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Deccan Herald
a day ago
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Student unions as laboratories of citizenship
The Karnataka government's proposal to reintroduce student elections in colleges and universities has reignited a long-dormant debate about campus politics and the kind of citizens our educational institutions are shaping. After over three decades of a ban, the move is being considered following a proposal from the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) and a nudge from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who reportedly urged the government to cultivate leadership among students. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar have signalled intent. However, university administrators remain wary, warning that the return of campus polls could bring back violence, groupism, and political interference. These concerns are not unfounded, but they also raise a deeper, more urgent question: What is lost when we silence student voices in the name of stability?.Student elections in Karnataka were banned in 1989, following a few violent incidents. But since then, the state has undergone massive political, social, and educational transformations. Today, the push for reintroducing student unions is not just nostalgic; it speaks to a growing recognition that student leadership is not a threat to academic life but potentially its most vital force. Many Indian states and cities, such as Kerala, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and particularly Delhi, have continued to hold student elections. Their experiences offer Karnataka both a cautionary tale and a case for reintroducing student elections rests on a foundational democratic principle: participation. A university is not merely a site for acquiring knowledge but also a space where students learn to negotiate power, voice dissent, and imagine a better society. Elections help institutionalise this spirit. In places like Jawaharlal Nehru University and Delhi University, student unions have historically played pivotal roles in defending academic freedom, improving student welfare, and demanding administrative accountability. For example, the JNU Students' Union has successfully intervened in policies around fee hikes, hostel allocations, and anti-discrimination measures. These student bodies often act as intermediaries between the administration and the student community, amplifying concerns, channelling grievances, and organising collective Student elections likely to return to campuses .Critics, however, highlight the risks and serious concerns: violence, politicisation, and academic disruption. In states like Rajasthan and Punjab, the return of student elections has sometimes led to aggressive factionalism, clashes, and even criminal allegations against candidates. In Delhi, the DU Students' Union elections have occasionally been marred by large-scale spending, mob clashes, and interference from major national parties. The 2015 DUSU elections saw such intense political rivalry that the university cancelled its presidential debates amid security does this mean we abandon campus democracy altogether? The challenge is not student politics per se, but its distortion. When student bodies become mere proxies for political parties, the educational purpose of their existence collapses. However, Karnataka can, and must, learn from these experiences to build a better, more accountable Lyngdoh Committee, set up by the Supreme Court in 2006, has already provided a robust framework to regulate student elections. It prescribes age limits, caps on campaign spending, and bans on candidates with criminal records, and insists on fair and peaceful campaigning. If effectively implemented and monitored, these guidelines can act as strong guardrails against the degeneration of student democracy into a power like West Bengal have gone further, experimenting with 'apolitical' student councils that ban political party names, symbols, and slogans. While such models have been critiqued for being over-sanitised or undemocratic, they offer one way to prevent external interference without silencing student representation. The key is not to depoliticise students but to allow them to develop their political consciousness organically, within ethical and civic bounds. After all, the purpose of education is not just to produce employable graduates but thinking citizens capable of engaging with democracy in all its complexities. .Today, campuses often feel colder. Many students express hesitation in raising their voices for fear of administrative reprisals. Activism is viewed with suspicion; leadership is seen as a disruption. The result is a generation of students who may be bright and qualified but less practiced in disagreement, negotiation, or civic this context, Karnataka's proposal can be seen not just as a political move but as an educational reform. With adequate safeguards, transparent monitoring, and a commitment to student welfare, campus elections could become training grounds for the next generation of India's democratic leaders. The goal is not to manufacture politicians but to cultivate informed, engaged citizens. To get there, universities must not act from fear but from vision. Vice chancellors and faculty have a critical role in regulating the process, mentoring student leaders, ensuring equity, and promoting a culture of dialogue over division. Faculty-guided debates, issue-based campaigns, and promoting civic values over party loyalty can help build a new grammar for student politics—one that is democratic, not the question is not whether student elections are risky; it is whether we believe our students can use voice over violence, ideas over ideology, and responsibility over rhetoric. The Karnataka government's rethink is a chance to trust students again—to let them participate, lead, and learn. In a democracy as young, noisy, and urgent as ours, that trust may be the best education we can offer..(The writer is a former professor and dean of a Bengaluru-based university)
Indian Express
21-07-2025
- Indian Express
NSUI's Odisha unit head arrested for ‘raping' 19-year-old student
The Odisha Police late Sunday night arrested Udit Pradhan, the state unit president of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), for allegedly raping a 19-year-old student. He will be produced in court on Monday. According to police sources, the survivor alleged that Pradhan raped her on March 18 after giving her some intoxicated substance at a hotel. On the basis of the survivor's statement, a First Information Report (FIR) was registered and the accused was arrested, a police officer said. Pradhan has been booked under sections 64 (1) (rape), 123 (causing hurt by means of poison), 296 (obscene acts and songs), 74 (use of criminal force against a woman), and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The arrest comes at a time when the Congress party has stepped up its attack against the BJP government in Odisha over recent issues of crime against women, including the death of a student at a leading college in Balasore. The Congress is yet to issue a statement on the latest development.
The Print
17-07-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Bihar govt not being run by Nitish but someone else; education system has collapsed: Kanhaiya Kumar
Kumar, in-charge of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), told reporters, 'A strange incident has come to light from Bihar, where the principals of some colleges (of Patna University) were appointed through a lottery, after which men were made principals even in women's colleges… the vice chancellor said the recommendations come from big people, so we had to conduct a lottery.' He alleged that the education system in Bihar is running arbitrarily and the 'cut-commission system' is dominant. He alleged that the 'double engine' in Bihar has completely broken down and described the current situation in the state with the Hindi proverb 'Andher Nagri Chaupat Raja…'. New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar on Tuesday slammed the NDA dispensation in Bihar over the prevailing education system as well as the law and order situation in the state, claiming that the government is not being run by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar but someone else. 'If you see the number of students in any college, you will know the situation. If there is a college with four rooms, then thousands of students have been registered. It means pay money and get a degree,' Kumar said at a press conference at the Congress' Indira Bhawan headquarters. 'We demand that the Bihar government take immediate steps in view of the poor condition of education in Bihar. Otherwise, the youth are ready to change this government,' he said. Referring to the recent incidents of crime in Bihar, he said there is no city in the state where bullets are not being fired. 'Criminals are committing crimes openly, and the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar (Samrat Chaudhary) shamelessly says that organised crime has ended. The crime situation in Bihar shows that these 'double engines' are working in opposite directions,' he said. 'This is not Nitish Kumar's way of running the government. This clearly shows that not Nitish Kumar but someone else is running the government,' Kumar claimed. 'I want to tell the people of Bihar, snatch the chair of the government that does not care about you,' he said. PTI ASK RHL This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Delay in card issuance leave scholarship students struggling
Ahmedabad: As admissions through the Gujarat Common Admission System (GCAS) portal continue, students eligible for post matric scholarship are facing major hurdles due to delays in issuance of freeship cards and alleged non-compliance by colleges. The scholarship scheme provides fee exemptions to students from socially and economically disadvantaged communities, including those from SC, ST, and economically weaker sections. However, students report that it currently takes 4-5 days to receive the freeship card after securing admission. In the interim, many colleges are allegedly refusing to accept freeship card tokens as proof of eligibility for the scholarship and are pressuring students to pay full fees upfront to confirm their seats. This situation has sparked widespread anger among students who depend on the scheme to access higher education. In Gujarat University-affiliated colleges, freeship card holders are entitled to full fee exemption, with the department of social justice and empowerment directly reimbursing the fees to institutions. You Can Also Check: Ahmedabad AQI | Weather in Ahmedabad | Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad | Public Holidays in Ahmedabad The National Students' Union of India (NSUI) submitted a formal complaint to the Gujarat University vice chancellor, demanding strict action against colleges violating the policy. The student body has also urged the university to ensure refunds to students who were compelled to pay full fees despite being eligible for exemption and called for disciplinary measures against erring college authorities.
India Gazette
15-07-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
An Institutional Murder: NSUI demands justice for Balasore self-immolation victim
New Delhi [India], July 15 (ANI): The National Students' Union of India (NSUI) has demanded justice for Soumyashree, a 20-year-old student of Fakir Mohan Autonomous College, Balasore, who self-immolated herself in protest over sexual harassment by her Head of the Department. According to an official press release, 'The National Students' Union of India (NSUI) is devastated, enraged, and deeply shaken by the tragic death of Soumyashree, a 20-year-old student of FM College, Balasore, who set herself ablaze after months of unbearable trauma and institutional silence.' The NSUI has alleged institutional silence and apathy from the college administration and the Odisha Government, and has called for immediate action against the accused and those who failed to protect Soumyashree. 'Soumyashree was a victim of sexual harassment at the hands of a faculty member. She cried out for help, pleaded for justice, but was met with indifference and apathy. The Odisha Government, the college administration, and a system controlled by BJP-backed appointees failed her at every step. From the Chief Minister's chair to the district administration, not a single authority acted to protect her.', the release stated. The NSUI has alleged that Soumyashree's pleas for help were met with indifference and apathy by the authorities, including the college administration and the district administration, which are claimed to be controlled by BJP-backed appointees. 'Adding to the disgrace is the silence of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) the very student organization Soumyashree was a part of. ABVP failed its own member. Not only did they ignore her cries for justice, but they are now shamelessly attempting to spread false narratives and deflect blame. Their silence when she needed them most, and their lies now, are acts of betrayal. 'Let it be stated unequivocally No NSUI office bearer is involved in this case. These baseless accusations are not just false they are an insult to Soumyashree's memory and a vile attempt to shield the real perpetrators,' the release read. According to the release, NSUI alleged, 'This is not just a tragedy. This is institutional murder. NSUI stands firmly with Soumyashree and her family. We demand immediate arrest and prosecution of the accused faculty member, an independent judicial probe into the role of college authorities and administrative cover-up, suspension of officials and staff who ignored Soumyashree's repeated complaints and accountability from the Odisha Government and BJP-backed machinery that allowed this injustice. NSUI will fight for justice for Soumyashree.' Meanwhile, the Odisha State Congress President Bhakta Charan Das has called for a statewide 'bandh' on July 17 in protest against the death of the student. Das demanded the resignation of the State Education Minister, local MLA and MP over the death of the Balasore student. 'Our demand is that the Education Minister, the MLA, and the MP--all three--should resign, and their party should expel all three... On the 17th, we have called for an Odisha bandh, and we appeal to all sections to support it,' Das told ANI. The Odisha Congress Chief noted that the victim, even after complaining at multiple forums, did not get justice. 'The student knocked on every door for justice and even got an FIR registered... but she did not get justice... She even went to the MLA. The MLA could have ensured justice for her, but he did not do so... The MP also did not take this matter seriously... Was it not their responsibility to take this matter seriously? ... If even a little action had been taken, the situation would not have come to the point where that student had to take her own life... The government did not even realise that this is their responsibility,' he added. The 20-year-old student set herself on fire after allegedly facing prolonged sexual harassment by her college's Head of Department. Despite lodging a formal complaint and seeking help from the principal, her pleas were ignored, leading to the tragic incident. The incident occurred at Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College. (ANI)
