gatherings. From crowd management controversies at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj to restricted access at Ganpati pandals in Mumbai, and from convoy-related traffic jams in state capitals to elite-only zones at high-profile private events, social media has been flooded with videos documenting citizen inconvenience.
LocalCircles noted that the issue has become more pronounced, not less. A comparison with its earlier survey shows that the proportion of citizens who reported experiencing VIP culture rose sharply from 64% in 2024 to 77% in 2025, underscoring what it described as a 'matter of concern' due to the apparent misuse of privilege.
When asked how VIP culture had changed over the past three years, 35% of respondents say it is intact and very much present, while 33% say it has increased significantly and another 9% say it has increased somewhat. Only 21% believed it had reduced to any degree, reinforcing the view that reforms and public pressure have had a limited impact on the ground.
The findings also raise questions about governance and equality in a democratic system. While the Supreme Court’s restrictions on the use of beacon lights and other visible symbols of privilege are intended to curb VIP excesses, the survey suggests that preferential access has merely shifted forms rather than disappeared.
The platform argued that unless political leaders and senior officials actively hold themselves and elected representatives accountable, meaningful change is unlikely.
The survey’s demographic spread lends weight to the findings. Of the respondents, 69% were men and 31% women, with 44% from tier-1 cities, 29% from tier-2 towns, and 27% from tier-3, tier-4, tier-5 and rural districts, indicating that the perception of VIP culture cuts across geography and urban-rural divides.
The study suggests that VIP culture in India has become more entrenched and normalised, affecting not just governance but also faith, healthcare, travel and entertainment. For many citizens, the issue is no longer symbolic privilege but everyday inconvenience and exclusion — a growing gap between those with access and those without.
As public debate intensifies, the survey serves as a reminder that curbing VIP culture requires more than policy announcements or court orders. Without sustained political will and enforcement on the ground, citizens appear resigned to the idea that privilege continues to trump equality in public life.
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