SPPU sets the ball rolling for formation of student council

This came as a relief to academicians and college authorities, because though the new Act made provisions for the return of student elections, college principals and even varsity administration were wary about the possibility of violence linked to the polls.

Written by Alifiya Khan | Pune |
December 27, 2017 6:20:46 am

Maharashtra Public Universities Act, violence on campus, pune, indian express, SPPU, Savitribai Phule Pune University, MU Act

Mumbai University (Express Photo)

The ‘comeback’ of student elections was the most debated aspect of the newly-enacted Maharashtra Public Universities Act, due to apprehensions that the polls would lead to violence on campus. Now, the state has finally paved the way for student representation in the university, but this year, student leaders would once again be nominated, not elected.

A couple of weeks ago, the state government issued an ordinance, bringing changes in the MU Act so that the universities follow the process of nomination for forming student councils, from which members will be chosen for representation on statutory bodies. Now, authorities of Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) have initiated the process to include students in the representative bodies by setting the deadline for formation of student councils in affiliated colleges and university departments.

This came as a relief to academicians and college authorities, because though the new Act made provisions for the return of student elections, college principals and even varsity administration were wary about the possibility of violence linked to the polls. The SPPU vice-chancellor had even admitted that the university planned to seek help from the Election Commission and police for conducting student elections.

While it was expected that the state government would soon pass the statutes about how student elections should be conducted, for this year, the state has passed an ordinance for nominations. “For this year, we would be going back to the old procedure of nominations. The state has specified how colleges and departments are to institute the student council body, which we will follow,” said Arvind Shaligram, registrar of SPPU.