Election is a decision making process where people choose people to hold official offices. This is the usual mechanism by which modern democracy fills offices in the legislature, sometimes in the executive and judiciary, and for regional and local government. Here we can also include the schools and colleges where elections are conducted. And this has now become a major issue if college elections should be banned or not.

Recently the U.P. Government banned the college elections in a blanket method following deadly campus violence and intrusion of political parties into the premises. This is a rare instance. Take for example, if a vehicle meets an accident, should we stop riding vehicles? Or if there is any mis-governance should we stop forming Government? Of course, no. Then why should we ban elections in colleges? In my opinion it is not a great idea to keep students away from college elections.

Many of you present here must be having the view that college elections are a mere nuisance as the most undisciplined elements get elected who misuse their powers and the funds raised for good purpose. People often criticize the intrusion of political parties in the affairs of student’s bodies, goondaism, vandalism, violence and dadagiri and disrespect to the authorities. But this is only the pessimistic view of the picture. Now let us have a look at the brighter side of having college elections.

Colleges and Universities are not merely the centers of academic learning. Students of today will soon be growing up and finding a place for themselves in society. It is easier for the students to graduate themselves into the world of real power, politics and governance if they get an idea about what government and politics really is.

Today’s student’s community is much sharper than the student’s community of yester years. There are CEO’s at the age of 16, doctors at the age of 18 and Civil service officers at the age of 25. With such a background scenario college elections should be more aptly allowed by the state Government and the Central Government. This will definitely lead to healthy growth of nation through democratic participation of the students right from the young age.

Students unions and elections are very useful in imparting training in democracy, understanding the election process and the value of votes. Not just this, the students union fights for the student’s welfare activities, overall growth of the college within the frame of discipline and norms. Very often the Govt. and the college management are not able to give proper attention to the areas where attention is required. Here, the union acts as a forum to have joint interaction for the welfare of the college.

If the students are kept away from political exercises in campuses, then their political awareness will be retarded. It is these clean minded student leaders who can take the present day’s dirty politics to a clean high and organized level.

We know great breed of leaders like Rajeev Gandhi, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Sardar Ballav Bhai Patel, Indira Gandhi and many more passing out from the Doon school, Delhi University , J.N.U. ,Banaras Hindu University and other institutions where elections are held regularly till date. So in the field of legislature, executive and judiciary, science and technology, we get well groomed candidates for future governance of our country.

College elections not only make the students responsible provides a platform to channelise the energy and talent of the young students in a more harmonious manner and constructive way to serve the society. Steps like the Lingdoh Commission recommendations where candidates should have at least 75% attendance should be academically flawless in the year of contesting poles shall definitely change the scenario of college elections in a better way. What we need is reform and not the suppression of vox populi. So in my opinion college elections should not be banned.      

January 5, 2008

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