Universities ask colleges to prepare for student elections 

Bengaluru: With the decks cleared for the return of elections to campuses, universities across the state have instructed principals of their affiliate colleges to start preparing for student elections.Officials of some universities are planning to convene a meeting with the principals of colleges to review the preparations, after the Code of Conduct for the Legislative Council elections is lifted. Other varsities, including the Bengaluru North University (BNU) have issued circulars wherein colleges have been intimated to follow the directions issued by the Karnataka Department of Higher Education.BNU Vice-Chancellor B K Ravi told DH, “Elections on campuses will instil leadership qualities among students. In addition to politicians, many well-known academics too were student leaders in their time at college.”Colleges have been asked to submit a report detailing all the steps taken towards re-introducing student elections on their respective campuses, said Ravi.Student elections: Karnataka govt order caps poll expenditure at Rs 20,000The Adikavi Sri Maharshi Valmiki University in Raichur issued a notification on September 21 asking colleges to prepare for student elections. “The government has framed and issued guidelines to inculcate values such as civic responsibility, accountability and democracy among students. All affiliate undergraduate and postgraduate colleges have been directed to conduct student union elections,” reads the circular.The Vice-Chancellor of another government university said that colleges could hold student elections once the model code of conduct for the Council polls is lifted.“Elections are vital to instilling values of leadership and democracy among students,” the VC said.Officials of the Dr Manmohan Singh Bengaluru City University said that a meeting of all affiliate college principals would be convened to review the preparations made for the student elections.On the other hand, student organisations too have been busy, holding meetings outside campuses, educating fellow students about the elections, and scouting for probable candidates for the polls.State organising secretary for Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) Basavesh Kori said, “Since we are barred from holding election-related meetings inside the campuses, we are deliberating on the upcoming elections outside the campuses. ABVP is also consulting former student leaders who have experience leading the organisation at the state-level and collecting their inputs.”National Students Union of India (NSUI) office-bearers too are meeting potential candidates and gauging their interest in contesting elections. Bengaluru City University NSUI president Lakshya Raj stressed the need to field interested and eligible candidates.“They will represent the student community for the next year. We are being guided by our senior leaders in the process,” said Raj.The Higher Education Department issued an order reinstating elections on college campuses after the Cabinet took a decision to that effect.However, the government has decided against holding elections at the universities in the first phase, besides prohibiting student organisations and political parties from entering campuses during the elections. Student union elections are returning to college campuses in the state after 37 years, when they were banned following violent incidents.

Source: Deccan Herald